38 Citations Issued for COVID-19 Violations
VIP Lounge received $11,000 of $28,000 in fines issued by the city.
VIP Lounge, 828 S. 1st St. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The Milwaukee Health Department has issued 38 citations for a total of $28,000 for violating the city’s COVID-19 health order. But a single Walker’s Point bar accounts for $11,000 of the fines.
VIP Lounge, 828 S. 1st St., received two $500 citations for violating capacity limits in the health order and for violating the city’s mask mandate.
“I have heard from businesses in several sectors that the $500 amount is what they would make in an evening if they went beyond capacity limits,” said deputy commissioner Claire Evers in an appearance before a council committee in November. That came after Mayor Tom Barrett announced in October that the city was moving from warnings to citations.
VIP is the only business to have received the new maximum citation.
It received a $5,000 citation for violating capacity limits on New Year’s Eve. It also received a $5,000 citation for violating capacity limits on January 8th.
City license records indicate the business is owned by Miguel Martinez. Its license expires on September 23rd. A call to Martinez went unanswered and a voicemail system said his mailbox was full.
It’s not the only business to be hit with fines on multiple days. The Days Inn hotel at 1840 N. 6th St. was cited for mask violations that occurred on December 28th and February 9th.
Almost all of the violations are related to patrons or employees being found not to be wearing masks. Under the mask mandate, the business is held liable for customer behavior.
Some businesses, including Cafe India, Fiesta Café and Skybox Sports Bar, received multiple citations from a single incident. Urban Milwaukee previously reported on those citations.
Following a post-election incident at American Serb Hall and a series of threats, inspectors quit making night visits to businesses. “Frankly there was a fear,” said interim commissioner Marlaina Jackson in late January. Officials said the department would hire a contractor to perform the work. Jackson told a council committee a contracting deal was not finalized as of January 28th.
A report submitted to the Public Safety & Health Committee said several citations were made based on Milwaukee Police Department referrals. The department reports receiving 1,589 complaints and investigating 1,230 of them. A total of 102 organizations were found not to be in compliance.
Citations have been issued in four categories related to the order: capacity violations, failure to follow social distancing protocols, mask violations and other.
The current citation volume is expected to grow. A health department spokesperson said 11 citations are pending as of Monday morning.
Citations
| Business | Address | Violation Date | Violation | Amount |
| Fiesta Cafe | 1407 S. 1st St. | 7/31/2020 | Capacity | $500 |
| Fiesta Cafe | 1407 S. 1st St. | 7/31/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Fiesta Cafe | 1407 S. 1st St. | 7/31/2020 | Social Distancing | $500 |
| Milwaukee Pedal Tavern | 113 E. Juneau Ave. | 8/7/2020 | Capacity | $500 |
| Milwaukee Pedal Tavern | 113 E. Juneau Ave. | 8/7/2020 | Social Distancing | $500 |
| VIP Lounge | 828 S. 1st St. | 9/6/2020 | Capacity | $500 |
| VIP Lounge | 828 S. 1st St. | 9/6/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Family Dollar | 2012 W. Capitol Dr. | 9/23/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Trinity Three Irish Pubs | 125 E. Juneau Ave. | 10/9/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Trinity Three Irish Pubs | 125 E. Juneau Ave. | 10/9/2020 | Social Distancing | $500 |
| Backdraught | 3631 S. Clement Ave. | 10/20/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Bray Architects | 829 S. 1st St. | 10/23/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Cafe India | 2201 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. | 10/24/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Cafe India | 2201 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. | 10/24/2020 | Social Distancing | $500 |
| Skybox | 2213 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. | 10/24/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Skybox | 2213 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. | 10/24/2020 | Social Distancing | $500 |
| Lisbon Storm Screen and Door | 5006 W. Lisbon Ave. | 10/27/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Casablanca | 728 E. Brady St. | 10/28/2020 | Other (Hookah) | $500 |
| Little Caesars | 3817 S. 27th St. | 10/28/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Casablanca | 728 E. Brady St. | 10/30/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| Chicken Palace | 1937 W. Forest Home Ave. | 11/6/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| American Serb Hall | 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave. | 11/14/2020 | Capacity | $500 |
| Jackson Center Days Inn & Suites | 1840 N. 6th St. | 12/28/2020 | Masks | $500 |
| VIP Lounge | 828 S. 1st St. | 12/31/2020 | Capacity | $5,000 |
| Dominos | 3139 N. Oakland Ave. | 1/5/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Gold’s Gym | 731 N. Water St. | 1/6/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| D&J Cellular | 1360 W. Windlake Ave. | 1/7/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Beto’s Pizza | 1234 S. Cesar Chavez Dr. | 1/7/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Sweeney’s Gym | 6050 S. Howell Ave. | 1/7/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| VIP Lounge | 828 S. 1st St. | 1/8/2021 | Capacity | $5,000 |
| Braise | 1101 S. 2nd St. | 1/8/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Dorsia | 1301-07 E. Brady St. | 1/12/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| AA Petromart | 1227 W. Oklahoma Ave. | 1/13/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| K & A Petromart | 702 W. Oklahoma Ave. | 1/25/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| George Webb | 812 N. Old World Third St. | 1/28/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Popeye’s | 2399 W. North Ave. | 2/2/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Us Gas & Food Mart | 408 W. North Ave. | 2/3/2021 | Masks | $500 |
| Jackson Center Days Inn & Suite | 1840 N. 6th St. | 2/9/2021 | Masks | $500 |
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I think the Common Council should consider establishing an ordinance that would demand that a violating restaurant or bar have their liquor licenses suspended for a month or two.