MONROE - The Monroe Common Council gave the owners of North Side Pub and Grill some breathing room Tuesday, allowing the new business to keep its liquor license while it awaits the outcome of the review of its Revolving Loan Fund application.
The council unanimously approved a request from Joey and Laura Winters for a variance to the city ordinance requirements regarding continuity of business and minimum operation for the "Class B" liquor license issued to their company ABC Ventures, LLC.
The License Committee set the variance for 12 months and unanimously passed its recommendation on to the council.
In committee, Alderman Jan Lefevre called the variance approval "a show of goodwill from the city."
City ordinances require that a business with a liquor license not be closed more than 120 consecutive days and to operate at least 25 percent of the days in a year. The Winters were issued a class B license on Nov. 15 and were in danger of missing their March 15 deadline. The business has not yet opened.
North Side's opening was delayed when, on Feb. 16, the Common Council sent the Winters $50,000 revolving loan fund application back to the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Committee. The loan is to be used for equipment, inventory and supplies, and for working capital to enable them to open and operate the restaurant.
Some council members wanted the committee enlarged - from three to five members - if it was going to make direct loans to applicants.
The RLF, in the past, has made several dozen loans with local banks participating in the business endeavors. This was to be the first direct loan through the fund since 1996.
On Tuesday, the council also approved Mayor Bill Ross' appointment of Katee Eliasson and Ron Georgeson to the Revolving Loan Fund Committee. Both new members have experience in finance, according to Ross.
No date for the next Revolving Loan Fund Committee has been set yet. Mike Doyle, committee chairman, said he was waiting for the new members to be appointed. Steve Bechtolt and Michael Boyce are the other committee members.
The council unanimously approved a request from Joey and Laura Winters for a variance to the city ordinance requirements regarding continuity of business and minimum operation for the "Class B" liquor license issued to their company ABC Ventures, LLC.
The License Committee set the variance for 12 months and unanimously passed its recommendation on to the council.
In committee, Alderman Jan Lefevre called the variance approval "a show of goodwill from the city."
City ordinances require that a business with a liquor license not be closed more than 120 consecutive days and to operate at least 25 percent of the days in a year. The Winters were issued a class B license on Nov. 15 and were in danger of missing their March 15 deadline. The business has not yet opened.
North Side's opening was delayed when, on Feb. 16, the Common Council sent the Winters $50,000 revolving loan fund application back to the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Committee. The loan is to be used for equipment, inventory and supplies, and for working capital to enable them to open and operate the restaurant.
Some council members wanted the committee enlarged - from three to five members - if it was going to make direct loans to applicants.
The RLF, in the past, has made several dozen loans with local banks participating in the business endeavors. This was to be the first direct loan through the fund since 1996.
On Tuesday, the council also approved Mayor Bill Ross' appointment of Katee Eliasson and Ron Georgeson to the Revolving Loan Fund Committee. Both new members have experience in finance, according to Ross.
No date for the next Revolving Loan Fund Committee has been set yet. Mike Doyle, committee chairman, said he was waiting for the new members to be appointed. Steve Bechtolt and Michael Boyce are the other committee members.