The Janesville City Council has decided not to overturn an beer license approval by the Alcohol License and Advisory Committee, thus allowing a beer tent at the Rock County 4-H fair this year.
Council Member Heather Miller had concerns about the tent, saying it could be a recipe for disaster and the Rock County 4-H Fair should rebrand to just the Rock County Fair if they’re selling alcohol.
Council Vice President Dave Marshick says he doesn’t understand why the council even had to review the fair’s license. He points out it isn’t normal protocol for the council to crosscheck temporary beer licenses once they’ve been OK’d by the city’s liquor board.
Under city rules, once the city’s liquor board OKs a temporary festival beer license, it’s sent to the city clerk’s office for administrative approval, and a license is issued to the requester — often the same day as approval.
Under those same rules, the city council is allowed to pull any liquor license issuance for independent review if at least two council members make a request. City administration has said the council has seldom, if ever, pulled a temporary festival beer license for special review.
The council’s inaction Monday means the liquor board’s approval and the city’s granting the license for the fair’s temporary license will stand.
The Rock County 4-H Fair runs July 23rd through the 28th, and fair organizers will be allowed to sell beer inside a beer garden the fair plans to set near the fair’s main entertainment stage.
