Waukesha committee approves People’s Park sidewalk café and car-club license, holds Joey’s Diner permit; advances taxi driver application

The Waukesha City Licenses Committee on an abbreviated agenda approved a sidewalk café permit for People’s Park and a temporary Class B retailers license for the Waukesha Old Car Club, advanced a taxi-driver application for John Betler of Best Cab and held over a sidewalk-café application from Joey’s Diner until the applicant can address engineering concerns.

The committee approved the People’s Park sidewalk café permit after a motion by Alderson Helvinsleben, seconded by Alderson Manion; the committee recorded the vote as passing unanimously. The committee then reviewed a new sidewalk café application for Joey’s Diner; a committee member said the applicant was not present and that the engineering department had raised concerns about flags and fencing sited in the right-of-way. A motion to hold the Joey’s Diner application until the next meeting prevailed so the applicant can attend and answer questions.

Members also considered a taxi cab and taxi-driver application for John Betler of Best Cab. Betler told the committee he owns a company based in Milwaukee with “about 50 cars.” Committee members moved and seconded approval at the meeting and noted the item will appear on the full council consent agenda next Tuesday for final action.

A temporary Class B retailers license for the Waukesha Old Car Club was presented as a routine, longstanding event. Alderson Manion moved to approve; a committee member identified as Dan seconded. Dan said the event is “long standing” in the city and that he had “no issues.” The committee recorded the approval.

Committee business otherwise was brief: the minutes from the previous meeting were not available and will be brought forward for approval at the next meeting, the clerk had no communications, and the meeting adjourned at 6:07 p.m.

Quotes in this report are drawn from remarks recorded during the Licenses Committee meeting.