By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – Twice as many Class A liquor licenses will be available in the village under an ordinance amendment approved Tuesday, Oct. 23, by the Ashwaubenon village board.
Board members favored increasing available licenses from eight to 16 with Trustee Mark Williams casting the lone dissenting vote.
“I don’t know why we want to change it, to be very honest with you,” he said.
Williams said discussions about the number of liquor licenses there should be in the village generate “mixed emotions.”
“Every time we turn around we have to have a liquor license, and I’m not in favor of changing it,” he said.
Village Clerk/Treasurer Patrick Moynihan Jr. provided a draft of the ordinance amendment to the Public Works and Protection Committee, which recommended earlier this month on a 3-2 vote to increase the village’s self-imposed quota from eight to 16.
He noted no more of those type of liquor licenses could be issued unless the ordinance was changed.
“We have two new hotels coming, perhaps one of them would want to put a pantry in (to sell packaged liquor)…,” Moynihan said. “You may stifle potential development by not making said change.”
Trustee Ken Bukowski, a Public Works and Protection Committee member, who opposed allowing an unlimited number of the liquor licenses, as had been included in a previous draft of the ordinance amendment, said Moynihan raised a valid point about what could happen to development in the village.
“We can still vote no on individual requests,” said Bukowski, who noted he had opposed granting the liquor license the majority of board members approved for The Shinery in the Bay Park Square.
Trustee Allison Williams, who had favored on the committee to allow an unlimited number of liquor licenses, said others would want to apply for those licenses with the development planned in the village.
“We know it’s coming,” she said.
Trustee Gary Paul questioned the need for having a limit on the number of liquor licenses.
“The ninth one is going to come sooner or later, the 10th one is going to come sooner or later…,” Paul said. “I don’t think a number means much. Because, like somebody said, we’ll get to 16, then we’re going to raise it to what?”
Village President Mary Kardoskee said the matter of liquor licenses has been “a very contentious issue” on the board.
“I feel that we should have a limit on it,” Kardoskee said. “I would like 12, but I’ll go for the 16.”
Following approval by the board, the ordinance amendment takes effect upon publication in The Press Times.