By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
HOWARD – The village has joined other municipalities in Brown County in reducing the cost for bars and restaurants to renew their Class B beer and liquor licenses for 2020-21, which are slated to take effect July 1.
The Howard village board had three members present at the village hall and five others participating remotely Monday, April 27, when it reduced the annual fee for a Class B liquor license from $500 to $50, the state statutory minimum, and also eliminated the $100 fee for a Class B beer license.
Village Administrator Paul Evert, one of only two staff members physically present, said the resolution reducing the fees is worded similar to one previously approved by the City of Green Bay to assist local bars and restaurants negatively affected economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evert said the change will lower the annual fees for businesses that serve both beer and liquor from $600 to $50.
“There are 27 establishments in the village that hold combined licenses,” he said. “The local hospitality industry has been impacted as much as any industry in our area from the pandemic. Under the safer-at-home orders, they will have been closed for over 60 days on May 24.”
Evert said the village expects to receive around $14,000 less in revenue by reducing the fees, provided the same number of licensees would be renewed for 2020-21.
The De Pere Common Council voted April 21 to also reduce its Class B liquor and beer license renewal fees to $50 and $0, respectively.
City Attorney Judith Schmidt-Lehman said the reduction in fees is expected to result in approximately a $28,500 reduction in revenue for De Pere in 2020.
The fee reduction was requested by Don Mjelde, president of the Brown County Tavern League.
CSM approval
Board members unanimously approved a four-lot certified survey map (CSM) for village-owned property located east of Village Green Golf Course and adjacent to Duck Creek.
The village is seeking to sell the single-family residential lots, for which the board previously approved site grading, storm water management and utility services.
Mike Kaster, director of engineering, said each lot is approximately 75 feet wide and 300 feet deep.
Kaster said the vast majority of the mature timber on the property will remain, while underbrush will be removed where fill piles were placed about 10 years ago.
The board also approved a CSM for John and Karen Demerit at 3410 Glendale Ave. to divide a 1.5-acre lot into three lots with one house on the middle lot, contingent upon the property being rezoned from R-5 Rural Estate Residential to R-1 Residential Single Family.