City intends to non-renew beer license for BP Bar

CLINTONVILLE – The city of Clintonville intends to non-renew the Class “B” Beer & Amusement Device Licenses for the BP Bar located at 325 ½ S Main Street in Clintonville.
The Clintonville Common Council approved the intent to non-renewal when it met June 9.
At that meeting, Clintonville City Attorney Keith Steckbauer told the council that the deadline for the annual renewal is July 1. Steckbauer said the notice of intent to non-renew the license starts a process that would allow the BP Bar to object the non-renewal.
“If they object, we’ll schedule it for a hearing,” Steckbauer said. “That hearing would be held in front of Safety & Ordinance (Committee), because that’s what our original ordinance provided.”
He said a “mini-trial” would be heard by the committee. The city would be able to call witnesses. The BP Bar would be able to present evidence. Afterwards, the committee would meet in closed session to make its recommendation to the council. Depending on the recommendation, Steckbauer added that the BP Bar would have the option to attend a council meeting and ask the council not to act on the committee’s recommendation. City staff would also have the option to ask the council not to act on the committee’s recommendation.

If this process goes beyond July 1, BP Bar would not have a license from July 1 until the process is completed.
Non-renewal reason
Steckbauer said the grounds for the non-renewal is the city believes, based on an investigation by the Clintonville Police Department, that the BP Bar is also being used as “sleeping quarters.”
“Historically, we’ve been aware of that,” Steckbauer said. “They were notified not to do that a previous time. They corrected that. We’ve done an inspection again as part of the renewal process, and our review is in fact still living quarters in the premises. The premises are rarely open and there is always a vehicle parked in front of that particular spot, essentially every night.”
According to the statute, Steckbauer said an establishment selling alcohol needs to follow the food code. The food code stipulates that a food establishment cannot have living quarters.
“I believe they are going to contest it, just so you know,” Steckbauer said.