ALRC schedules evidentiary subcommittee after Fusion Smoke & Spirits denies city complaint

Fusion Smoke & Spirits appeared Jan. 21 with counsel and denied the city's complaint seeking enforcement action. Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Zillavy told the committee the city preferred a relatively speedy hearing. The committee discussed scheduling and whether the ALRC chair must be on the three-member evidentiary panel; members voted to interpret the ordinance to require the ALRC chair’s participation.

The committee then appointed Alders Glenn and Figueroa Cole to the subcommittee and named Miss Clemens as an alternate. Chair and counsel said the subcommittee would coordinate scheduling after the meeting and that the hearing could be noticed once a date was set. Assistant City Attorney Zillavy noted the city does not want the case to stretch on for months.

Attorney Anthony Delhaier, representing the licensee, denied the claim on behalf of the business. The committee did not set a hearing date on the record but directed that the subcommittee meet with parties after adjournment to set the evidentiary hearing and confirm availability. The matter will return to the ALRC process as scheduled by the subcommittee.