Just two weeks after the Silverton Town Council rejected a routine liquor license renewal for the Belleview Smokehouse in a 5-2 vote, the council reversed itself Monday night, voting unanimously to let the Belleview keep its license after all.
The vote came after a 30-minute executive session with the town’s attorney by telephone.
Trustees Jim Lindaman, Brison Gooch, John Schertz, Chris Tookey and David Zanoni had voted against the liquor license renewal on July 28, despite the town staff’s recommendation that it be approved.
Prior to the closed session with the town’s attorney Monday night, Town Administrator Elyse Salazar told the trustees that “we probably need to sit down and talk about how we’re processing liquor licenses.”
Salazar said the town staff has “a whole laundry list” of things it goes through while reviewing new liquor license applications or renewals.
“A lot of background work happens,” she told the Town Council. “I am not sure we communicated that to you.”
Salazar explained to the trustees that in reviewing liquor license requests, the council takes on a “quasi-judicial role.” She said while the Town Council has a “fair amount of discretion,” a rejection of a liquor license renewal automatically triggers a judicial review.
And the Town Council needs to “communicate good cause to deny such a renewal,” Salazar said.
Gooch said the Town Council probably should have tabled the matter on July 28 rather than voting to reject it.
After the executive session, the council vote to approve the liquor license was made without comment, until it was over.
This was in sharp contrast to the July 28 meeting when some council members raised a series of objections to the application.
“Whew,” said Mayor Terry Kerwin. “For two weeks it’s been on my mind.”
Belleview Smokehouse owner Wendy Thomas said she appreciated Salazar’s help in the matter. And she thanked Mayor Terry Kerwin for “his leadership and professionalism” and Trustee Pat Swonger “for his support.”
Kerwin and Swonger were the two that voted to in favor of the liquor license renewal when it first came to the board July 28.