Alcohol license committee refers bartender applicant with recent OWI to next meeting

The Alcohol License Review Committee on Aug. 20 referred consideration of an operator license for Timothy Consigni to its next regular meeting after police and committee members raised concerns about multiple convictions on his record and omissions on his application.

Consigni appeared by Zoom and acknowledged two operating-while-intoxicated (OWI) convictions (2021 and Feb. 2, 2025), a 2020 open-intoxicants conviction and a 2024 owner-liability citation for an alleged hit-and-run tied to a vehicle registered to him. Captain Hartman of the Madison Police Department told the committee the background check “flagged” four items; the most recent conviction was in August 2025, the captain said.

The committee’s legal counsel, Attorney McReynolds, reviewed the ALRC guidelines that govern decisions in cases with recent offenses: operating a motor vehicle under the influence and open intoxication in a motor vehicle (guideline 3), multiple offenses within five years (guideline 4b), and obligations to truthfully complete applications (guideline 5). Counsel said that to approve an applicant who would otherwise be disqualified, the ALRC requires “substantial credible evidence of rehabilitation” (guideline 6), such as AODA (alcohol and other drug) program certificates, letters from counselors or probation agents, and other documentation confirming completion or satisfactory progress.

Consigni told the committee he has largely stopped driving, is getting an ignition interlock device installed when he regains occupational driving privileges, and plans to enroll in an MITC repeat-offenders program. He said he had not previously disclosed prior convictions on his application and said that omission was inadvertent; he agreed to submit an updated, fully completed application. He also said he was undertaking home confinement and planned to enroll in required classes and assessments.

Committee members pressed for concrete proof of rehabilitation. Alder Oliver Verveer suggested the applicant return with documentation that he had begun the counseling or educational program recommended in his driver safety plan. Alder Revere explicitly asked for proof of enrollment and said he would be more comfortable if Consigni could show he had actually begun the classes rather than only being registered.

Motion and outcome: Alder Revere moved to refer the application to the ALRC’s next regular meeting; Miss Carter seconded. The motion passed without objection. Committee staff instructed Consigni to refile a corrected application and to submit evidence of program enrollment and other documentation (for example, AODA assessment results or certificates) to the deputy city clerk ahead of the next hearing.

Why it matters: Under ALRC rules and the committee’s guidelines, applicants with recent OWI convictions or multiple alcohol-related offenses face high scrutiny; the meeting clarified the documentation the committee requires to evaluate rehabilitation and truthfulness on license applications.

What’s next: Consigni agreed to return to the ALRC’s next regular meeting (the committee meets the third Wednesday of the month) with the corrected application and supporting documentation. The committee flagged outstanding municipal forfeitures in Madison Municipal Court (owner-liability hit-and-run) as a separate legal obligation Consigni must address with the court.

Quotes

"There was four things that were flagged, doing the background check here," Captain Hartman said, describing the police findings.

"I will do everything in my power to start the classes," Consigni told the committee when asked whether he could provide proof by the next meeting.

"If you recommend approval for someone who would normally otherwise be denied ... that requires substantial credible evidence of rehabilitation," Attorney McReynolds said, summarizing the guideline the committee must apply.

Ending

The ALRC did not act on Consigni’s operator license request; members directed him to submit a corrected application and supporting evidence of treatment and program enrollment before the committee’s next meeting.