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Council approves operator licenses; city attorney details how convictions would affect approval
Summary
The Kenosha Common Council on Sept. 3 concurred with committee recommendations to approve a slate of operator and related licenses. City Attorney Mr. Knight explained how pending criminal charges affect demerit-point calculations and said the city can initiate a mid‑license review and revocation hearing if convictions occur before renewal.
Kenosha Common Council on Sept. 3 voted to approve multiple operator and related license applications, including an application for Abigail Arroyo Magri that committee members approved using discretionary demerit points while several court cases remain pending.
The council voted to concur with the Committee on Licenses and Permits to approve the listed applications after they were read into the record.
The meeting’s most substantive exchange focused on how the city handles licensing when an applicant has pending criminal charges. An alderman from the 17th District asked the city attorney to “walk me through the process” if the council approved a bartender’s license while charges that could add demerit points remained pending.
City Attorney Mr. Knight said staff had reviewed circuit court records and that some offenses on the applicant’s record were pending. He explained that certain offenses on the city’s point schedule — including OWI and hit‑and‑run, which he said are listed as 50‑point offenses — produce demerit points if the applicant is convicted. Knight said the committee and counsel may use discretion in assigning demerit points while charges are unresolved and that the committee had approved the application at a higher discretionary total than an earlier recommendation: “I think that the calculation of 95 points would be based upon the committee and counsel’s discretion,” he said.
Knight told the council the city could monitor the applicant’s court cases and, if convictions occurred before the applicant’s next renewal period, the city could initiate a mid‑license review and a revocation hearing: “there would be nothing that would prevent us from initiating a mid license review. And revocation hearing based upon new convictions.” He also noted that case resolution timing varies, saying some cases resolve within six to nine months if they do not go to trial.
Alderman John Muir (10th District) moved to concur with the committee’s recommendations for the listed operator licenses. The motion was moved and seconded and carried.
Other operator applicants listed by the committee included Nicole Colliard, Amanda Figel, Angela Casca and Halema Hassan; a separate application for daily cabaret and outdoor dining extensions also appeared on the list and moved forward without adverse police recommendations.
The discussion clarified that the Committee on Licenses and Permits exercised discretion in assigning demerit points when applicants face pending charges and that the city attorney’s office will monitor court outcomes and can bring a license back for review if convictions are recorded prior to renewal.
The council approved the licensing slate after the discussion.
