(Published Tuesday, September 4, 2007 12:11:06 PM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Marcia Nelesen mnelesen@gazetteextra.com
Janesville's Alcohol License Advisory Committee has recommended that the council close down Spankys.
The ALAC this morning recommended that the council revoke Mary Gorniak's liquor license. She owns Spankys at 18-24 S. River St.
It would be a stiffer penalty than was recommended by Police Chief Neil Mahan. He had requested a 30-day suspension.
But members of the committee cited a long list of police calls since the downtown establishment opened in March.
They also cited two additional incidents since the ALAC warned Spankys in August to clean up its act or face a suspension or revocation hearing.
Police four days after that meeting said they failed to find a licensed bartender on the premise.
Tod Daniel, Gorniak's attorney, said that citation is being contested in court. Gorniak said one of the employees there that night did have a license, but Gorniak this morning could not produce any paperwork for the employee. The employee did not appear at this morning's meeting. Gorniak said the woman was taking her children to school.
Craig DeGarmo, a committee and council member, said he couldn't understand why they wouldn't have the paperwork at this morning's meeting.
In addition, Mahan cited a police report of a battery that occurred on Sept. 1.
Gorniak allegedly told the patron not to report the incident.
"… Obviously, you have problems there, but our expectation is that the owner of the bar and the security staff will do the right thing," Mahan said.
That incident is under investigation.
Gorniak and her staff said they have made the changes requested by the council, including hiring additional security and making some changes to the music, which had been hip-hop.
The majority of the bar's patrons visit Friday and Saturday from 12:30 a.m. to bar closing.
Mahan said he believed a 30-day suspension would provide adequate time for Gorniak to remodel, to train the staff, and to "get her business affairs in order and begin running the business where it's safe for patrons."
ALAC members said it didn't appear that enough changes had been made.
"From what we've seen just since March, I don't believe that's going to be done, even with a 30-day suspension," committee and council member Paul Williams said.
That's why he said he made the motion for a revocation hearing.
This bar is different from other bars as far as having problems, he said.
"These incidents occur often, and they're getting to a point where they could become very serious … I'm sorry, but we've been told things, but they haven't been followed up on. I know for a fact you're behind on your beer (payments.)"
According to a city memo, Gorniak also is behind in her rent and faces eviction.
"I'm not sure a 30-day suspension is any kind of a wake-up call," Williams said.
Voting in favor of a revocation recommendation were Carol Engebretson, Chad Karl, Williams and DeGarmo.
Voting against the revocation was Mark Schroeder.
The council will decide at a future meeting whether to hold a hearing. If so, the hearing would be quasi-judicial.
The bar could continue to operate until a ruling is made.
