City commission postpones approval of liquor license
Richard Swindlehurst would never have supported parts of Mount Pleasant's one-day liquor licensing policy five years ago.
Owner of Shaboom Pub Club and the Blue Gator Pub, 106 Court St., and Cheers Neighborhood Grill and Bar, 1700 W. High St., said then he thought it would have harmed business. But now that the Downtown Development Board wants to enhance Mount Pleasant's central business district by amending the policy, it's a different story.
City Commissioners received a recommendation from the DDB Monday that could eventually make multiple areas downtown available to community and university organizations that want to hold outside events and offer alcohol.
"This may help to bring people into our downtown that first time," Swindlehurst said. "If it brings them in a first time, hopefully we business people can get them back a second time. But that'll be our job."
Discussion ensued during Monday's meeting over the recommendation's readiness, as some commissioners questioned the altered language of location options.
"As far as I know, we just kind of cleared up the idea that we had a party university and now we want to be a party town," said Commissioner Sharon Tilmann.
One-day licenses are currently granted to organizations holding events with alcohol only in Island Park. The DDB suggested the policy include five location options scattered throughout the downtown area, three of which require partial closure of public streets.
Commissioners asked Bill Yeagley, director of Public Safety, if he felt an increase of areas where alcohol was offered could be contained.
"In my opinion, it is wise to take small steps instead of large steps," Yeagley said. "I'm more comfortable with one or two (locations) than four or five."
The policy includes a $250 application fee and a 90-day waiting period for city officials to approve a downtown event. Because many events offering alcohol take place in the summer, Michelle Sponseller, director of Downtown Development, said commissioners may face a time crunch in reaching a decision.
"If you're going to keep the 90 days in for the review process, 60 days is a little bit more manageable," she said.
Wayne Blanchard was one of the students from the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi to arrange a free, charity concert downtown April 2.
The Leroy freshman said "Downtown for a Pint," was organized in less than four weeks, making it impossible to obtain a license for the event.
"We were advised by the Downtown Development director that we didn't have time to go through the process," Blanchard said. "It would've been nice to have one and we'll be applying for one next year."
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