The Gillette City Council will consider renewing the city’s retail, restaurant, limited, and bar and grill liquor licenses following public comment at the city council meeting on February 21.

“We have had some violations, which we’re bound to have, and the city council has asked Administrator [Carter] Napier to make some telephone calls and touch base with some of these owners,” explains Gillette Mayor Tom Murphy. “But I think the chief said it best is that the relationship that they have with these liquor license holders is a good one, and they don’t have anyone defiant in their noncompliance.”

Gillette Chief of Police Jim Hloucal and Lieutenant Brent Wasson provided the city council with a list of statistics Monday evening detailing everything from local alcohol compliance inspections to a spreadsheet that details calls and crimes reported for each business that sells alcoholic beverages over the last two years.

Following Monday’s discussion, Murphy said he was pleased with the interaction between local liquor establishments and the Gillette Police Department.

“The liquor license protocol were sets up I believe five years ago is when we started the process, and it enables a relationship between law enforcement inside the city and those establishments that enjoy a liquor license approved by the city every year,” Murphy says.  “And that relationship has I think proved to be a very good thing for the community. We have training offered. We have the PD working with the managers of liquor establishment, and I think that’s a good thing.”

On February 21, the Gillette City Council will only look at renewing existing liquor licenses. They will not consider the three new applications for retail liquor licenses submitted by Pokey’s BBQ and Smokehouse, Old Chicago, and Jordan’s Fine Western Dining.  The city council will consider those new applications on March 19.

The next city council meeting will be on Tuesday, February 21, beginning at 7:00 p.m. inside the Council Chambers located at Gillette City Hall.