FDL City Council Votes Not To Suspend Retlaw Liquor License

The Fond du Lac City Council Wednesday night voted 3 to 1 not to suspend the liquor license for the Retlaw Hotel. The hotel owner, North Main Hospitality, is delinquent in the money it owes the City. The decision would impact those staging events at the hotel and the hotel’s employees. Denny Rahn of Eden pleaded with the Council saying his son Christopher is getting married Saturday and a reception with over 300 invited guests is being held at the hotel. Councilwoman Rebecca Lunde Ross scolded the owner for not upholding their end. Council Vice President Rob Vande Zande was the lone dissenting vote. He said the owner had 3 years to pay the nearly quarter million owed the City in taxes and fees and the Council’s decision set a bad precedent. The matter will come back before the Council in June when liquor licenses are renewed.

The Fond du Lac City Council Wednesday night sided with employees and the community, not the California owner of the Retlaw in deciding not to suspend the hotel’s liquor license. Anna Nason is the owner of the Semina Restaurant and Mid Town Pub that operates in the hotel and she told the Council suspending the license would only hurt her and her 37 employees, not the owner North Main Hospitality. Altogether there are 50 to 60 employees at the hotel. But the hotel also is a staging place for community events, weddings and more. Councilwoman Rebecca Lunde  Ross scolded the ownerfor failing to pay taxes and fees nearly $250,000 it owes the City and putting all of that in jeopardy. Charles Mauck was the only person who spoke in favor of the suspension saying others live up to their responsibilities. The matter will come up again when liquor licenses are renewed in June. Shown in photo Councilwoman Rebecca Lunde Ross.