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Police and mayor report active work with Liquor Control Board on alleged nuisance at 540 club; LCB or district attorney can pursue revocation
Summary
Chief Cott said the city cannot revoke a liquor license and is working with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board on the 540 club; nuisance designations can proceed via the LCB or the district attorney, and citizen complaints inform the process.
Chief Cott briefed council on the city's role in nuisance‑bar enforcement following public comments about a problematic establishment referred to as the “540 club.”
“We cannot revoke an establishment's liquor license. That has to come through the liquor control board,” Chief Cott said, adding that the department is actively working with the LCB regarding the 540 club. She described two paths for designation as a nuisance: through the Liquor Control Board’s process or through the district attorney’s office. The LCB route is more common and can lead to interventions ranging from compliance requirements to license revocation.
Chief Cott said the LCB and its investigators operate on their own timeline and procedure, which can frustrate local officials and neighbors. She said any incident tied to an establishment — noise complaints, DUIs, fights, aggravated assaults — can be used in LCB proceedings and that citizen complaints filed with the LCB carry significant weight.
Councilmembers noted license renewal timing (an agent had previously said renewals occur every two years) and emphasized public‑safety priorities. Chief Cott and the mayor said police will continue to document local incidents and pursue LCB engagement while informing neighbors about the process and expected timelines.
