Beer garden plan rankles officials but receives OK

Port Washington aldermen on Tuesday approved temporary licenses for three beer gardens, something that typically spurs little comment.

Two of the applications — for the beer garden series run by the Friends of Port Parks and Recreation and a July 15 beer garden by United Way of Northern Ozaukee — were approved with little discussion, but an application by Be3 for a Cheers to Dad beer garden on June 20 was the topic of debate.

The Finance and License Committee recommended against approving the license, something Ald. Dan Benning, a member of the committee, said was done in part because the group did not meet the city’s requirement that complete event applications be filed 60 days ahead of time.

“They came forward late with their application,” he said, and it wasn’t complete. 

“This council has said 60 days, and 60 days is what we really want,” he said.

The group, Benning added, had been involved in the development of the city event requirements and recently “pushed back” as revisions were made to the beer garden series regulations.

His comments were echoed by Ald. Deb Postl, another committee member, who said the city shouldn’t have to “continually chase after” missing documents in an application.

“I think this is just the message we’re trying to send,” she said.

City Attorney Eric Eberhardt noted that the problem was the certificate of insurance, which he received on May 10, 41 days before the event.

“I think the 60 day timeline is appropriate,” he said, but he added that the organization’s submittal was “certainly workable. In the past, we would sometimes get them one week before. The message is getting out.”

Ald. Pat Tearney questioned whether part of the issue was the fact the city spent three months debating changes to the beer garden series.

“We couldn’t come up with a decision,” he said. “I can’t believe we’re still talking about beer gardens.”

Ald. Jonathan Pleitner, chairman of the Finance and License Committee, said he was in favor of approving the beer garden.

“I’m willing to give one more pass to a group that has done good work across the community,” he said.

The council approved the license, 6-1, with Benning casting the lone dissenting vote.