Unpaid tax bills leave 7 businesses without licenses

Shawano Leader/July 3, 2007
By Tim Ryan

Seven businesses in Shawano were without some of their sales licenses Monday while the city awaits payment on nearly a quarter million dollars in delinquent property taxes.

According to information from the city clerk's office, a total of $243,443 is outstanding from the seven properties in question.

Licenses covering the sale of such goods as beer, soda and cigarettes for the year 2006-2007 expired at midnight Saturday. The city cannot release licenses for 2007-2008 until the debts on those properties are satisfied.

That puts at least one establishment out of business until the debt is paid.

The Main Street Pub, at 135 N. Main St., which is owned by JP Drengler, is without its Class B beer and liquor licenses, as well as licenses for amusements, and for the sale of soda and cigarettes.

A balance of $2,906 is owed on the Main Street Pub property.

Five of the affected businesses are owned by subsidiaries of the Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology, which owes the city about $230,200 in overdue property taxes.

SIST subsidiary Midwest Oil of Shawano, LLC, is without licenses to sell beer, soda or cigarettes at any of its three People's Express gas stations in town. Those stations are located at 1381 E. Green Bay St., 1206 E. Green Bay St., and 716 S. Main St.

SIST subsidiary Midwest Hotels & Motels of Shawano, LLC, is without soda and amusement licenses at the AmericInn, 1330 E. Green Bay St.; and without licenses for beer, liquor, soda, cigarettes, or amusements at the Best Western and Village Haus, 201 N. Airport Dr.

Tenants at three properties owned by SIST or its subsidiary Midwest Properties stepped in to pay the delinquent property taxes on their own and were issued their new licenses.

Those businesses include the Family Dollar Store, 229 E. Green Bay St., which paid $7,293; El Mariachi Cantina and Grill, 635 S. Main St., which paid $2,919; and the Hunan Chinese Restaurant, 145 S. Main St., which leases from SIST and paid $1,597.

In July of last year, the city revoked licenses at all of the businesses that were either owned by SIST and its subsidiaries or lease from them after a check for more than $200,000 to cover delinquent property taxes was returned twice for non sufficient funds.

The city demanded payment in cash after that and the debt was eventually paid in August.

The demand for cash only applied to the bounced check from last year, said city clerk Marlene Brath. This year the delinquent taxes can be paid with cash, cashier's check or wire transfer.

Meanwhile, one other business – the Pine Acre Motel at 1346 E. Green Bay St. – owned by Todd and Brenda Hansen, is without its soda license while the city awaits payment of $10,324.

Shawano Police Capt. Jeff Heffernon said officers have been making regular visits to all of the businesses to make sure they are not selling any items covered by the licenses.

"They're making an effort to comply," he said, noting that some of the items have been moved off the shelves and some have been covered up.

He said officers would continue to check on the businesses one or two times each shift.