Board Reviewing Applications for New Liquor License

The reserve liquor license will be issued based on applicant’s merit

In February, the Town of Gibraltar voted to move forward with issuing its reserve liquor license, and in April, it approved a rewritten liquor-license ordinance. During a May 3 meeting, the town decided that if multiple businesses apply for the license, the board will choose which business receives the license based on merit.

To aid in this process, each applicant received a questionnaire that was due by June 1. It took into account factors such as the type of business that’s applying, its property value, how long the business has been around and whether it operates seasonally or year-round. Town administrator Travis Thyssen helped to craft the questionnaire based on an application process the City of Sturgeon Bay has used previously.

The town received three applications by the May 15 application deadline: from the White Gull Inn, Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza and Grille, and Welcker’s Lounge: a new restaurant and bar located in the former Whistling Swan restaurant space. The responses to the questionnaire will be discussed, and a recipient will be determined, during the July 7 town board meeting.

The board also discussed the possibility of leaving the decision up to chance by using a lottery system or a dice roll. Two local business owners – Andy Coulson of the White Gull Inn and Scott Schmitz of Hill Street – spoke up against that option, saying the town should have more involvement in the decision.

“The town should be interested in where [the license] is going and who’s operating that business to make sure that license is benefitting the town,” Coulson said. “Have people apply and make their case in person to the board or in writing.”

Bill Johnson Resigns from Town Board, Plan Commission

On May 8, Bill Johnson resigned from both the Gibraltar Town Board and the town’s plan commission because he’s selling his home and moving to Arizona this summer.

Johnson has not resigned from his position as secretary of the Fish Creek Sanitary District’s board of commissioners, but will do so after he closes on the sale of his house.

Johnson said his decision to resign was not related to losing his bid to become town chair this spring. Instead, he said it was based on his desire for a change of pace.

“I’ve been on the sanitary board for 22 years, the town board for five years and the plan commission for around one year,” Johnson said. “I just decided it’s time to move on.”

The town board is taking applications to fill Johnson’s supervisor seat, a two-year term that will expire April 16, 2024. Applicants must be qualified electors in the Town of Gibraltar and must send a letter of interest to [email protected] by May 31. The town board will vote to appoint a new supervisor during its June 7 meeting.

Limits Set on Virtual Town Board Attendance

Through Gibraltar treasurer Theresa Cain-Bieri’s involvement with the Jacksonport Town Board, the Gibraltar Town Board discovered that the Wisconsin Towns Association allowed virtual attendance at town board meetings only during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Any community wanting to continue that must have a resolution passed by the board to continue allowing it, and we never did that,” said town administrator Travis Thyssen during the Town of Gibraltar’s May 3 meeting.

Supervisor Tom Birmingham made a motion to discontinue the virtual-attendance option, citing how disruptive it can be, especially when internet-connectivity issues occur during meetings. 

Chair Steve Sohns agreed but pointed out the importance of allowing case-by-case exceptions for board members who are experiencing medical issues or other extenuating circumstances. Birmingham amended his motion to accommodate such cases.

At that point, supervisor Bill Johnson, who was attending the meeting on Zoom and had done so for the past several meetings because of his travel schedule, said he would resign from the board if it disallowed virtual attendance altogether. (Although he did later resign, he said his resignation was unrelated to the board’s decision on this matter.) 

Supervisor Jayson Merkel was also opposed to eliminating the virtual option, saying the board should be flexible in order to attract and retain supervisors.

Birmingham’s motion to eliminate virtual attendance except for involuntary absences was denied 3-2. Supervisor Vinni Chomeau then amended the motion to allow virtual attendance by supervisors up to, but not more than, six times during one two-year term. That motion was approved.