Liquor License Of Beaver Dam Tavern May Not Be Renewed

(Beaver Dam) The liquor license for Johnny’s Lounge in Beaver Dam may not be renewed. The city’s Administrative Committee Monday night approved a non-renewal following a recommendation by Police Chief John Kreuziger. Five incidents were detailed by the chief, three of which have resulted in points assessed against the Madison Street tavern under the city’s Demerit Point Ordinance for liquor license violators.

Johnny’s Lounge was assessed points in October of 2017 for selling alcohol to the boyfriend of a server who was on no-drink probation. In June of last year, the bar was assessed points following a closing time fight. In December, more points were issued after a woman sustained a facial laceration from a beer glass allegedly wielded by an underage patron. The police chief is recommending another round of points be assessed after the bar allegedly sold alcohol to an underage patron in April. Finally, Chief Kreuziger noted that Johnny’s Lounge was referenced in the criminal complaint of a Beaver Dam woman charged with vehicular homicide for her alleged role in killing a passenger after driving off the Madison Street bridge two months ago.

A lawyer for Johnny’s Lounge owner Amanda Hammen individually refuted each claim by the chief before the city’s Administrative Committee Monday night. Attorney Aaron Haller with the firm Levine, Lyon and Eisberner noted that several of the incidents cited have yet to be proven in a court of law. The June closing time fight is being appealed at the circuit court-level. The underage patron allegedly served two-months ago, Haller argues, presented a valid adult driver’s license. The suspect in the vehicular homicide case has not yet appeared in court. And Haller says the charge from 2017 is outside the one-year timeframe outlined in the Demerit Point Ordinance.

If requested by Johnny’s Lounge, a special hearing will be held by the full council before the end of the month to address the non-renewal recommendation from the administrative committee. The current license ends on June 30 but would remain valid until a decision is made.

 

Listen to the committee meeting here: