Members of the city’s Alcohol License Review Committee decided to reschedule the possible license revocation of a south-side bar with previous crime problems to next month at a special meeting Wednesday night.
Following two incidents of violence a week ago, the city began a revocation action to revoke the liquor license of R Place on Park, committee member Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said.
According to a complaint against the tavern from the city of Madison, the two violent incidents occurred on Oct. 16 at approximately 2:01 a.m. and on Oct. 17 at approximately 1:56 a.m. respectively.
The complaint alleges on October 16, two black females were disengaged from an altercation, and a short time later one was at St. Mary’s Hospital with a stab wound to the wrist. The woman claimed that she did not know who stabbed her.
The second act of violence, occurring on Oct. 17, resulted in several Madison Police Officers being dispatched to R Place on Park due to a report of gunshots being fired at the bar. The special meeting of the ALRC began with R Place owner Rick Flowers submitting five motions.
The motions include lack of factual basis of the complaints, resulting in “a witch hunt based on association,” Flowers said. In the last motion, Flowers said he was not given adequate time to gather evidence and prepare for a hearing and asked to come back at a later time to try his half of the case.
The committee then went into closed session and returned with the decision to postpone the hearing for 10 days.
In an open letter to Mayor, Dave Cieslewicz, the City Council, and members of the ALRC, Flowers said ALRC and the City Council should not revoke the R Place license.
“R Place on Park had a philosophy of cultural tolerance,” Flowers said.
Flowers also said he never accused city officials of racial discrimination, which had previously been reported in local media.
He also said not only did the stabbing incident occur at least 50 yards outside the premises, but also that in both incidents no blood was shed and no serious violence occurred on the licensed premises.
The rescheduled meeting will take place November 8.
