Sunday setups are approved for Atwater bowling alley

ATWATER -- A tie vote Wednesday by the Atwater City Council on whether to allow a local business to provide liquor set-ups on Sundays was approved when the mayor cast the deciding yes vote.

Toby Giese, from McPete's II Sports Bar & Lanes, had made the request after it was discovered he had been providing Sunday set-ups -- nonalcoholic beverages to be mixed with patrons' own alcohol -- without a license.

According to a draft of the City Council minutes, Councilman James Olson said the issue should be put on the ballot and decided by the town's residents during the fall's general election.

Following a brief discussion, a motion was made to approve the license for $300, pending approval from the state.

Councilmen Shane Hagstrom and Scott Bjornson voted yes. Councilmen Olson and Dale Tagtow voted no.

Mayor Bruce Baker broke the tie by voting yes.

Also Wednesday, the council heard an update on plans by Graeme Mahler and Terry Duffy for their plans to develop property on the west edge of town for multifamily and senior housing.

The developers have requested that some streets and alleys in the proposed development area be closed.

The council offered suggestions for replacing proposed cul-de-sacs with continued streets to provide more than one way in and out of the development, according to Tagtow, in a brief interview Thursday.

In other action the council:

- Heard a report from Police Chief Reed Schmidt about Ross Johnson, who has been hired as the new police liaison for the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District.

- Approved a bid of $111,008 from Road and Rescue for the purchase of a new ambulance. The city will receive $16,000 for the old ambulance, for a net expense of $95,008. The city received only one bid.

- Approved the sale of two duplexes, owned by the city's Economic Development Authority, to Gerald Vlaminick for $280,000.

- Was informed that the Grove City Council had approved a proposal to merge into Atwater's summer recreation program. The decision was made after Grove City decided to disband its program. There will be about 13 kids participating from Grove City.