Hillsboro Banner

At their regular Monday night meeting, Hillsboro city commissioners discussed clarifying its liquor license transfer rules.

Susie Hjelle, owner and operator of Granny’s Bar and The Other Place, a banquet and catering facility, routinely transfers the license from her bar to the banquet hall next door.

One problem has been that her applications to transfer the license don’t necessarily follow the commission’s meeting schedule. Transfers must be approved by the commission, which meets the first and third Monday of each month. This can leave up to 20 days between meetings. 

Hjelle has had requests for events that fall within that gap and the commission has had to hold special meetings to accomodate those requests. City hall informed Hjelle the commission would no longer meet in special session to approve the transfers.

Hjelle was granted transfers Monday for two “tentative” events in early April.

She also asked for some additional guidance for the transfer’s use in her Main Street banquet hall, which is a licensed restaurant with a 100-person capacity.

She agreed to move the bar to the basement work area if minors are present for an event. Wait staff will deliver alcoholic drinks to guests on the main floor, similar to what’s done in local restaurants. This would comply with state law, noted city attorney John Juelson. The city could also have its police officers do a compliance check during an event in regards to the liquor license transfer.

In other business, the commission denied a demolition grant application for the laundromat at 6th Street and Caledonia Avenue NW. The building will be moved from the site. The owner sought a grant to remove the concrete slab prior to new construction beginning. Commissioners agreed the city’s demolition grant program was not intended for concrete removal.

■  Heard from Commissioner Lorraine Tibert that Kathy Duval will manage the city’s swimming pool again this summer.

■  Heard from Tibert that she was not completely satisfied with some of the city’s new marketing plan. Commission president Kevin Burg suggested the marketing committee move forward and “protect the city’s interests.”

■  Agreed to check with Waste Management about the cost to initiate a recycling program at Hillsboro schools.

■  Reviewed a list of delinquent utility accounts and discussed promoting “budget pay” to late-paying customers.

■   Approved a property tax exemption application for a remodeling project at 502 2nd Ave. NE, an older home recently purchased by Rick Nelson. A building permit was expected to be submitted soon, noted auditor Lesley Connelly.