Millbrook Council Approves Hemp Product License for Hill Liquor and Wine

The Millbrook City Council voted March 10 to un-table and approve Hill Liquor and Wine's request for an Alcoholic Beverage Control license explicitly permitting the sale of consumable hemp products, clearing the way for the business to move forward with sales in compliance with state regulations.

The approval came during the council's regular meeting following a public hearing and weeks of preparation. Hill Liquor and Wine staff met with Mayor Al Kelley's office the week before the vote to review state law and address outstanding questions about the hemp licensing process.

Mayor Kelley credited a representative from Hill Liquor and Wine, Cannon Morgan Patel, for helping his office understand the legal landscape. "I want to thank Cannon for coming to our office the other day to kind of give us an education on hemp products," Kelley said. "After listening to her, I certainly feel like Hill Liquor will abide by all the rules, and now, if we can get all the rest of them to abide by the rules, we'd be in a much better place."

Patel, for her part, described the process as a labor of genuine interest. "From reading the house bill to talking to city council, it's not every day one gets the opportunity to talk about something they're passionate about," she wrote in a public comment after the vote.

The council's decision carries implications beyond Hill Liquor and Wine. During the meetings preceding the vote, city officials learned that some Millbrook businesses may already be selling hemp products without the required ABC license. That discovery is driving the city to consider additional enforcement measures, including a proposed amendment to Millbrook's Code of Ordinances that would give the city authority to shut down unlicensed sellers directly rather than rely on state agencies.

That last point touches on a broader regulatory tangle. Community member Marietta Kouns noted that uncertainty extends to the state level, pointing to apparent confusion between the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and the Alabama Attorney General's Office over which agency carries responsibility for prosecuting illegal hemp product sales. "If state agencies are unclear on enforcement, local governments are left trying to figure it out themselves," Kouns wrote, characterizing the ordinance amendment effort as a response to that ambiguity. Neither the ABC Board nor the Attorney General's Office has issued public clarification on the question, and the proposed ordinance language has not yet been made public.

The council's approval of Hill Liquor and Wine's license marked a notable shift from the uncertainty documented in earlier reporting, previously captured under the headline "New Alabama hemp law leaves Millbrook leaders with more questions than answers." At least one Millbrook resident expressed relief at the outcome. Wayne Domingus wrote that he had been forced to drive to Georgia to purchase hemp-based drinks rather than buying locally, a situation the new license is now positioned to resolve.

The vote was taken during the March 10 regular meeting. The exact tally was not reported, and the full text of the proposed Code of Ordinances amendment has not been released.