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Committee recommends approval of two operator‑license appeals to council
Summary
After hearing testimony and staff reports, the committee voted to approve appeals by Thomas Orlando Williams and Britney Hopp of operator (bartender) license denials and will forward both cases to the Common Council on Dec. 2 for final action.
The Protection & Policy Committee voted to recommend approval of two separate appeals of operator‑license denials and forwarded both cases to the Common Council for a Dec. 2 decision.
Thomas Orlando Williams told the committee he has worked as a bartender for more than eight years, acknowledged past convictions including a felony decades earlier, and said recent citations that had prompted review were being withdrawn; an employer and family members spoke in support. Staff said the denial stemmed from undisclosed convictions on his application but acknowledged municipal citations tied to an administrative lapse were being withdrawn. After discussion about background‑check and renewal practices, the committee voted to approve his appeal to advance to council.
In a separate appeal, Britney Hopp (recorded in the packet as Britney Hopp) explained she misread a question on her renewal form and unintentionally marked "none" for convictions; staff presented a municipal and court history that included a recent no‑contest plea to a battery charge and an OWI in 2020. Hopp described family responsibilities — including a newborn — and said the operator license is important to her livelihood; committee members who reviewed her record and employment history voted to accept the appeal and send it to the council.
What the committee considered
• Staff background checks and the municipal/county records that led to initial denials.
• Applicants' personal statements, employment references and supporting testimony from employers and family members.
• Procedural points about renewals and background checks: committee members asked whether renewals trigger the same background review as new applications and were told recent violations factor into renewal decisions.
Next steps
Both recommendations will appear on the Common Council agenda on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. for final determination; staff noted that routine renewals are subject to background checks and that egregious post‑issuance conduct can trigger revocation procedures.
