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Record of Proceedings

Monroe License Committee Meeting - April 13, 2026

Common Council & Commissions — Monday, April 13, 2026
BodyMonroe, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & Commissions
DateMonday, April 13, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

It's 4 45 p.m.

0:02

and we'll call the license committee to order if the clerk will call the roll, please.

0:08

Alder Wartenweiler?

0:09

Here.

0:10

Alder Tolman?

0:11

Here.

0:11

Alder Miller?

0:12

Here.

0:12

And Alder Vestine.

0:14

Here.

0:18

Um.

0:20

Any correction of minutes from the March 23rd 2026 meeting.

0:28

Hearing none, they'll stand as presented.

0:31

And item C business C1 discussion impossible recommendation to common council.

0:38

The temporary class B fermented malt beverage and wine license and beer garden application for GCDC in conjunction with City of Monroe's pocket park event.

0:52

So in front of you is their application that should take place on May 16th.

0:56

The hour operations would be from 5 to 9.

0:58

And this is in conjunction with the event that's going to public safety tonight.

1:02

Um for it's in conjunction with Main Street Monroe and the City of Monroe.

1:06

They're having their night market with a opening ceremony for the pocket park, along with G C D C would be the one having the temporary class B so they can serve the the beer and wine.

1:18

And then the I'll the beer garden would be within that area.

1:20

Kind of like how it was.

1:39

Any discussion.

1:43

I I just have a question maybe for the attorney.

1:46

Uh with the county, I'm on this board.

1:49

I'm it says Ron Shaff, he's the treasurer next week, but I am.

1:52

Should I abstain or does it matter?

1:56

From voting because of the Green County development provision?

1:59

Yeah, because of GCDC.

2:01

No, I I think that's way too remote.

2:03

Okay.

2:04

Um I don't you have to have a financial interest.

2:06

You don't have a financial interest in them.

2:08

They're nonprofits, so no.

2:13

Um my question is just um it says the licensed area.

2:24

I lost it now, where where the beer and wine will be sold, served, consumed, and stored is that those two streets that were named, so but not uh one place that's selling them.

2:41

Each of the vendors will sell I'm a little confused.

2:54

I'm just pulling up the the actual event permit and see if it's on that.

2:59

I might have missed it.

3:12

The location says uh 900 block of 17th Avenue, 1700 block of 10th Street in the downtown pocket park.

3:19

That's the premises the premise, yep.

3:21

So they can serve within that premise.

3:23

Anywhere in that area they can sell the the pocket park itself.

3:27

Correct, yep.

3:29

Where they'll have a stand or something the street too as well.

3:32

Yep.

3:33

G C D C is gonna be doing the selling.

3:35

Yep, and it'd be on those two streets on the pocket park.

3:39

There will not be any open containers going outside of that.

3:42

Uh look, you can't go to any of the bars or bring stuff into there.

3:46

It's just contained inside those two streets and the pocket park.

3:52

Is that correct, Fred?

3:54

I understand.

3:55

Okay.

4:01

I'm not crazy about if children will be there and they'll be open containers.

4:07

It doesn't.

4:08

I'm not crazy about that.

4:11

It sounds like it's not an adults only space.

4:14

It's also going to be families and children.

4:16

Is that am I understanding that correctly?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Event Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████81%
Public Safety███████████19%
Summary of Proceedings

Monroe License Committee Meeting

Date: April 13, 2026
Time: 4:45 PM – 4:50 PM
Location: Council Chambers, 1110 18th Avenue, Monroe, WI

The License Committee met to consider a temporary liquor license application for GCDC (Green County Development Corporation) in conjunction with a City of Monroe Pocket Park event. The committee voted 3-1 to recommend approval to the Common Council.

Consent Calendar

  • The minutes from the March 23, 2026 meeting were approved as presented without correction.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made.

Discussion Items

  • Temporary Class B License for GCDC (Pocket Park Night Market)
    • The event is scheduled for May 16, 2026, with alcohol service from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM within the licensed area: the 900 block of 17th Avenue, 1700 block of 10th Street, and the downtown pocket park. GCDC would be the sole vendor of beer and wine. No open containers would be permitted outside the designated area.
    • Alder Corinne Wartenweiler expressed concern about serving alcohol at a family-oriented event open to all ages, stating, "I'm not crazy about if children will be there and they'll be open containers." She voted against the motion.
    • Alder Christopher Vestin asked whether he should abstain due to his role on the Green County board with GCDC. Legal advice indicated no financial interest existed because GCDC is a nonprofit, so no abstention was necessary.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to recommend approval to the Common Council for the temporary Class B fermented malt beverage and wine license and beer garden application.
    • Vote: 3-1
      • Ayes: Tom Miller, Richard Thoman, Christopher Vestin
      • Noes: Corinne Wartenweiler
      • Absent/Abstain: None
  • The meeting adjourned at 4:50 PM on a motion by Thoman, seconded by Miller, passed 4-0.

Meeting Transcript

It's 4 45 p.m. and we'll call the license committee to order if the clerk will call the roll, please. Alder Wartenweiler? Here. Alder Tolman? Here. Alder Miller? Here. And Alder Vestine. Here. Um. Any correction of minutes from the March 23rd 2026 meeting. Hearing none, they'll stand as presented. And item C business C1 discussion impossible recommendation to common council. The temporary class B fermented malt beverage and wine license and beer garden application for GCDC in conjunction with City of Monroe's pocket park event. So in front of you is their application that should take place on May 16th. The hour operations would be from 5 to 9. And this is in conjunction with the event that's going to public safety tonight. Um for it's in conjunction with Main Street Monroe and the City of Monroe. They're having their night market with a opening ceremony for the pocket park, along with G C D C would be the one having the temporary class B so they can serve the the beer and wine. And then the I'll the beer garden would be within that area. Kind of like how it was. Any discussion. I I just have a question maybe for the attorney. Uh with the county, I'm on this board. I'm it says Ron Shaff, he's the treasurer next week, but I am. Should I abstain or does it matter? From voting because of the Green County development provision? Yeah, because of GCDC. No, I I think that's way too remote. Okay. Um I don't you have to have a financial interest. You don't have a financial interest in them. They're nonprofits, so no. Um my question is just um it says the licensed area. I lost it now, where where the beer and wine will be sold, served, consumed, and stored is that those two streets that were named, so but not uh one place that's selling them. Each of the vendors will sell I'm a little confused. I'm just pulling up the the actual event permit and see if it's on that. I might have missed it. The location says uh 900 block of 17th Avenue, 1700 block of 10th Street in the downtown pocket park. That's the premises the premise, yep. So they can serve within that premise. Anywhere in that area they can sell the the pocket park itself. Correct, yep. Where they'll have a stand or something the street too as well. Yep. G C D C is gonna be doing the selling. Yep, and it'd be on those two streets on the pocket park. There will not be any open containers going outside of that. Uh look, you can't go to any of the bars or bring stuff into there.

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