01-27-2003 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, JANUARY 13,2003 Item 3 appears after Item 20 because Council waited for Mr. Anderst to arrive. 3. Appeal of Narrows Saloon Liquor Violation Penalty Fee Moorsc stated that in a memo from Sergeant Erickson he explained how an employee of the Narrows Saloon had told alcohol to a minor, which resulted in a S500 fine. Anderst had already paid the fine, but wanted to appeal it. Anderst stated that the violation occurred at about 3:40 in the afternoon. His waitress admitted to making a mistake. Shc*d seen the City’s CSO around touTi in uniform and didn’t think an>lhing of bringing him his beer when he ordered it. The waitress was fined S400 and pul on a year's probation. Anderst requested Council drop his $500 fine. He stated he knew they made a mistake, but other bars in the area, like Red Rooster, have had fines dropped for first offenses. Moorse stated that the City’s part-time CSO went to the bar. Murphy asked if people had complained about the City using a uniformed representative in the checks. He stated it may have been a bad choice to send the CSO. He also stated that he believes they need to do more to keep alcohol away from minors, and that Anderst should be supportive of the City’s elTorts. Anderst stated that they deny customers that have valid ID’s that have been illegally obtained. He stated his waitress never seiA’cd the beer. She’s not a bartender. She carried the beer across the room and he ticketed her without ever receiving the beer. Nygard stated that she technically could have asked for ID before putting the beer on the table, and he was not therefore ser\ cd. Mayor Peterson asked why the waitress pled guilty to the charge. Anderst asked that Council forgive the $500 fine because it was a first offense. He claimed they bend over backwards to do things right. He had four staff not make the meetings on carding issues and he took them off the schedule until they attended the meeting. He stated the City should not send officers into bars to do compliance checks when his staff recognizes them as police officers. Sansevere stated that someone ’s occupation shouldn't matter because one is underage or not. He asked what would happen if they forgave the fine and there w as a second offense. Mayor Peterson stated they could forgive the fee, but not the offense, so a next offense would still count as the second offense with a $1000 fine and 3 day license suspension. 8 t ij