By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Touting it as an opportunity to invest in the city’s economy, Whitewater officials voted last week to increase the number of liquor licenses within the community from 23 to 24.
The Common Council voted unanimously in favor of passing an ordinance that reflected the change. The decision came after the council’s Alcohol License Committee discussed and gave a favorable recommendation.
“We felt it would be good to increase the number at this time, for economic purposes,” said council member Stephanie Abbott, who serves on the committee.
City Clerk Michele Smith said Whitewater is able to increase its liquor license threshold because of new population figures from the state Department of Administration.
“Each time the municipality’s population increases by 500, from a base population developed in 1997, the municipality has the authority to increase the number of Class B beer and liquor licenses by one,” Smith said.
Since the city charges $600 per alcohol license each year, revenue in this category will increase.
The council has been discussing alcohol licenses in recent weeks. At the council’s Oct. 1 meeting, officials interviewed three applicants for the anticipated one license that was up for grabs.
At the council’s Oct. 15 meeting, the license was granted to agent Patrick E. Monahan, who operates the Blackthorne Scribe, 108 E. Main St. Common Council President Patrick Singer said the decision was based on a desire to provide operators’ licenses to a diverse group of people within the community.
In other business last week, the council:
• Held a second reading of an ordinance that will rezone 55 properties along Fremont Street to a single-family residential designation.
The contentious issue has been discussed extensively in the past month. Proponents have stated the rezoning preserves single-family residences, but opponents have described the maneuver as “anti-student,” since nearby University of Wisconsin-Whitewater students would have greater difficulty renting from one of the homes.
The board voted, 6-1, in favor of the second reading, making the rezoning official. Abbott, a staunch opponent of the change, was the dissenter.
• Approved a request by local organization Downtown Whitewater to close portions of First Street, from Main Street to North Street, between 1 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, to accommodate trick-or-treat and other Halloween activities.
Tamara Brodnicki, executive director of Downtown Whitewater, said the organization plans a variety of activities, including pumpkin carving, cookie decorating, a pumpkin toss and a costume contest.
• Awarded a bid to Valders, Wis.-based A and J Vans for the purchase of a minivan equipped with features outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A and J Vans was the lowest bidder, providing the city with a quote of $31,664 for the vehicle.
The van will be added to the city’s fleet of municipal-owned vehicles.
• Approved a five-year agreement between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Downtown Whitewater Inc.
The two organizations, with input from the city, will develop a Wisconsin Main Street Communities plan to assist in future revitalization efforts in the downtown area.
