Common Council takes aim at problem nightclubs

The Milwaukee Common Council Licenses Committee wants to crack down on continued violence and disturbances in front of area dance clubs.

The Ladybug Club, 622 N. Water St., has irritated neighbors since it opened, even though hardly anyone lives in the area. Last week, a teen was arrested for brandishing a gun outside the club and police have been on hand constantly to control traffic and keep patrons from loitering in a nearby parking lot.

The committee recommended a 45-day suspension for the club. It heard testimony and saw film of youths doing donuts with their cars and generally running amok after closing time.

Rain, a teen-friendly club located in Walker's Point at 906. S. Barclay St., also has been plagued with repeated incidents of fighting. Though it doesn't have proper licenses, Rain has held various contests that have drawn warning letters every year when its license is up for renewal. Committee members, seeking to send a stronger message, recommended a 10-day suspension.

The full Council debates the matter Friday.

The Power of Proximity: A convenience store at the corner of Lincoln and Howell Avenues created a controversy in the licensing committee. Neighbors rallied around their favorite store, while opponents from outside the area protested the owner's desire to sell beer.

Parshotam Singh has owned AK Mart, 2305 S. Howell Ave., for 18 years and needs to sell beer to stay in business, he says. Ald. Tony Zielinski lined up five protestors, including some block watch captains whose areas were somewhat outside the neighborhood of the mart and some income-property owners on the street.

Singh attempted two years ago to get a liquor license for a restaurant space next door to the store. Zielinski opposed that, too, but after Singh made improvements to the building, the restaurant got the license a year later.

The five opponents told the committee that they saw drug dealing, loitering, drunks and prostitution -- the same arguments made against the restaurant getting a liquor license. Neighbors and friends -- some 25 strong -- most of whom live in a city-owned high rise next door, said they see no such things going on. They also praised Singh for giving them credit and free bus passes then they were low on cash.

When asked, the opponents admitted they had discussions with the alderman before the meeting, which also featured an appearance by Vera Pawlak, who could also be called Bay View's leading prohibitionist.

Pawlak has often testified against liquor licenses in the past, even when she doesn't not live in the immediate neighborhood of the establishments she opposes. In this case, she lives more than five blocks from the AK Mart, but she complained that the street -- a busy triangle intersection featuring a bank and more than a dozen retail outlets -- was parked full and she couldn't see to make turns on the corner.

She also said "vagabonds" hang out in front of the store, which set off Singh's attorney, Michael Maistelman, who suggested that Pawlak was being judgmental and wants to gentrify the neighborhood.

"My hunch is that these are people from your neighborhood," Ald. Jim Bohl said to Pawlak, since she told the committee she lived four blocks away. When Pawlak said the store doesn't sell healthy foods, Bohl countered by saying "Then we should ban Halloween."

Pawlak later admitted she hadn't been inside the store.

"We want to attract people (to the neighborhood) that share the community values ... where people talk to each other ... respect other people-their sense of space and their sense of sound," Pawlak opined.

Zielinski argued that the opponent's statements were more credible than the overwhelming number of supporters'. "These are the ones we should listen to. They have no reason to do this other than to improve their neighborhood," he said.

"I would not underestimate the 30 people who came here who weren't block captains," shot back Maistelman.

Zielinski then argued that the area was already over-saturated with liquor licenses. In part, the flourish of liquor licenses has come at Zielinski's behest. Within the past two years, he supported new licenses for a wine store, three taverns and two restaurants.

The committee voted, 2-1, to approve the beer seller's license. The full Council takes up the matter Friday.

Fee Frenzy: One week after discussing ways to reduce spending, the Milwaukee Common Council's Finance Committee this week focused on proposals designed to raise various fees. The committee approved major increases in stormwater and garbage collection fees, but rejected some rather outside-the-box fees that were offered.

Some examples:

• Raising the cost of loading zone charges from $195 to $400. Ald. Bob Bauman, who represents the Downtown area where most loading zones are found, said that some businesses with loading zones view them "as private parking spaces." The higher fee would "make someone think twice" before wanting one. Higher fees could also offset losses in parking meter revenue.
• Charging city festivals 50 percent of the cost of police protection and traffic control. That idea didn't fly so well after it was pointed out to sponsor Ald. Zielinski that no festivals in the city were asked what they thought about it. Some 125 festivals would be affected. Ald. Willie Hines echoed others who were concerned that if the fee passed at this time, festival budgets would be thrown into disarray. "This is a representative government and an inclusive government," Hines said adding that he might support such a move next year.
• Making residents pay half the cost of replacing garbage carts in cases of theft or vandalism. The estimated cost of garbage carts is $26.50 for the green garbage cans and $32.50 for the blue recycling cans. The city spends about $1 million a year replacing carts. Hines said the fee would disproportionately affect low-income folks who could face the choice of paying for the garbage cart or paying for food.
• Raising vehicle towing fees from $95 to $105 and daily storage fees from $20 to $30. The measure would raise $400,000 annually. The fees have not increased since 2002.