Monona PD Sets Rules for Festival and Fireworks

From the Monona Police Department:

Restrictions For Monona Festival & Fireworks Display



[Begin Press Release from the Monona Police Department:]

Restrictions for the July, 2010 Monona Festival & Fireworks display:


--no personal fireworks of any kind are allowed in Winnequah Park or any City property adjacent to Winnequah Park.

--only alcohol purchased at the Festival may be consumed in Winnequah park on July 2, 3 and 4, 2010.

--no personal grills will be allowed in the park the evening of the Fireworks display on July 4, 2010.


--Healy Lane and portions of Nichols Road will be barricaded or have parking restrictions during the festival.

--the parking lot behind Winnequah Elementary school will be posted for no parking starting at 4:00 pm on July 4, 2010. Vehicles in this lot after 4:00 pm on July 4, 2010 will be ticketed and/or towed. Towing will be at the expense of the registered owner of the vehicle.


Due to road construction we are encouraging those who will be attending the fireworks display to walk or ride bikes. For those who must drive please be aware that it will take time and patience to move traffic out of the area after the fireworks display has ended.

The Monona Police Department is asking for the cooperation of all who attend, as we want you to have a safe and enjoyable time while at the Monona Festival. Thank you all for your cooperation.

For general information related to private use of fireworks please go to mymonona.com. As a guide, anything that flies or explodes is illegal.

[end of press release]

Hmm, I know I've broken at least a couple of those rules in the past - as do many people attending the fireworks - by bringing a couple beers and a few 'presonal' fireworks to shoot off while waiting for the real show to start. [I have got to quit confessing to (albeit past) law breaking...].

Monona PD Press release

From Chief Walter Ostrenga:

MONONA POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE
Date: April 29, 2009

For Immediate Release:

Traffic/Drug Investigation

Monona Police Department Case # 2009-2705

On Wednesday, April 29, 2009, at approximately 2:04 am, Monona Police Officers stopped a suspected OWI driver for minor traffic violations in the area of Rt. 51 and Broadway. As officers prepared to administer field sobriety testing, the driver attempted to conceal several baggies containing unknown substances by putting them in her mouth and swallowing them.

Almost immediately the 55 year old female started to exhibit distress and passed out. Officers were able to remove one small plastic baggie, but another larger baggie containing a golf ball size substance became lodged in her airway. Officers called for assistance and immediately began to administer medical aid. Monona and Madison EMS units arrived on scene and were able to extract the larger bag, but only after several minutes had passed.

The subject was transported to a local hospital and is currently in intensive care on life support.
Evidence recovered has been taken to the crime lab for analysis. Any potential charges will depend on the subject recovering from the self inflicted injury.

The subject has a lengthy criminal history and her name is being with held pending notification to family.

Chief Walter J. Ostrenga
Monona Police Department
*30*

LRC Gives Boost to Edo Japanese Steakhouse

The Monona License Review Commission voted to recommend giving the city's only open liquor license to Edo Japanese Restaurant :: The Best Japanese Sushi Restaurant in town. The license goes to the city council next week.

Conventional wisdom says we should hold on to the license for future economic development. The LRC members were influenced favorably by a number of factors. The owners of Edo have invested a significant amount of money and time in establishing their business. They are struggling in the current economic environment and the liquor license will help them stay in business. Currently, they can only sell wine and beer. The restaurant is unique in Monona in its offerings. It is a very high quality restaurant and we need all of those we can get.

Nonetheless, this decision was not an easy call for me and I told them I will need to keep thinking about it before it comes to the council because I and the rest of the council have to consider what is in the best interests of the entire city.

On Deck: Monona City Council Preview

This coming Monday, March 2, 2009, the Monona city council will be, among other things, discussing what to do if Bob Miller finishes in the top three vote-getters in the April 7 election and convening in closed session to discuss potential litigation concerning Bourbon Street Grille .

As you may know, Bob Miller lost his job the day after the deadline for submitting nomination papers. He decided he could not commit to serving another term and has stated his intention to not serve another term. His name will still be on the ballot and he has asked people not to vote for him. Of course, it is entirely possible that he will still finish in the top three candidates. The council will discuss what should be done if that happens: should the fourth place finisher win the seat? Or should we go through an interview process? My thought is that it is better to make this decision before the election because after the election everyone will know who finished fourth and that could introduce personalities and politics into the mix. Hopefully the voters will eliminate this issue by respecting Bob's wishes and voting for the other four candidates.

The council will also be considering establishment of a TIF District in the East Broadway area, special assessments for street improvements Owen Road, setting a policy a for seeding or sodding after street projects, considering the purchase of two police vehicles, and prohibiting parking along the east side of Bridge Road near Metropolitan Lane.

Bourbon Street Grille Denouement SURPRISING UPDATE

UPDATE: The city clerk called this morning with the news that BSG's seller's permit has been reinstated by the Department of Revenue. Apparently they paid whatever they owed this morning and cleared up whatever needed to be cleared up to be reinstated by the state. This action by the state does not reinstate their alcohol licenses, but it does make BSG legally eligible.

Original post:

A surprising development occurred late last week when the city clerk was notified that the state Department of Revenue (DOR) had revoked the Bourbon Street Grille's (BSG) seller's permit at the end of May 2008. Under state law, cities are prohibited from issuing permits to a business that lack a seller's permit (s. 77.61). In other words, during the entire pendency of the current liquor license proceedings against BSG, they in fact were not eligible for a liquor license due to a lack of a state-issued seller's permit.


The state erroneously sent the original notice of revocation to the city clerk of Madison in June 2008. Apparently, the Madison city clerk did not send a copy to the Monona city clerk. The state discovered that BSG was still open for business from news reports about Monona's liquor license suspension proceedings. The state then notified the city of Monona and directed that no licenses be issued to BSG until a seller's permit has been issued. The DOR states that it will not issue a seller's permit until all tax matters have been resolved.


Liquor licenses run from July 1 to June 30. Based on the letters from the DOR, the BSG was never eligible for a 2008-2009 liquor license.

At tonight's city council meeting, the council voted down a proposed settlement agreement that had been negotiated by the chief of police with BSG before the chief knew that BSG lacked the basic state permit to sell anything, let alone alcohol.

No Agreement on Bourbon Street Grille

As previously reported (Council Votes to Suspend Bourbon Street Grille), on January 20, the Monona city council voted to suspend the alcohol licenses of the Bourbon Street Grille (BSG) for 90 days effective February 10, 2009. The purpose of the delayed effective date was to allow the attorneys for both sides to reach a proposed agreement that the city council would review at a special meeting on February 9.

Late last week the council was informed that negotiations had failed to produce an agreement and the special meeting has been canceled. 2/9/09 Council Meeting Cancelled (Notice). The suspension begins Tuesday, February 10.

BSG can still appeal the suspension in court where it could also seek a stay of the suspension. See section 125.12 (2)(d) Stats. (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0125.pdf).

Council Votes to Suspend Bourbon Street Grille

The Monona city council voted tonight to reverse the LRC finding on the Bourbon Street Grille. The council made a finding that the BSG did operate as a disorderly house and suspended their licenses to sell alcohol for 90 days effective February 10, 2009.

The delayed effective date is to give the parties time to reach a proposed agreement that will be presented to the city council at a special meeting on February 9, 2009.

Previous post: Monona LRC Gives Bourbon Street a Pass

Monona LRC Gives Bourbon Street a Pass

Quick news brief. After a four and a half hour hearing the Monona License Review Committee voted 3-2 to recommend that no action be taken against the Bourbon Street Grille. I was one of the two. The committee technically made a finding that the BSG is not a' disorderly house' in the rather archaic language of the statutes. See sec. 125.12.

The committee heard from 7 Monona policce officers and a private security guard as well as both Pat Mackesy and Liz DuPlayee and one of their employees.

The packet including the complaint and police reports can be found here: 1-6-09 Packet.pdf beginning on page 11.

The committee will submit formal findings to the city council for its review and action.