HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971/11/29 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular MINUTES
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL rETT�ING
ST . LOUIS PARK , 14INNESO
November 29 , 1971
der b Mayor Howard at 7 : 15 P • m • The following
The meeting was called to or Y
Councilmen were present :
frank Fleetham
Richar ( ' Graves
Leona ,L � Thies
Theodore rWdY
Frank iloward
he City Clerk , City' Attorney , Che f of Police , and Acting
Also present were t Y
Secretary .
Attorney _ ave a summation of the situation and explainedthat
The City Atto y g
meeting was called as a hearing
on revocation or suspension o e
�
isior Boulevard ,
ense of Al ' s Liquor Store , 3912 Exc
intoxicating Li uorlicintoxicating liquor license ordinanceinvolving
due to a recent violation of
a minor .
Attorney stated that the officer ' s report indicated that Noreen Elizabeth
and athat
The Atto y
Stone had entered Al ' s Liquor Store on . the . evening ofor atuthelstore * The
riiss Stone purchased a bottle oroxleadlnuiltyuto the charge of possession
Attorney reported that the defendantp d
and had received a sentence from Hennepin County Municipal ify therclerks ewho
Attorney further stated that the defendancharge was maded not tagainst the
sold the alcoholic beverage so that no
establishment .
The Attorney further stated that the officer ' s report indicated thyt Cur
1971
John Noltimier had entered Al s Liquor Store on the evena�gn liquor f July
2from
and that Mr . Noltimier had purchased a bottle of intoxic g
the store . The Attorney further stated that the suspect was charged with
possession to which he plead guilty and was
anced ycom plaintin wty
asnt was
Municipal Court . The Attorney further indicatedP
against one employee of the store whc plead not guilty in Municipal Court
and that the case was dismissed on tr_ � failure of the state to establish a
prima facia case .
The City Attorney then asked that the documentary evidence be received by the
Mayor on behalf of the City Council and declared to be findings of fact . These
documents included the notice of hearing , subpoenas with proofs of service '
attached ; transcripts of proceedings of the Hennepin County Municipal Court ;
and copies of the proceedings and records of the St . Louis Park Police
Department . Mayor Howard then determined that Al ' s Liquor Store was not
represented by counsel and asked if the representatives agreed with the facts
as presented by the City Attorney . The Manager , Mr . Walter R . Holme ,
responded that he did .
354
Special Council Minutes , November 29 , 1971
Mr . Holme indicated that these occurrences could have happened somewhere
along the line but that the store had been complying with Police Department
affidavit procedures . Mr . Holme indicated that he believed that Mr .
IJoltimier had been checked on previous occasions and that it was possible
that he was not checked that evening . lie further indicated that he has
issued orders on the use of affidavits but that with the appearance of
young people these days in terms of hair and size it is difficult to
judge their ages .
Council questioned Officer George Bv * ' ocl : who indicated that he went to Al ' s
on a "close - up " at about 10 : 00 p . m , on July 17th and that he observed a female
leaving with liquor . He indicated that he questioned her and checked her
false I . D . and indicated that at the end of the check out the off sale '
store had closed and he was unable to get a statement from the minor with
regard to the c lerl; who had sold the liquor , Officer Bullock further
indicated that on July 23rd he went to Al ' s Liquor Store and showed the
false I . D . to the Manager and pointed out the inconsistencies in the I . D .
with the girl ' s appearance . He further indicated as he was leaving he
sopped a boy coming out of the store and checked his driver ' s license
which stated him to be approximately 6 ' 2 " in height . Officer Bullock
indicated that the subject was approximately 5 ' 11 " in height and upon
further checking arrested him and charged him with possession by a minor .
The Council then questioned Miss Stone who stated that she had purchased
liquor at Al ' s Liquor Store before but that she had never been required to
show identification . She indicated that she had been asked if she was 21
but had not been required to fill out an affidavit . Councilman Thiel
then asked if Miss Stone recognized any of the clerks from the store and
she indicated that she recognized two of them .
Councilman Thiel then asked to talk to one of the clerks identified as
Lee Folkens , 3626 Kipling , St , Louis Park . Mr . Folkens indicated that
he had worked at Al ' s Liquor Store for appronimately two years and that
he did recognize Miss Stone , Mr . Folkens further stated that he had checked
liiss Stone ' s identification consisting of a Minnesota driver ' s license
and various credit cards . Mr . Folkens further indicated that she did not
sign an affidavit as she usually came in during a ousy time and that it was
extremely difficult to judge a female identification . mr . Thiel asked
f the
Mr . Folkens if he lead received Poli � r Hepar { adnnot butInstruction
the management
affidavits . Mr . Folkens responded that he
had provided some training . Mayor Howard indicnaofthe
dthat
liquor stores lbut
s
produced the affidavit forms
for the protectio
that its value had apparently been diminished by the failure of stores to
utilize '.hem .
CouncilmanF leetham asked hoW many affidavits had been 3tilizeded by Al ' s
Liquor . Officer Bullock responded that five had been uof JulY
Jan ficer Bullock further responded thaton
for the identificati .) n
nary , 1971 . Of
he explained the use of the affidavits and their requi
to Al ' s Liquor Store .
355
Special Council Minutes , November 295 1971
The Council then questioned Mr . Noltimier who indicated he had been in
Al ' s Liquor Store on prior occasions but that he had never been asked to
show more than one source of identification and that he had' never been
asked to sign an affidavit . Mr . Fleetham then questioned Mr . Folkens
if he had any question on the identification used by Mr . Noltimier . Mr .
Folkens indicated that he had but that he did not require that specific
occasion on July 23rd . Mr . Folkens further indicated that not many
affidavits are filled out by Al ' s Liquor as the clientele tends to be
older people .
Mayor Howard indicated that in January , 1971 , Mr . Holme acknowledged the
use of affidavits by Al ' s Liquor Store in a letter to the Police Department .
Mayor Howard then informed Miss Stone and Mr . Noltimier that their actions ,
while not malicious in intent , were potentially damaging to the holders of
liquor licenses as well as the employees of the liquor license holders and
their families . Mayor Howard further indicated that the Council could not
change the laws regarding the age required for purchase of liquor and that
the Council was required to enforce its laws with regard to liquor licensing .
Councilman Thiel stated that approxiczately one year ago the Council held a
public hearing on another liquor violation at Al ' s Liquor and that the
Council had taken no action other than to warn the dealers regarding the
increased use of affidavits . Councilman Thiel then moved that Al ' s
Liquor Store off - sale intoxicating liquor license be suspended for apperiod
of 7 calendar days beginning at 12 : 01 a . m . , Thursday , December 2 , 1971 .
The motion was seconded by Councilman Rudy and carried by a 5 to 0 vote
with Councilman Heltzer abstaining ,
The meeting was adjourned at 8 : 15 p . m .
Tank ,? . wa Mayor
At
Richard Schrac , Actg . Secretary
356
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