Council votes 14-3 to revoke TU Kino Bar LLC's Class B beer and liquor license after hearing

The Kenosha Common Council voted 14-3 to revoke the Class B beer and Class B liquor license for TU Kino Bar LLC following a public hearing and closed-session deliberation.

At the hearing the licensee's attorney, Thomas Sanarelli, argued the revocation recommendation stemmed from an incomplete economic impact statement filed after the first year and urged reconsideration. He said the salon and bar components of the business had been reported separately due to LLC structuring, and that combined revenue would exceed regulatory thresholds.

Licensee Jennifer Kundert told the council the omission was inadvertent and said the business is an active member of the community with fundraising and local partnerships. "As soon as we found that out that evening, we contacted Tom (our attorney) the following day," she said, adding that combined salon and bar revenue would substantially exceed the stated reporting threshold.

City counsel (recorded in council discussion) maintained the Statement of Economic Impact was correctly filled out for the licensed premises and that salon revenue is not necessarily relevant to the licensed-bar revenue determination; the council reserved judgment and moved into closed session for deliberations.

After returning to open session Alderperson Kennedy moved (seconded by Alderperson Seale) to overrule the objection and adopt the license committee's findings, conclusions of law, and recommendation to revoke the license. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, 14 to 3. The council noted the licensee would be invited back for any follow-up questions after the closed session.

The revocation is an administrative action based on licensing rules and the council adopted the recommendation of the committee on licenses and permits as recorded in the meeting minutes.