MONROE - Vince's Restaurant & Pizzeria on Monroe's west side received the last Class B liquor license in the city.
The license allows the restaurant at 619 4th Ave. to add hard alcoholic drinks to its wine and beer offerings.
The Monroe Common Council voted 6 to 4 to grant the license to Vince's Restaurant Tuesday.
The license became available June 30 after Barrett's Brick Cafe did not renew it. Barrett's closed in March.
Pancho & Lefty's Tex-Mex Grill, located downtown on the Square, also submitted an application for the license.
A third application was submitted late last week, according to Carol Stamm.
The council did not consider the third application because a state law requires an application to be on file 15 days before the council can act on it.
The License Committee did not make a recommendation, but sent the resolution for discussion before the full council.
Neither applicant was allowed to speak in the council meeting. Mayor Bill Ross explained that both applicants had been before the council in the past seeking a liquor license.
Alderman Keith Ingwell made a motion to grant the license to Vince's.
"I feel we should go with the one with the most number of votes last time," he said, referring to the previous process council members went through to grant two newly-created liquor licenses in 2009.
In September 2009, council members granted the two license to Barrett's Brick Cafe in downtown Monroe and to Fiesta Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant on the west side.
The three other applicants, Vince's Restaurant & Pizzeria, Pancho & Lefty's, and Kookaburra's Northside Grill, also located downtown, were left without licenses at that time. Vince's had receive the enough votes to come in third.
The Northside Grill has since obtained a liquor license, through private negotiations with Pizza Hut in Monroe. It has not yet opened.
Pancho & Lefty's has a wine and beer license.
Thurston Hanson, alderman for Ward 7 downtown, said a full liquor license for Pancho & Lefty's would enhance the pull of the downtown Square.
"Pancho & Lefty's hadn't opened yet (in September). None of us knew what a draw they would be to the downtown," he said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre said the license should go to the applicant who applied first.
"It shouldn't matter what side of town they're on," she said.
Pancho & Lefty's submitted its application six days before Vince's applied.
Carol Stamm informed the council that the city did not have a "first-come, first-served" policy for liquor licenses.
Alderman Charles Schuringa noted Vince's success on the west side, and said it was "next in line," given the number of votes it received in September.
"Vince's has increased considerably since the time he has been in town, and he has a bigger area where he can expand and do justice for everybody," Schuringa said.
Alderman Michael Boyce tried to get the vote delayed so members could examine both applications in greater detail. He noted a decrease in property values in several Tax Increment Districts and said economic conditions in the city have changed substantially since September.
Boyce's motion was voted down 8-2, with only Boyce and Charles Koch voting to delay the vote.
The city is allowed 24 Class B licenses, plus one reserve license, available to local bars and restaurants.
The license allows the restaurant at 619 4th Ave. to add hard alcoholic drinks to its wine and beer offerings.
The Monroe Common Council voted 6 to 4 to grant the license to Vince's Restaurant Tuesday.
The license became available June 30 after Barrett's Brick Cafe did not renew it. Barrett's closed in March.
Pancho & Lefty's Tex-Mex Grill, located downtown on the Square, also submitted an application for the license.
A third application was submitted late last week, according to Carol Stamm.
The council did not consider the third application because a state law requires an application to be on file 15 days before the council can act on it.
The License Committee did not make a recommendation, but sent the resolution for discussion before the full council.
Neither applicant was allowed to speak in the council meeting. Mayor Bill Ross explained that both applicants had been before the council in the past seeking a liquor license.
Alderman Keith Ingwell made a motion to grant the license to Vince's.
"I feel we should go with the one with the most number of votes last time," he said, referring to the previous process council members went through to grant two newly-created liquor licenses in 2009.
In September 2009, council members granted the two license to Barrett's Brick Cafe in downtown Monroe and to Fiesta Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant on the west side.
The three other applicants, Vince's Restaurant & Pizzeria, Pancho & Lefty's, and Kookaburra's Northside Grill, also located downtown, were left without licenses at that time. Vince's had receive the enough votes to come in third.
The Northside Grill has since obtained a liquor license, through private negotiations with Pizza Hut in Monroe. It has not yet opened.
Pancho & Lefty's has a wine and beer license.
Thurston Hanson, alderman for Ward 7 downtown, said a full liquor license for Pancho & Lefty's would enhance the pull of the downtown Square.
"Pancho & Lefty's hadn't opened yet (in September). None of us knew what a draw they would be to the downtown," he said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre said the license should go to the applicant who applied first.
"It shouldn't matter what side of town they're on," she said.
Pancho & Lefty's submitted its application six days before Vince's applied.
Carol Stamm informed the council that the city did not have a "first-come, first-served" policy for liquor licenses.
Alderman Charles Schuringa noted Vince's success on the west side, and said it was "next in line," given the number of votes it received in September.
"Vince's has increased considerably since the time he has been in town, and he has a bigger area where he can expand and do justice for everybody," Schuringa said.
Alderman Michael Boyce tried to get the vote delayed so members could examine both applications in greater detail. He noted a decrease in property values in several Tax Increment Districts and said economic conditions in the city have changed substantially since September.
Boyce's motion was voted down 8-2, with only Boyce and Charles Koch voting to delay the vote.
The city is allowed 24 Class B licenses, plus one reserve license, available to local bars and restaurants.