City Council Denies Frozen Rope License … Again

It’s closing time at The Frozen Rope.

The City Council voted unanimously (5-0, with Ald. Bukowski abstaining and Ald. Stoner out) Wednesday night to deny a Class B “combination” license filed by DBF Enterprises for the tavern at 1815 10th Ave. — the site of shootings on March 26 and June 4.

The action came after a more than three hour hearing where aldermen heard from the bar owner, patrons, neighbors and the police. It means the bar can only stay open through Thursday, the end of the 2010-11 license year.

This is actually the second time the council has acted on this issue. We also voted on June 14 to both revoke The Frozen Rope license for 2010-11 and deny the agent’s 2011-12 license application. The owner then appealed the decision to Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and a judge ordered the council to rehear the case around its application for the new license year.

I voted in favor of denying the license, which included renaming the bar the “Cat House.”

If you recall, I was the only “no” vote when the council voted to suspend The Frozen Rope license for 14 days in May, following the first shooting. I didn’t think the penalty was harsh enough, although I was open to giving the bar owner a second chance to clean things up.

He squandered that second chance when five shots rang out in the early morning hours of June 4 — shots allegedly fired by the bar’s DJ.

As neighbors and others eloquently put it Wednesday night: Eight gunshots have now been fired outside The Frozen Rope since late March. To date, no one has been hit by the gunfire. When will our luck run out?

It’s time to put neighbors’ fears to rest. Our vote does that.

Of course, I’d like to know what you think of this issue. Please post your comments below.