00001 1 CITY OF MILWAUKEE 2 UTILITIES & LICENSING HEARING 3 4 In the Matter of: 5 RIPPLES ON WATER 530 North Water Street 6 7 8 COMMITTEE MEMBERS 9 ALD. JAMES BOHL, JR. - Chairman ALD. JOE DAVIS - Vice Chairman 10 ALD. FREDRICK G. GORDON ALD. JOSEPH A. DUDZIK 11 ALD. TERRY L. WITKOWSKI 12 DEPARTMENT OF CITY DEVELOPMENT by REBECCA BARRON HEALTH DEPARTMENT by OSCAR BOND 13 NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES by PANDORA BENDER CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE by BRUCE SCHRIMPF 14 4th ALDERMANIC DISTRICT ALDERMANIC ASSISTANT 15 Proceedings had and testimony given in the 16 above-entitled matter before the UTILITIES & 17 LICENSING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE on the 18 6th day of January, 2004, before Terese M. Schiebenes 19 of Milwaukee Reporters Associated, Inc. 00002 1 PROCEEDINGS 2 CHAIRMAN BOHL: On the 10:45 a.m. agenda, we 3 have Geraldine Scharnek, agent for J & G Foods, 4 Incorporated, Tavern Dance application for Ripples on 5 Water at 530 North Water Street. Which of you is 6 Gerladine? If we could hear from other individuals 7 who are here for the record. 8 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: My name is Allison 9 Rostenkowski. I own the building next door at 424. 10 PAUL POZORSKI: Paul Pozorski, the night 11 manager of the Swinging Door, 219 East Michigan. 12 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: Good afternoon. I am 13 Mike Rostenkowski, also one of the owners of the 14 property south of 530 North Water Street. 15 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Mr. Rostenkowski, what is 16 the address there?. 17 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: It's 524 North Water. 18 CHAIRMAN BOHL: You're the same relation 19 with Allison Rostenkowski? 20 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: Yes. 21 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: Yes. 22 (Whereupon, all speakers were duly sworn.) 23 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Scharnek, I need to ask 24 you if you acknowledge receiving notice of today's 25 meeting with the possibility that your application 00003 1 could be denied, there's a possible denial because of 2 neighborhood objections to loitering, littering, noisy 3 patrons, loud music, which disturbs the peace and 4 tranquility of the neighbors, traffic and parking 5 problems, devaluating property values, damage to 6 private property, and conduct which is detrimental to 7 the health, safety, and welfare of the neighborhood? 8 MS. SCHARNEK: Yes. 9 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Health Department? 10 MR. BOND: Health Department has no 11 objection. 12 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Neighborhood Services? 13 MS. BENDER: No objection. 14 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Okay. There is no police 15 report. Lucy is here from the 4th District. We'll go 16 to you first. 17 ALDERMANIC ASST.: The 4th District has some 18 concerns. 19 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Do you want to expound on 20 those? 21 ALDERMANIC ASST.: Well, I received calls 22 about noise and loitering, and I had to take a 23 postcard survey. 24 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Scharnek, do you want to 25 just briefly expound on your request here in terms of 00004 1 your intentions. Do you intend to operate as a dance 2 club? 3 MS. SCHARNEK: I would like to open it as a 4 nightclub, including dancing. I presently own and 5 have two Class B liquor licenses the last eight years. 6 I've never once had a problem with noise or littering 7 or police reports. I plan on doing the same thing at 8 530 North Water. Respectable and no problems. 9 I did talk to all the neighbors, the bar 10 owners in the neighbors, and they see no problem with 11 what I'm doing and no complaints about the noise or 12 loitering or troubled people. 13 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Scharnek, how long have 14 you had the Class B establishment at this location 15 here? 16 MS. SCHARNEK: Over a year. It opened last 17 August, because I had the license, but it took a while 18 to remodel and clean it up, and my new license came 19 due November 26th, so I just got approved of my Class 20 B liquor license for the year 2004. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Now, is there a situation at 22 this location where there are multiple rooms that are 23 not contiguous? 24 MS. SCHARNEK: No. It's one big room, it's 25 a bar and a dance floor and a DJ booth, like that. 00005 1 It's all on one floor. 2 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Now, I believe I've had 3 maybe two discussions with you here in the last two 4 months or thereabouts here, as well, too. And you 5 have applied for and, I believe, received at least a few 6 of the special party dance permits. 7 MS. SCHARNEK: Correct. I applied for the 8 special dance permits for special parties. 9 CHAIRMAN BOHL: How many of those have been 10 granted or how many of those have you taken advantage 11 of here? 12 MS. SCHARNEK: Well, I know we're allowed 20 13 a year, so I used up all of them up until 14 Thanksgiving, and then my license came due, so I was 15 allowed another 20. I believe I used up about six 16 more. 17 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Thank you. Are there 18 questions by committee members of Ms. Scharnek at this 19 point? 20 MS. BARRON: Mr. Chair. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Yes, Ms. Barron. 22 MS. BARRON: We needed some clarification on 23 the trade name of the establishment. The application 24 indicates Ripples on Water. 25 MS. SCHARNEK: It's Ripples on Water. I 00006 1 have no intention of changing the name. 2 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Follow-up question here for 3 Lucy. Lucy, in terms of the granting of the special 4 party permits, did your office take any phone calls in 5 response to any of those? 6 ALDERMANIC ASST.: On noise. 7 CHAIRMAN BOHL: On noise? 8 ALDERMANIC ASST.: Yes. 9 CHAIRMAN BOHL: What was the extent? One? 10 ALDERMANIC ASST.: Three, I got three noise 11 complaints. 12 CHAIRMAN BOHL: For the same event? 13 ALDERMANIC ASST.: Well, for different ones, 14 you know, but different nights when they would get a 15 dance permit. 16 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Now, this was from neighbors 17 of the establishment? Do you know if they were 18 business tenants or if they were residents? 19 ALDERMANIC ASST.: Residents who live around 20 there. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Scharnek, do you know if 22 anybody attempted to contact you with complaints? 23 MS. SCHARNEK: I did talk to Lucy when she 24 came to me complaints, and I asked her to please give 25 me the names of the people that were complaining, and 00007 1 the people here today that are objecting are the 2 people that complained each time I had a party. 3 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Questions by committee of 4 Ms. Scharnek at this time? Otherwise, Ms. 5 Rostenkowski, we'll go to you. 6 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: Thank you. I would 7 just like to say that we have not been approached at 8 any time due to our complaints, and certainly if 9 neighbors were canvassed about the new dance hall 10 license, they actually tended to avoid us. We've 11 owned the building at 524 North Water Street since 12 February, and we started to experience recently with a 13 change in management at the location next door a 14 number of problems with noise. 15 I would have to rebut Mr. Scharnek's 16 statement. The Ripples sign has been removed from the 17 nightclub. It is now called Skin, and there's a paper 18 sign up inside. Also, you can easily call Kiss FM 19 radio, who were broadcasting live on New Year's Eve 20 from Skin and calling it in the biggest dance party of 21 the Milwaukee area. 22 It is our understanding music, dancing, 23 and a disc jockey are not yet permitted. The noise 24 emanating from the walls next door clearly lead us to 25 a different conclusion. The noise has really begun 00008 1 since prior to Thanksgiving. Thursday, November the 2 27th was the first date that we actually had 3 complaints. Prior to that when it was operating as 4 Liquids we had no problems with noise despite the 5 number of events that were held there over the summer, 6 so we certainly had no problem with the previous 7 management. 8 The problem is with the new management, 9 which is Mr. Rick Rodriguez, we tried to meet with Mr. 10 Rodriguez to discuss our concerns. Mr. Rodriguez 11 failed to show up for meetings, failed to show 12 up or respond to several of the e-mails we sent to try 13 and redress this matter. 14 Essentially, we're not trying to close the 15 club. What we were simply asking Mr. Rodriguez to do 16 was address the noise problems and the reverberations 17 of bass that were coming from the nightclub next door. 18 My husband, who's here with me today, works in 19 construction and had informally saw Mr. Rodriguez 20 outside of our building, said could he come in and 21 inspect the building to see if there was some kind of 22 satisfactory conclusion we could come to that would 23 reduce the noise coming through. 24 My husband looked, and he identified what he 25 believes to be the problem; namely, that there's 00009 1 exposed brick throughout three or four feet above 2 where the DJ booth is, and so there's no drywall, 3 nothing to stop reverberations from coming in from 4 next door. So we asked Mr. Rodriguez could he take 5 that simple step and see to the drywalling, and so 6 far, he's kind of ignored all of our complaints. 7 Now that it's Skin, we're a little confused 8 as to who actually owned the nightclub, so I did some 9 additional inquiries into Mr. Rodriguez. In 10 conversations that we've had with him, he essentially 11 said that he has been on the block for 14 years, and 12 we should be quiet about it. I understand now 13 that there haven't been people living in this space as 14 a residential space prior to our moving in, but we've 15 rehabbed the third floor where we currently live, and 16 essentially, we're trying to improve the character of 17 the block, which under Mr. Rodriguez's previous 18 venture, it's been somewhat unsavory. 19 So we did some research into his business 20 activities on our block. To kind of just give you a 21 quick indication of the character of the management 22 that's currently operating out of there, there's a 23 number of judgments which I've done research on, but I 24 think the most interesting, although there's a number 25 of Department of Revenue cases brought against Mr. 00010 1 Rodriguez of failure to pay the taxes on previous 2 businesses and a number of small claims court 3 judgments against him, he was also evicted from 530 4 North Water Street, the building that he currently is 5 apparently sub-renting, for failure to pay $20,000 to 6 Women's Health Services that owns the building. 7 I contacted Sigma Property, the manager at 8 this property yesterday, and I asked them if they were 9 aware that Mr. Rodriguez was back and operating on the 10 premises. As of yesterday, they had no idea. 11 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Rostenkowski, there's a 12 lot you've thrown at us here. I just want to -- I 13 don't know if you're finished -- I just want to kind 14 of put you on hold. 15 Ms. Scharnek, there's a lot being bantered 16 about about a Rick Rodriguez. If you could maybe -- 17 MS. SCHARNEK: Rick Rodriguez did rent out 18 my party room for a few parties. He is not my 19 partner. I have nothing basically to do with him but 20 to lease him out the building for a birthday party for 21 his mother, a Christmas party. This is all against 22 Rick. It seems to not have nothing to do with me and 23 my dance license. She seems to have a vendetta with 24 Mr. Rick Rodriguez. That was the previous person that 25 had the tavern. . 00011 1 CHAIRMAN BOHL: He was the previous owner of 2 the establishment? 3 MS. SCHARNEK: Correct. But I have no 4 intention of doing anything that -- I have no 5 responsibility for Mr. Rodriguez whatsoever. 6 CHAIRMAN BOHL: One second, Ms. 7 Rostenkowski. In terms of the naming of the place as 8 Skin, could you -- 9 MS. SCHARNEK: He did have a private party, 10 which maybe he did put a sign up saying Skin and 11 invite people under that party name, which was not to 12 my knowledge. It is still Ripples on Water. 13 MR. SCHRIMPF: Mr. Chairman. 14 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Mr. Schrimpf. 15 MR. SCHRIMPF: Thank you. Ms. Scharnek, 16 you're currently the owner of the premises? 17 MS. SCHARNEK: No, sir. I just rent, I 18 lease it. 19 MR. SCHRIMPF: Who's the owner of the 20 building? 21 MS. SCHARNEK: Pentagon Properties. 22 MR. SCHRIMPF: Is Mr. Rodriguez involved in 23 Pentagon Properties? 24 MS. SCHARNEK: No, sir. 25 MR. SCHRIMPF: That's all I have. 00012 1 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Are there other questions by 2 committee of Ms. Rostenkowski or Ms. Scharnek relating 3 to testimony? Ms. Scharnek, other than -- one 4 follow-up -- other than your ownership in the 5 neighboring property, do you operate or reside in the 6 building at all? Ms. Rostenkowski? 7 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: I'm sorry? 8 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Do you operate a business, 9 or do you live in the property? 10 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: There are four 11 floors. We currently live on the third floor that 12 we've rehabbed, and one of our concerns about the 13 noise coming from next door is it can clearly be heard 14 on the retail space that we're trying to rent right 15 now. Obviously, that's going to be a serious 16 detriment. Say you want to have a restaurant in 17 there. They can hear the -- or literally the wine 18 glasses will be shaken off the walls. 19 CHAIRMAN BOHL: So there's a mixed use of 20 the property? 21 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: Mixed use, correct. 22 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Other than your occupying 23 the premises where you're at as a dwelling, are there 24 any other apartments or condos? 25 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: Yes. We're currently 00013 1 rehabbing the second floor. We anticipate that we 2 would have tenants in there within the next month. 3 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Presently there are not, but 4 it's in the pending future here? 5 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: Absolutely, yes. 6 ALDERMAN WITKOWSKI: It's residential? 7 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: It's a mixed use. We 8 have occupancy for living and working on the third 9 floor, fourth floor is going to remain storage, second 10 floor is going to be a two-bedroom apartment, the 11 first floor is going to be commercial. We're in the 12 process of renting out that space. 13 On the point of Rick Rodriguez, he has been 14 the only one conducting business in the location of 15 Ripples on Water Street. As soon as he started 16 conducting business in there, the sign for Ripples on 17 Water has come down. And he hasn't had just one 18 party, it's been consistently parties on Thursday, 19 Saturday, and sometimes Friday ever since 20 Thanksgiving. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: I have a question I have to 22 ask you, Ms. Scharnek. Periodically I will delve into 23 On Milwaukee.com, and I notice that there's a 24 discussion board there or there was a thread that was 25 started, "What has happened to Ripples on Water," and 00014 1 there was a discussion that the place has closed. 2 Have you been closed for operations a good deal of 3 time there in the recent past? 4 MS. SCHARNEK: I have due to the fact that I 5 did apply for a dance license. I had the intentions 6 of always having this be a dance club. Without an 7 alderman, it was very hard to get put in front of the 8 board to ask permission for this dance license, so I 9 was closed for quite a while because there's no point 10 of having this big bar open if they were not allowed 11 to dance. I did use as many of my special dance 12 permits as I could, but I wasn't going to open a 13 club and have a problem with people dancing when it 14 was not permitted. 15 So that's why I'm here today is to ask if I 16 can have a permanent dance license so I can open four 17 or five days a week. 18 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Rostenkowski, if you 19 have more, I'll allow you to proceed. 20 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: Yeah. We don't have a 21 problem with a dance club right next door to us. We 22 can put up with the vomiting, the lack of parking, 23 whatever else negative effects go along with it, but 24 they need to do something with the insulation for that 25 space. As my wife said, I work in construction, and I 00015 1 went over to inspect the premises to see if there was 2 anything that I could add to the situation to make it 3 better for everybody, and what I noticed is that there 4 was previously a dropped ceiling in the establishment, 5 so the drywall on the adjoining party wall only goes 6 up to eight feet, so the area above that has no 7 insulation studs or drywall, which just so happens to 8 be where their speakers are mounted as close to the 9 ceiling as possible sharing our party wall. 10 I asked Rick if he could move the speakers 11 over. He said he was going to look into it. I asked 12 Rick if he could finish studding out the top two, 13 three feet of the wall, insulating, and drywalling it. 14 He told me it was going to be too expensive. I told 15 him it's not going to be too expensive. It's going to 16 be a few hundred dollars, just a guess, but it's not 17 expensive in all things considered. When you want to 18 have a downtown nightclub, it's one of the things 19 that you need to address. 20 After I spoke with Rick, he also told me 21 that he was going to get a bigger sound system. I 22 mean, where do we draw the line? How many times can 23 he get a bigger sound system? 24 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Mr. Rostenkowski, when was 25 this discussion with Mr Rodriguez? 00016 1 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: This was probably at the 2 end of November just after Rick Rodriguez started 3 taking over and throwing parties and getting permits 4 for that, even though it's been consistently every 5 single weekend since then. Like I said, it wasn't one 6 party for his mom's birthday, it wasn't two parties, 7 it was countless parties since then. 8 So I would just like to say that we are 9 willing to put up with a dance club, you know, as long 10 as it doesn't affect the noise that's coming through 11 the party wall. I think it's a fair request. 12 ALLISON ROSTENKOWSKI: We're just asking 13 for it not to affect the quality of our living or the 14 ability of us to operate our own business. 15 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Just to respond to that, we 16 as a committee and the council as a body do not have 17 the authority to create deals at the committee and to 18 hold the license accountable based on X, Y, or Z. 19 Essentially, if the license is granted, there are 20 property rights in that license, and only if there are 21 problems can adverse action can be taken potentially 22 against the license. 23 Now, we have individuals who can tell you 24 that they promise to do A, B, and C. We can't hold 25 them accountable to that. So I just want to be very 00017 1 clear that that is indeed the case. 2 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: And if he can't put up a 3 simple piece of drywall above the eight-foot mark, I 4 probably wouldn't hold him accountable for doing the 5 rest of it, so use your judgment. 6 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Are there questions by 7 committee of Mr. Rostenkowski at this point? Ms. 8 Scharnek, did you have a question relating to his 9 testimony? And you can certainly raise that, and it 10 should be in the form of a question directed to the 11 committee. 12 MS. SCHARNEK: Well, I'd like to say that 13 they were addressing the wrong person. They kept 14 talking to this Rick Rodriguez. If they would have 15 researched, they would have seen that I am the license 16 holder and I hold the lease to the building. I would 17 be the one that would put in the work order to have 18 that corrected, not someone that wants to act like 19 they're in charge, which for whatever reason, why this 20 all came down is beyond me. She researched Rick 21 Rodriguez very well but never found out who was the 22 actual license holder? 23 CHAIRMAN BOHL: One follow-up question here 24 for Lucy. Lucy, I recall having some discussion 25 because I remember the whole issue with the party 00018 1 permits here. Did you ever come in receipt of a 2 letter or anything in which you would have been 3 informed that Rick Rodriguez was potentially going to 4 become the manager? 5 ALDERMANIC ASST.: No, no, I did not. I 6 know Rick Rodriguez because he formerly owned Liquids, 7 which is the very same place we're discussing now -- 8 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: Exactly. 9 ALDERMANIC ASST.: -- and that he left town. 10 Now, he's back. No, I never did receive a letter 11 saying -- I know there was a Steven Vento who was the 12 first manager, and now I hear Rick Rodriguez is the 13 manager and that the name has been changed to Skin and 14 that the sign with Ripples on it is down. 15 When Ms. Scharnek called me, I did give them 16 the Rostenkowskis' telephone number and said they had 17 complaints because they own the business next door and 18 living quarters. So if she ever called them or got in 19 touch with them and tried to find out what the problem 20 is, I don't know. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Mr. Rostenkowski, any 22 knowledge of that? 23 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: The reason we bring up 24 Rick Rodriguez is because he's the only person that we 25 saw at the location. Being neighbors, we get to see 00019 1 who goes in and out of there, and Rick Rodriguez told 2 me that he was the manager, so I figured why not talk 3 to the manager of the establishment with our problem 4 and concern. 5 CHAIRMAN BOHL: But, to your knowledge, any 6 attempt by Ms. Scharnek to reach you? 7 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: No. There was no 8 contact by Ms. Scharnek, and I don't know if Rick 9 mentioned anything to her or not about it. But, like 10 I said, for the last month-and-a-half, I've talked to 11 Rick numerous times about the problem with the noise. 12 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Okay. Thank you. Mr. 13 Pozorski, any additional comments you want to make 14 here at this time? 15 PAUL POZORSKI: I just want to say that as a 16 manager of a business right around the corner, I've 17 had no problem with Ripples on Water or whatever the 18 name is right now. I've had good relations with the 19 licensee, and we've talked numerous times and have had 20 no problems. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Are you here in support of 22 their getting the dance license then? 23 PAUL POZORKSI: Yes, um-hum. 24 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Ms. Scharnek, I assume that 25 we have no others here. I'm going to allow you to 00020 1 make any last-minute statements you have here 2 explaining why you want this and why you believe the 3 committee should provide a recommendation for the 4 application. 5 MS. SCHARNEK: Well, I do plan on working 6 with the neighbors if there's anything I can do to 7 make them happy with the sound. Like I said, I plan 8 on running an organized dance club where there should 9 be no problems. I plan on overseeing it, and I don't 10 anticipate any problems. Since I've been doing this 11 for the past 10 years, I've never had a problem, if 12 it's run properly with the right managers. 13 I do understand these people did have 14 problems with Rick Rodriguez, which unbeknownst to me 15 got a little bit carried away, which I had no 16 knowledge of, all these conversations they were 17 telling you about. I would like to try to make it up 18 to them and have the sound and the property well 19 supervised, so there should be no further problems. 20 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Lucy, any last-minute 21 comments at this point? 22 ALDERMANIC ASST.: No. 23 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: I've got a comment. I 24 would just like to ask where the line can be drawn for 25 the sound level and bigger systems. Bigger systems, 00021 1 bigger sound systems. Where do you draw the line? 2 CHAIRMAN BOHL: The city has a noise 3 ordinance that is in effect 24 hours, the threshold is 4 certainly -- 5 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: I believe that's only on 6 the outside of the building. 7 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Exterior, correct. I don't 8 know, unless Ms. Barron can tell us, I don't know that 9 there are any restrictions in terms of sound 10 equipment. 11 MIKE ROSTENKOWSKI: I think that's something 12 that should be considered. 13 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Possibly. This matter is 14 now in committee. Alderman Gordon. 15 ALDERMAN GORDON: I just want to preface 16 my motion with some comments. When I heard Mr. 17 Rodriguez's name mentioned, it gave me great pause 18 because in my history on this committee, his name and 19 his establishments have come before this committee 20 many times. 21 CHAIRMAN BOHL: As the former chair of this 22 committee, as well, too. 23 ALDERMAN GORDON: His association with a 24 number of establishments in the downtown area have 25 been (frought) with conflict, and that's why I have a 00022 1 major concern about what I've heard thus far, because 2 this is certainly the most murky situation that we've 3 heard thus far today. It's my belief that it needs to 4 be cleared up before we render any kind of a decision 5 relative to the allowance of a license at this 6 location. 7 I'm familiar with the location from years 8 past, there have been problems at this location from 9 years past. I know we've had discussion on this 10 committee regarding a situation just like this should 11 it occur in terms of someone coming before this 12 committee with an application in the 4th Aldermanic 13 District, and given that there's no aldermanic 14 representation at this point in time, I don't think it 15 would be wise for us to grant such an application 16 without clearing up some of the conflicts and some of 17 the representations and misrepresentations regarding 18 some of the individuals who have been referenced thus 19 far at this hearing. 20 So I'm going to move to hold this matter, 21 and I would hold it to the call of the chair. And if 22 Lucy and the other principals that have come forth 23 today can work out whatever they need to work out 24 regarding the role of Mr. Rodriguez and others in 25 terms of this particular location, that's fine, but I 00023 1 still have concerns about going forward with something 2 like this without having the new alderperson who's 3 going to be elected being involved, given that this is 4 a downtown location and it has a history of problems 5 under all kinds of names. So that's my motion at this 6 time. 7 CHAIRMAN BOHL: Thank you, Alderman. You've 8 heard the motion by Alderman Gordon. It is to told 9 this item to the call of the chair. Is there any 10 discussion by committee members on this? 11 ALDERMAN WITKOWSKI: Mr. Chairman, I will be 12 -- I will not be objecting to the motion, but I just 13 wanted to make it clear that it seems to me that the 14 establishment will still be operating and that the 15 agent or the licensee is still responsible for the 16 premises in the meantime, no matter if it's rented to 17 someone or not. 18 CHAIRMAN BOHL: You're correct. The 19 licensee is the responsible party. If there are 20 troubles, if reflects on the licensee's helm as the 21 license holder. And that would mean that the existing 22 Class B Tavern application would still continue at 23 this location in the meantime. 24 Again, the motion before us is to hold this 25 item to the call of the chair. Is there any objection 00024 1 to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. 2 I think it was an appropriate motion, 3 Alderman Gordon. Ms. Scharnek, we'll possibly hear 4 from you yet and maybe others here in the future, but 5 I think it's appropriate at this time. Certainly 6 knowing that there's a couple of neighbors who have a 7 good investment next door and have some objections, if 8 there's a major investment that would maybe placate 9 their concerns, that would be something that may be 10 worth exploring on the side with them. 11 * * * 00025 1 STATE OF WISCONSIN ) 2 ) 3 MILWAUKEE COUNTY ) 4 5 I, TERESE M. SCHIEBENES, of Milwaukee 6 Reporters Associated, Inc., 5120 West Blue Mound Road, 7 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208, certify that the 8 foregoing proceedings is a full and complete 9 transcript of my stenographic notes taken in the 10 foregoing proceedings. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 TERESE M. SCHIEBENES 18 Certified Shorthand Reporter 19 20 21 Dated this day of , 2004. 22 23 24