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The Beltsville Civic Association wants the Prince Georges County Liquor Control Board to revoke Powder Mill Beer and Wine's license after it received repeated citations for selling alcohol to underage patrons.

Store owner John Kim is scheduled to appear before the board in November for his fourth violation in seven years, which happened in September of 2007.

Kim said he had spent the last few months trying to sell the store but could not find a buyer.

He was originally scheduled for a transfer hearing on Sept. 23 but withdrew his request for a transfer last week.

"Liquor license owners need to be reminded that licenses are a privilege, not a right," Beltsville Citizens Association president Karen Coakley said in an e-mail to county and state officials. "They need to be extra diligent about checking for ID's when they are located close to a school. Powder Mill Beer and Wine has not and they have been caught several times."

The store was subject to previous fines in 2000, 2002 and 2005. Kim said they were all for selling to minors.

A Board of License Commissioners employee, who asked that their name not be revealed due to job concerns, said that each citation is handled on a case-by-case basis and there is no set number of citations that leads to an automatic revoking of a license.

"They make a determination on each case," the employee said. "They could decide to suspend the license, revoke it or fine [the owner]."

Kim said since the most recent citation, he has taken steps to ensure his employees card everyone.

"We have a program called alcohol awareness program," he said. "We put up all the signs here and we check everyone's ID. I'm a law abiding person."

He said that the fourth violation happened while he was suffering from back pains after a car accident and he had to hire someone to look over the store.

"I hired a girl and she started two days before the incident happened," Kim said. "Sometimes human beings make mistakes. Unfortunately at that time she wasn't familiar with this business and she forgot to check an ID."

The woman sold alcohol to an undercover minor without checking his ID. She quit shortly thereafter.

Kim said he takes responsibility for the sale.

"It was my negligence and I was sorry about that," Kim said. "I told everyone I am a law abiding person and I don't want to break the law by selling one bottle of beer to a minor. It's ridiculous. It's not worth it."

Beltsville resident Linda Murrow said if Kim paid fines and is still making the mistakes then he should have his license revoked.

"Once is ‘you made a mistake', but this is the fourth time," she said. "Who's to say it's not going to happen again? No one should be allowed to operate a business like that without conforming to the rules."

Murrow also said that the employee who made the sale should have been fired on the spot before she had an opportunity to quit.

Beltsville resident Kevin Kennedy, who owns an Italian restaurant in Lanham, said he thinks with High Point High School so close, owners should know about the immediate threat of underage drinkers.

"From a standpoint that they're close to a high school, you'd think they'd be a lot more diligent," he said. "The fact that they are so close creates a clientele that's a lot more underage. In my restaurant, I don't care if you're 105. If you don't have ID, you don't get served."

Kim, a Beltsville resident, said he is a positive member of the community and does not want to sell to minors. He said he gives High Point students discounts on food and non-alcoholic beverages.

"I donate money to the fire department, police and the schools," he said. "I'm going to contribute to my community. I have to contribute to because I am a neighborhood business."

Kim's hearing is set for November, although no date has been provided by the liquor board.