MONROE - The city's only remaining Class A fermented malt liquor license was granted to Bowen Oil Company at the Common Council meeting Wednesday - but not without some contention.
Harry Bowen, Orangeville, bought and opened a gas station and convenience store at the corner of 20th Avenue and 9th Street, which had been closed for about two years.
In a surprising move at the License Committee meeting earlier Wednesday, Charles Schuringa voted with Charles Koch to deny the license, leaving committee Chairman Thurston Hanson stunned.
"I didn't even vote (in committee), I mean, what's the use? " he said after the council meeting, which followed the License Committee meeting.
Koch has been stead-fast in declaring that the city needs to slow down the granting of alcohol licenses, and has refused to make a motion to grant them. He has cited statistics of drinking and driving, as just one reason for the danger of too much access to alcohol.
In previous committee meetings Hanson had relied on Schuringa to make the motion to grant a license. To break a tie, Hanson would vote in favor, on the grounds that the licenses promote business in the city.
But Wednesday, Koch made the motion to deny the application, and Schuringa seconded the motion, then voted for the motion.
Schuringa said he knew it was the only fermented malt liquor license left, and that the convenience store never had a liquor license in the past.
"I got to thinking, that's too close to residential, and there are no restaurants there, or any other stores. And we got a lot of kids going back and forth to school there. I didn't think we needed one in the area," he said.
Because the item was on the council agenda, Hanson brought the issue to the floor.
Bowen told council he wanted to sell only packaged beer.
"I'm not a drinker myself," Bowen said. "I own two stores and hold two license in Illinois. The license would be one more reason for customers to come in. It's quite amazing what a difference it makes."
An initial voice vote on Hanson's motion to grant was too close to call, and he asked for a roll-call vote.
The motion carried on a 6-3-1 vote, with Schuringa abstaining.
Aldermen Neal Hunter and Paul Hannes, along with Koch, voted against granting the license.
Schuringa said he abstained in council, because he has relatives, including his wife, working at the nearby Kwik Trip, a store in competition with Bowen's store.
Harry Bowen, Orangeville, bought and opened a gas station and convenience store at the corner of 20th Avenue and 9th Street, which had been closed for about two years.
In a surprising move at the License Committee meeting earlier Wednesday, Charles Schuringa voted with Charles Koch to deny the license, leaving committee Chairman Thurston Hanson stunned.
"I didn't even vote (in committee), I mean, what's the use? " he said after the council meeting, which followed the License Committee meeting.
Koch has been stead-fast in declaring that the city needs to slow down the granting of alcohol licenses, and has refused to make a motion to grant them. He has cited statistics of drinking and driving, as just one reason for the danger of too much access to alcohol.
In previous committee meetings Hanson had relied on Schuringa to make the motion to grant a license. To break a tie, Hanson would vote in favor, on the grounds that the licenses promote business in the city.
But Wednesday, Koch made the motion to deny the application, and Schuringa seconded the motion, then voted for the motion.
Schuringa said he knew it was the only fermented malt liquor license left, and that the convenience store never had a liquor license in the past.
"I got to thinking, that's too close to residential, and there are no restaurants there, or any other stores. And we got a lot of kids going back and forth to school there. I didn't think we needed one in the area," he said.
Because the item was on the council agenda, Hanson brought the issue to the floor.
Bowen told council he wanted to sell only packaged beer.
"I'm not a drinker myself," Bowen said. "I own two stores and hold two license in Illinois. The license would be one more reason for customers to come in. It's quite amazing what a difference it makes."
An initial voice vote on Hanson's motion to grant was too close to call, and he asked for a roll-call vote.
The motion carried on a 6-3-1 vote, with Schuringa abstaining.
Aldermen Neal Hunter and Paul Hannes, along with Koch, voted against granting the license.
Schuringa said he abstained in council, because he has relatives, including his wife, working at the nearby Kwik Trip, a store in competition with Bowen's store.