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City Council approves Food Mart alcohol license; denies entertainment-venue application after police reports
Summary
The City Council granted an alcohol license to Maha Kali 1990 LLC (DBA Food Mart) and denied an application from Exclusive Entertainment Venue LLC after staff presented police reports of on-site alcohol consumption and the smell of marijuana; the city manager recommended denial.
The City Council voted to approve an alcohol license for Maha Kali 1990 LLC (DBA Food Mart) and rejected a separate application from Exclusive Entertainment Venue LLC after city staff cited police reports alleging on-site alcohol consumption and the odor of marijuana.
Council members heard two license applications during the new-business portion of the meeting. The clerk presented the Food Mart application first; a motion to approve was made, seconded and carried on a roll-call vote with all present council members voting in favor.
The second application, from Exclusive Entertainment Venue LLC, included documents flagged by staff and police. City Manager Hank Griffith said the application had initially been signed off locally and by the state fire marshal but that a later police report prompted a change in the police department’s recommendation. "Based on those two incidences," the manager said, "Police Chief Sweikard changed his approval on the application to a disapproval. And based on that information, I'm recommending to you tonight as city manager that this application not be approved." The manager also referenced a report by Lieutenant James Thompson describing police responses to the venue on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2.
A public commenter, Kathy Cummins, told the council she was uncertain whether she should have been on the alcohol-license item and said she had no formal comment. The presiding officer reminded the public that the council typically votes alcohol-license items up or down without public interaction and suggested addressing the city manager after the meeting for follow-up.
On the Exclusive Entertainment application, council members moved and seconded a vote; the clerk called the roll and every member voted "No," so the application was not approved.
Votes at a glance: the Food Mart application was approved by a unanimous roll-call vote of the members present; the Exclusive Entertainment Venue LLC application failed on a unanimous roll-call "No." The council did not enter any closed session on these items and provided no further immediate direction to staff about appeals or next steps.
The council then moved on to other agenda items and adjourned.
