(Published Thursday, July 12, 2007 11:51:15 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Chris Schultz Gazette staff
LAKE GENEVA-City bars aren't often called on the carpet publicly, nor are their licenses challenged by the city council.
But complaints about Carvetti's, 642 Main St., are now out in the open.
The city has released a list of 166 complaints and violations related to the trendy downtown bar. Among them: a downtown confrontation between a bouncer and a police officer and noise and light complaints from nearby hotels.
By a 5-4 vote, the council decided last month not to hold a special hearing about possibly revoking the tavern's liquor license. Instead, the mayor, police chief and city attorney sat down with bar owners Dan and Joe Caravette to address the problems.
Alderman Gary Dunham, who chairs the council's finance, license and judicial committee, said the police chief and city attorney approached him with the list of complaints.
"They have more calls there than at all other bars combined," Dunham said.
But taking the tavern's liquor license immediately may have created another problem.
"Pulling the license makes it just another empty building downtown," said Dunham.
Mayor Sheldon Shepstone said he and city staff thought it best to work with the Caravettes, getting them to cooperate with police in solving the problems.
Carvetti's ability to keep its license is contingent on good behavior, but Shepstone said the city has set no conditions that may be cause for a future review of the tavern's license.
"Anything that comes up, that's what comes up," Shepstone said.
Dan Caravette said in a telephone interview that he wants to work with the city to straighten out any problems. He said the remodeled tavern represents a substantial investment that neither he nor his brother wants to endanger.
As for the list of 166 complaints, it includes 53 calls for disorderly conduct. Most involved fights, with four for battery and two for felony battery.
"We haven't had the best relationship with the police," Caravette acknowledged. "We're trying to build a relationship."
Still, Caravette argues the list also has calls that involve no wrongdoing by Carvetti's staff. For example, the false ID reports are from Carvetti's employees who reported confiscating false IDs from people trying to enter the bar.
Also included in the list are reports of items lost at the bar, and even a report of a stray dog picked up outside.
