(A) There is hereby established a Licensing Committee, whose purposes shall be to aid the supervision of the operation of recreational parlors, pool rooms or billiard halls; to safeguard life, health, and property rights; to insure safety; to avoid nuisances and fire hazards; and to regulate locations with these factors in view.
(B) The Licensing Committee on recreational parlors, pool rooms and billiard halls shall consist of the following 5 members.
(1) Chief of Police;
(2) City Controller;
(3) City Attorney;
(4) Chairperson of Licensing Committee from the Common Council; and
(5) One other member of the Common Council appointed by the Common Council.
(C) This Committee shall at its first meeting elect the officers deemed necessary
(D) It shall be the duty of the Licensing Committee to decide the following.
(1) If the applicant is a person of good moral character; or if a partnership, whether the partners are men of good moral character; or if a corporation, whether the officers are men of good moral character;
(2) Whether the applicant is a bona fide citizen of the United States and a resident of the state;
(3) Whether the applicant proposes to engage in a legitimate operation of recreational parlors, pool rooms or billiard halls; and
(4) Whether the proposed location would constitute a nuisance, fire hazard, or in any way jeopardize the safety of citizens.
(E) This Committee shall refuse, for cause, to authorize a license, or if there is no cause of acting otherwise, shall authorize the City Controller to issue a license to an applicant.
(F) The Licensing Committee is hereby authorized for good cause shown, as set forth in this subchapter, and after a hearing, to refuse to issue or renew a license, or to duly and properly advise the Mayor, for cause, to revoke a license. No action in refusing to issue, renew or revoke a license shall be taken until the applicant or licensee shall have been furnished with a statement in writing of the specific charges against him or her, and a 5-day notice of time and place of the hearing of the licensee shall be mailed to him or her by registered mail, at his or her last known address.
(G) In the event that any person holding a license as an owner or operator of a recreational parlor, pool room or billiard hall shall violate or cause or permit to be violated any of the provisions of this chapter, any provisions of any other ordinance or law, or any law of the state, which relates to or regulates the business; or conducts or carries on business in an unlawful manner; or causes or permits the business to be so conducted or carried on unlawfully, it shall be the duty of the Committee to notify the licensee in default, and after a hearing, as provided in this section, the Committee shall duly and properly advise the Mayor, who shall, in addition to any other penalties, suspend or revoke the license issued for conducting or carrying on the business.
(H) The Licensing Committee shall meet at a time, reasonable and convenient, to be designated by the Committee upon notification by the City Controller that applications for a license for a recreational parlor, pool room or billiard hall in the city have been filed with the City Controller. Special meetings may be called upon by the Chairperson of the committee, at any time deemed necessary, upon written notice to all members.
(Prior Code, § 112.051) Penalty, see § 112.999