Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Contested alcohol-license transfer laid over after citation, DA review cited
Loading...
Summary
The Sheboygan Licensing and Public Safety Committee heard contested testimony about a transfer request for an alcohol-license tied to Miran Chito, El Rancho and My Place. Police described a citation and referral to the district attorney over gambling machines; the committee laid the transfer over to the incoming council to allow submission of ownership and LLC documentation.
Chair called the Licensing Hearings and Public Safety Committee to order and opened the hearing on a permanent transfer request for an alcohol-beverage license at the address linked to Miran Chito and El Rancho.
City Attorney Majeris told the committee Wisconsin law permits a license holder to make one permanent transfer in a calendar year and invited questions about the applicant’s possessory interest in the property. Police Chief Semple said this matter involved an investigation into operations at El Rancho on New Jersey Avenue and confirmed that investigators found gambling machines present at the premises when there was no active license. Semple said the business contact who arranged for the machines identified Miss Cortez as the person who ordered and arranged for them, and that the conduct led to a citation for operating without a license and a referral to the district attorney’s office for review. “We expect that a charging decision is forthcoming,” Semple said.
The applicant, who identified herself as Elena, told the committee she and partner Juan Negrete co-own the building and that she runs the kitchen for the business. She said she was not part of the prior LLC and that while she was “fully in charge of the kitchen,” she did not recall speaking with the original responding officer and questioned why the citation named her rather than her partner. Elena said she and Negrete had intended to continue operating and that she had been handling online food orders through DoorDash.
Alder Borst and other members questioned whether the businesses were truly separate, requested articles of incorporation, purchase or lease documents and ownership records, and asked for clarity on the chain of responsibility. Alder Heidemann said she would not support a change of premise while an investigation was unresolved. Alder Perla expressed concern about the collaboration between the applicant and Mr. Negrete and whether similar situations could recur.
Attorney Majeris advised the committee that, because this committee will adjourn and a new council will be seated, a motion to lay the item over should refer to the next council. Alder Borst moved to lay the matter over to the incoming council and committee so the applicant could supply documentation; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The chair said the clerk’s office would be in contact about the next meeting and that the committee expected to review body-camera footage and requested records as part of the file.
The committee took no final licensing action and instead postponed formal consideration to allow production of ownership, LLC and related documents and for the incoming council to review the investigation materials. The police chief reiterated that body-camera footage and vendor records confirming who arranged the gambling machines would be part of the record under review by the committee and the district attorney.
