Votes at a glance: committee approves licenses, loan, software renewal and sign-inspection ordinance

The City of West Allis committees approved several routine and policy items during the session and forwarded selected matters to the full council.

Key votes and motions

- The administration committee approved an ordinance to allow unpaid sign maintenance-inspection fees to be collected as special charges on property tax bills. Committee members clarified that the change lets the city place unpaid inspection fees onto property tax bills rather than pursuing collections or court action; the ordinance passed by voice vote.

- The economic and development committee approved a Class B Tavern and Public Entertainment license for Silly Goose Bar, MKE, LLC, d/b/a Silly Goose Bar at 5906 West Burnham St. Agent Andrew Allis told the committee he will lease and manage the premises, expects to open in March, and plans to operate a small food program (pizza and later small appetizers) inside the premises; the license passed by voice vote.

- The committee approved a resolution to renew the Placer.ai software platform from Placer Labs Inc. for $26,250 to support economic development and planning functions tied to the First Ring Industrial Enterprise program; the resolution passed with no recorded opposition.

- The committee approved a $50,000 economic development loan to All Goods LLC (d/b/a All Goods) for use as part of a property purchase at 8436 West Greenfield Ave. Staff and a retained advisor, Dave Kerscher of Phoenix Advisors, told the committee the loan will help the business owner secure bank financing and enable building improvements; the loan is structured as principal-and-interest and falls within the city’s economic-development loan program rules.

- The committee approved conditional-use permits for Toppers, a proposed restaurant at 11045 West National Ave., and for a five-plus-unit dwelling (listed in the packet as Hidden Lofts) at 3000 S. 108th St.; both passed by voice vote with no extended discussion.

Motions on each item were moved and seconded in committee; where vote tallies were recorded the clerk noted “ayes have it.” No committee member recorded a formal roll-call against any of the listed items during the session.

What officials said

Andrew Allis, the applicant for the Silly Goose Bar license, told the committee he previously owned a Milwaukee bar from 2017 until COVID restrictions forced closure and that he will manage the Silly Goose Bar himself. “I will be managing it, myself,” Allis said during questioning about operations and staffing.

Dave Kerscher, a consultant with Phoenix Advisors, said his firm assisted the All Goods owner with business planning and bank financing; the committee heard that CIBM Bank provided purchase financing and that the owner intends building repairs and tenant improvements including evaluation of rooftop billboards.

Next steps

Items approved by the committees will follow normal routing: some items (for example, conditional-use approvals) will be placed on the next council agenda for final action, and staff will complete any required contract or ordinance language before full-council consideration.