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Hazel Green lowers liquor licenses
HAZEL GREEN, Wis.–The cost of liquor licenses in Hazel Green will be lowered for the upcoming 2020-21 fee schedule. The village board voted to lower the fees for Class A and Class B licenses to the minimum required by its ordinance on May 12. The beer license for class A and class B licenses will be set at $1 and the liquor license for those classes will be set at $50. The lowering of fees will be temporary and only impact this year’s licenses.
“I know bars are hurting,” said Chris Lisk, village board member. “For bars, their primary income is food and beer. We need to help them.”
“I am looking at it like everyone is hurting,” said board member Josh Kearney. “I can see it causing problems if we pick one type of license or the other.”
The village temporarily changed its ordinance with the amendment expiring on March 1, 2021.
Condemnation process begins
The board also approved the initiation of the condemnation process for a dilapidated home at 22nd and Church streets.
“We already looked at it once,” said Sally Bauer, village clerk. “It is in rougher shape than it was in 2016. To get the process started a building inspector will walk through the property and if owners don’t agree, this will need to go through the courts.”
Water problems
The board and the public works director, John Berning, discussed a water issue from the Mills Subdivision, coming down Boston Street, that was flowing into St. Francis de Sales cemetery.
According to Berning, the water problems have been an issue since the subdivision was first built.
“They had a deflection wall installed when it was first built, but it didn’t do the job,” said Berning. “We have a couple good ideas on how to go about it.”
The public works department will discuss the issue and bring it to the board at a future meeting
Communicable diseases ordinance tabled
After a lengthy discussion, the board decided to table an ordinance that would give the police department more authority for addressing violations of any communicable disease ordinance.
“If we did have an issue, the only way to write a citation is to have this ordinance adopted,” said Jim Monahan, Hazel Green police chief. “We don’t have to enforce it, unless it needs enforced.”
Monahan understood that there was a lot of controversy in recent weeks about ordinances involving COVID-19 and the violation of civil rights.
“I don’t foresee it being a problem,” said Monahan. “If we don’t adopt the ordinance, we shouldn’t have an issue.”
Kearney objected to the ordinance and stated that he was 100 percent opposed.
“It is a catch-22, “ said Lisk. “We have to uphold the Constitution, but also abide by the governor. If you don’t have enforcement, then that renders the police useless in certain situations. Say we don’t pass it and word gets out and someone has a big graduation party. What can we do?”
“I don’t foresee a problem,” said Monahan. “Hazel Green isn’t bad on compliance. First thing we would do is verbally address the issue. The biggest thing here is the health of the community.”
Kearney said if there were to be a problem, he felt it could be addressed through another manner, such as disorderly conduct citations.
Garbage concerns
Lisk informed the board that his neighbors have complained to him about certain garbage items not being picked up.
“They are getting upset because they are paying for a service and not getting that service,” said Lisk.
Lisk said his neighbors have placed large items that don’t fit in the receptacles and the garbage company won’t pick those items up.
Bauer said the change in the garbage company’s policy is not new and was not impacted by COVID, but has been in place since July.
“The garbage company will only pickup their bins for workers comp purposes,” said Bauer. “We have requested more garbage cans and have asked for bigger garbage carts.”
Other business
The board also:
•purchased a John Deere lawn mower.
•approved village committees and abolished the ATV/UTV committee.
•requested the plan commission amend an ordinance in regards to residential fence restrictions.
•learned that the clerk’s office continues to look for supplies for the upcoming August election.
“We want to make sure we have workers and the public protected,” said Bauer.