The Harford County Liquor Control Board chairman says the board did everything in its power to protect the citizens of the county by revoking Tully’s of Fallston’s liquor license.

The nightclub, which has had several different owners over the years, has been at the center of numerous controversies. The most recent was on Halloween night when one man was stabbed and a deputy was struck by a car leaving the parking lot where several fights had broken out. Six people were arrested in connection with the Halloween incident.

But on Thursday, Harford County Circuit Court Judge Angela Eaves rescinded the board’s revocation less than 24 hours later, temporarily returning the establishment its license at the request of Tully’s lawyer, Joseph Snee, who managed Eaves’ 2008 election campaign for judge.

“I think the [liquor] board has done everything they can to protect the citizens of Harford County, especially those in Fallston,” Donald Hess, liquor board chairman, said Monday. “We made a decision that was not easy. It took a lot of thought and consideration and now we just have to let it play out in the court system.”

Eaves issued a temporary injunction ruling that revoking Tully’s license during the appeals process would cause “financial stress.”

A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. in Eaves’ courtroom.

The liquor board, or any person or party affected by the order, had the option of requesting that the injunction be dissolved, but the liquor board decided to proceed with Monday’s hearing instead.

“We evaluated the situation and decided we would be better prepared in 10 days with the scheduled hearing and let the judge make the decision,” Hess said.

The injunction was obtained by Snee Thursday at 4 p.m., just hours after the liquor board’s inspector seized the license from the Tully’s establishment.

Snee personally walked the injunction through Eaves’ judge chambers, according to Gabriele Solis, a civil clerk in the courthouse.

Injunctions are typically handled by Harford County Administrative Judge William Carr, but they can be taken to any judge who is available, according to Carr’s law clerk.

There was no in-court hearing for the injunction Thursday, according to Eaves’ court clerk. It appears the injunction was issued in Eaves chambers, although it could not be confirmed.

“I don’t think I am going to comment in light of your article on Friday,” Snee said Tuesday, when asked about the process he went through to obtain the injunction.

Eaves did not respond to phone messages Tuesday. Her secretary said Eaves was unable to discuss anything regarding the case.

The liquor board’s attorney, Pilar Gracia, was not there when the injunction was issued, liquor board administrator Kathryn Thess said Monday.

“My attorney did notify us around 4 p.m. that there was action taking place at the courthouse,” Thess said.

Last Wednesday, the liquor board revoked Tully’s liquor license after finding the nightclub’s operators had violated eight license regulations.

Four of the violations stemmed from incidents Halloween night and early in the morning of Nov. 1, in which one man was stabbed and six people were arrested.

The board listened to about 10 hours of witness testimony over the course of two meetings, first on Dec. 2 and again last Wednesday, before it revoked the license.

Hess said a lot of thought goes into revoking a license, and the board unanimously agreed there were too many safety violations to allow Tully’s to keep its license.

Commissioner Vernon Gauss was absent from both Tully’s hearings.

Under a license revocation, Tully’s licensees, George Hyle and Angelina Baum, will never be able to hold another liquor license in Harford County. In addition, no alcoholic beverage license will be permitted at the Tully’s location for a minimum of six months.

When the liquor board revoked Tully’s license last week, Hess said he was almost 100 percent sure the licensees would appeal the revocation to the circuit court.

“It did not come as a shock to me,” Hess said, adding he plans to attend this Monday’s hearing. “I don’t care what you do, you have the right to appeal.”

License revocation

The licensees of Tully’s were notified their license had been revoked when Chief Inspector Charlie Robbins seized the license from the establishment Thursday morning.

Thess said the liquor board officially notifies licensees of board decisions through a letter. The licensees’ attorney is also copied on the decision letter.

“Board procedure is to do written notification,” Thess said.

Snee and the licensees could have stayed at the hearing last Wednesday or called Thursday morning to find out the liquor board’s decision, according to Thess.

“It is up to the licensee or lawyer if they choose to call,” she said, adding that neither the licensees nor Snee called the office. “We do not routinely call licensees.”

According to the Maryland Annotated Code, the liquor board “shall report its findings at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board or within 14 calendar days of the hearing, which ever is early.”

The liquor board’s decision last Wednesday was to immediately seize Tully’s license; however, because the hearing concluded at 10 p.m., the board decided it was best to seize the license the following day.

“For safety purposes and common sense, the board decided to seize it [the license] the following day since Tully’s was most likely already having an event,” Thess said, adding that it was in the best interest of both the liquor board and Tully’s to wait until Thursday.

The last time the liquor board revoked a license was four years ago.

In 2005, the liquor board revoked the liquor license of the 7-Eleven on Bynum Road in Forest Hill for 11 sales to underage patrons, as well as having three employees under the age of 18 and three alcohol awareness violations from 1986, when the license was issued, until 2005.

Open for business

Since Thursday, Tully’s has been open for business, and although no liquor law violations have been reported, a van was stolen from the parking lot Saturday.

Around 4 p.m., an Edgewood woman reported her rental van was stolen from the Tully’s parking lot, according to a Harford County Sheriff’s Office report.

The woman stated she drove to Tully’s on Friday night, but was picked up later that night by a friend because she had too much to drink, according to police reports.

The van was left locked on Tully’s parking lot overnight; however, the woman said she believed her key fell out of her jacket.

According to police reports, the van was found in Tennessee by the rental company using a GPS, but the woman said she did not know anyone in Tennessee.

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