Park 6 to remain open

Holmes stands behind his Park 6 bar

No action is being recommended against Thomas Holmes and his Park 6 nightspot in downtown Racine after some lengthy discussion and conflicting information about an incidence that occurred after the business was closed.

Some individuals apparently not wanting to leave and significant police time on the case caused the Public Safety and Licensing Committee to haul Holmes in before them. The committee is responsible for issuing liquor licenses to establishments.

Holmes, who got a 45 day shut down order for previous problems at the business, explained this happened by surprise but his security people dealt with it as part of the overall change in the operation of the club.

Alderman Aaron Wisneski said that the incident did not warrant a due process hearing, but it still causes some concern about how Park 6 is being run as it relates to public safety.

“I want to ask a lot of questions before I consider taking away a man’s livelihood as we have in lots of other cases,” said Alderman Wisneski, who chairs the committee. In this situation, the committee needs to address whether or not the business decisions of Holmes caused an undue expense to the city.

He said that he wanted to know if the business who sold alcohol that night helped to lead to 32 man hours to the entire city and police staff being called to one location as opposed to all 120 other bars that were open that same night.

Motions to have a due process hearing and defer to a January review was rejected by committee members and no other action was taken.

In a non-related item, Keith Fair, owner of The Place On 6, appeared before the committee, but no action was also taken on an incident that happened near his establishment. Fair objected to the committee asking him and his staff to patrol areas outside his bar. “Who will be responsible and who pay my workmen’s compensation if I am injured,” Fair asked the committee.