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Record of Proceedings

City of Monroe License Committee Meeting - April 27, 2026

Common Council & Commissions — Monday, April 27, 2026

BodyMonroe, Wisconsin

SessionCommon Council & Commissions

DateMonday, April 27, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 15:41

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0:00

It's 445, and I like to call the license committee to order.

0:06

Start with uh correction of minutes.

0:09

Oh, sorry, start with roll call.

0:12

Alder Vestine?

0:13

Here.

0:14

Alder Tolman?

0:15

Here.

0:16

And then older vocally.

0:21

I know.

0:21

I ruined it.

0:23

Okay.

0:29

All right, next to the correction of minutes.

0:31

Are there any corrections?

0:34

If not, they'll stand as written.

0:37

First piece of business discussion and possible recommendation to common council, the temporary class B fermented malt beverage and wine license and beer garden application for Main Street Monroe's concerts on the square events.

0:50

So in front of you is their annual application for multiple events throughout the summer.

0:56

Um looks like their hour operations would be from 5 to 10 p.m.

1:00

Um and with that they've also submitted the map that shows where their beer garden is and where the their premise would be for that temporary class B for the concerts.

1:14

And PD or fire department, they didn't have any issues or concerns at all.

1:19

I'll make a motion to approve.

1:22

I'll second clerk call the roll.

1:33

Older Vestine?

1:34

Aye.

1:35

And older Tolman.

1:36

Hi.

1:41

Next next is discussion and possible recommendation to common council beer garden application for leisure lanes.

1:48

So this is an annual application for them.

1:51

Um it's kind of drawn out through the map.

1:53

It kind of takes over their their bag area and outdoors.

1:56

Um once again, the PD or the fire department didn't have any issues with this.

2:04

And this is just an extension of their premise.

2:09

I'll make a motion to approve.

2:13

I'll second.

2:16

The clerk will call the role.

2:22

Hi.

2:22

An older Vestine.

2:24

Aye.

2:30

Next is education on the type of alcohol licenses.

2:35

So this is kind of in junction with the next um item.

2:39

We have no, we have some new members here.

2:41

Um so just going and going over the the different class types.

2:45

Um your typical class A license is the way I reminded us class A as an away.

2:52

So it's like your gas stations, your grocery stores, um, where you're actually purchasing the beer or alcohol and taking it away from the premise generally to your home or wherever.

3:03

Whereas a class B, you I think like a bar where you're actually consuming it there on premise and on location.

3:10

Um, and then your temporary class B, it's for your clubs, um, state and county fair associations, churches, your basic your nonprofits, and they they get a certain amount of um of those per year.

3:24

So you just can't have the same organization come back and ask them for a temporary class B every weekend or so forth like that.

3:31

So and then there's the class C, which is just wine sold at restaurants, and it's pretty straightforward.

3:38

You guys have any questions regarding that at the moment?

3:42

I do have a question.

3:44

Um, the temporary class B licenses.

3:47

Do we make the decision if they're doing too many, or is there uh kind of a rule of thumb?

3:52

So with I believe it's with the class B beer part of it.

3:58

A bona fide club organization can get two a year, and that's why Main Street kind of partners is with other groups, and so that um those different groups can be part of said event, but it's not Main Street always getting the same temporary class B.

4:16

And then there's another, and then there's another part where you can like you do your wine walk.

4:21

You can have as many wine class C's as you want for the year.

4:25

Um kind of the only restriction is the B malt beverage one where you can only have so many.

4:30

I think it's two a year.

4:36

So does cider fall under beer or under wine?

4:39

It's considered a malt beverage, yeah.

4:48

Any other questions?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

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Summary of Proceedings

City of Monroe License Committee Meeting - April 27, 2026

The City of Monroe License Committee met on Monday, April 27, 2026, from 4:45 p.m. to 5:02 p.m. in Council Chambers, 1110 18th Avenue, Monroe, Wisconsin. Members Christopher Vestin and Richard Thoman were present; Darlene Voelkli was absent. All votes were 2-0 among those present. The committee reviewed two alcohol license recommendations, heard an education overview of license types, and considered a contested application for one of Madison's remaining Class B beer and liquor licenses.

Consent Calendar

The April 13, 2026 meeting minutes were accepted as presented without correction.

Temporary Class B and Beer Garden Application - Main Street Monroe's Concerts on the Square Events

Clerk Wahl presented Main Street Monroe's annual application for temporary Class B fermented malt beverage and wine licenses and a beer garden for multiple summer Concerts on the Square events. The requested hours were 5 to 10 p.m., and the applicant submitted a map showing the beer garden and licensed premise.
Police and fire departments raised no issues or concerns.
A motion made by Thoman, seconded by Vestin, to approve and recommend the applications to Common Council passed 2-0. Voting Ayes: Richard Thoman and Christopher Vestin.

Beer Garden Application - Leisure Lanes

Clerk Wahl presented Leisure Lanes' annual beer garden application, which would extend the licensed premise to the bowling center's bag area and nearby outdoor space.
Police and fire departments raised no issues with the proposal.
A motion by Thoman, seconded by Vestin, to recommend approval passed 2-0.

Education on Types of Alcohol Licenses

Clerk Wahl provided an overview of Wisconsin alcohol license types: Class A licenses cover off-premise sales such as gas stations and grocery stores; Class B licenses cover on-premise consumption in bars and similar settings; temporary Class B licenses are available to clubs, nonprofits, state and county fair associations, and churches, with limited numbers each year; and Class C licenses cover wine sales at restaurants.
The committee discussed that a bona fide club or organization generally can receive two temporary Class B licenses per year, which is why Main Street partners with other groups. Class C wine walk licenses are not limited in the same way.
Clerk Wahl noted the city has a limited number of Class B beer licenses and indicated only one of those licenses remained available at the time of the meeting.
The committee also discussed that its roughly 2023 objective scoring system was designed to evaluate economic impact when considering future Class B license applicants.

Zavala/ Zalavas Mexican Store, LLC - Class B Beer and Liquor License Application

The administrator reviewed the application for the last available Class B beer and liquor license. This was the third time this business had applied. The business operated partially as a grocery store and restaurant, had held a beer and wine license for the past two years, and did not yet have a full liquor license.
The administrator noted that the applicant was now in a third year and could see continued stability, but unresolved fire-code concerns at the mall property remained under discussion between the property owner and fire inspectors. Some fire-code items were not minor and would require investment and time.
One member felt that not comfortable using the last available Class B license because little had changed and they did not want to deny a future larger franchise the opportunity; another member stated that the continued fire-code issues would prevent them from voting yes. There also was discussion that once fire-code issues were resolved, the applicant could reapply.
A motion by Vestin, seconded by Thoman, to deny the issuance of the Class B license passed 2-0. Voting: Richard Thoman, Christopher R. A. Nesbit, Darlene Voelkli absent.

Key Outcomes

Recommended Common Council approval of Main Street Monroe's temporary Class B and beer garden applications.
Recommended Common Council approval of Leisure Lanes' beer garden application.
Recommended denial of Zalavas Mexican Store, LLC's Class B beer and liquor license application.
The committee adjourned at 5:02 p.m. after a motion by Kaslis and second by Brod.

Note: The agenda and minutes refer to the applicant as Zalavas Mexican Store, LLC, while the attached application materials and transcript spell it as Zavala Mexican Market and Zavalas Mexican Store LLC.

Meeting Transcript

It's 445, and I like to call the license committee to order. Start with uh correction of minutes. Oh, sorry, start with roll call. Alder Vestine? Here. Alder Tolman? Here. And then older vocally. I know. I ruined it. Okay. All right, next to the correction of minutes. Are there any corrections? If not, they'll stand as written. First piece of business discussion and possible recommendation to common council, the temporary class B fermented malt beverage and wine license and beer garden application for Main Street Monroe's concerts on the square events. So in front of you is their annual application for multiple events throughout the summer. Um looks like their hour operations would be from 5 to 10 p.m. Um and with that they've also submitted the map that shows where their beer garden is and where the their premise would be for that temporary class B for the concerts. And PD or fire department, they didn't have any issues or concerns at all. I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second clerk call the roll. Older Vestine? Aye. And older Tolman. Hi. Next next is discussion and possible recommendation to common council beer garden application for leisure lanes. So this is an annual application for them. Um it's kind of drawn out through the map. It kind of takes over their their bag area and outdoors. Um once again, the PD or the fire department didn't have any issues with this. And this is just an extension of their premise. I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. The clerk will call the role. Hi. An older Vestine. Aye. Next is education on the type of alcohol licenses. So this is kind of in junction with the next um item. We have no, we have some new members here. Um so just going and going over the the different class types. Um your typical class A license is the way I reminded us class A as an away. So it's like your gas stations, your grocery stores, um, where you're actually purchasing the beer or alcohol and taking it away from the premise generally to your home or wherever. Whereas a class B, you I think like a bar where you're actually consuming it there on premise and on location. Um, and then your temporary class B, it's for your clubs, um, state and county fair associations, churches, your basic your nonprofits, and they they get a certain amount of um of those per year. So you just can't have the same organization come back and ask them for a temporary class B every weekend or so forth like that. So and then there's the class C, which is just wine sold at restaurants, and it's pretty straightforward. You guys have any questions regarding that at the moment? I do have a question. Um, the temporary class B licenses.

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