By Anne Thom

When there are questions to be answered, bring in the experts.

Liquor Operations Manager Brian Hachey was accompanied to the Stacy City Council meeting March 27 by a contractor, Joe Brack.

Brack's visit was the result of discussions during the city's Liquor Operations Committee meeting. Hachey and the committee are working on a plan to install acoustical panels in the Stacy Bar and Grill designed to quiet the noise, cited as a major issue within the establishment.

Brack told the council he had recently worked with Livonia Township in Sherburne County to install similar panels in the Livonia Town Hall. He said he was fine with the council speaking to the town board there for references and their feedback as a customer of his.

Brack said the installation pattern concerns him and requested to have building inspector Jack Kramer available to consult with to make sure the panels are installed correctly.

The quote for the installation is $650 for the music room and $1,250 for the bar. The cost of the materials is quoted at $6500.

Stacy Mayor John Daher asked Brack if this is the same product that was installed in the Cornerstone Bar and Grill in Wyoming.

Brack answered that it is and the bar is happy with it.

Brack told the council he will also have a sales representative come out with him one more time, saying again that the bar is a "difficult area" because of the layout and he wants to make sure it will be the right product and the right installation.

He described that the panels would not quiet a given area, but would prevent noise from bouncing around or from vibrating.

Daher asked Hachey to set up a meeting with Mary Beth Carlson, Brack and Kramer. Aslakson suggested the Liquor Operation Committee be present at the meeting as well.

Daher, a long time member of the Stacy-Lent Fire Department, raised the question of how the installed materials would perform in case of fire.

The acoustical panel is fire rated, but of course combustible at a high temperature. The bar and grill does have an automatic sprinkler system as mandated by state fire codes. The city is very keen on safety to protect its investment.

Brack assured the council the product would indeed perform in preventing the spread of a fire.

Councilor Michael Carlson requested that Hachey and Brack provide the council with the specifics on the product's fire rating and installation with a sprinkler system.

Councilor Mel Aslakson agreed to the installation contingent on the council receiving the information on the panel material and the fire rating.

Brack will provide the council with a sample of the material before they make a decision. Daher asked if this sounded reasonable to the council. He told his colleagues this item had been under discussion for a year and he wanted action, not further discussion and delay.

Brack will have all of the information ready and available for the next council meeting on April 10.

Councilor Barbara Avalos asked, "Will this improve our business?"

Daher told Brack he has been told people have left the bar because of the noise factor. Hachey looked over at Councilor Tony Olivolo who has played poker at the bar and grill. Olivolo verified that noise is indeed a huge issue.

Brack again said the panels would turn the sound through the room, not necessarily eliminating it but instead preventing it from "bouncing all over the place."

Carlson concurred telling his colleagues that his sister had visited the bar and left within one hour because of the noise.

Before discussion on the bar and grill was complete Aslakson brought up another ongoing issue, a better sign for the front of the establishment. Stacy has struggled with how to address the marketing of the food business within the liquor operation.

Aslakson had talked to Jim Duchaine through the Stacy Lions Club and Duchaine said he could construct a sign reading "and Grill" to add to the current sign. According to Aslakson, Duchaine said he could construct something that would match the current sign for $600.

The mayor said he wasn't interested in investing any more money in a sign at this time and considers the acoustics to be the most pressing matter because that investment, "(the panels) on the other hand have a direct effect on our customer right now." Aslakson responded he felt that if people knew there was a grill, the $600 would also be earned back quickly.

This prompted Olivolo to ask "don't we have a profit/loss that is outrageous?' There had been discussion about the state of liquor operations finances at the Feb. 26 council meeting where City Attorney Peter Grundhoefer was directed to investigate, per MN State Statute 340(a).602 if the operation had sustained a net loss in two of three consecutive years.

That would mandate going to the citizens via a public hearing to ask for their blessing in continuing the liquor operations.

Grundhoefer reported he had spoken to the city's auditors and that 2004 and 2005 both showed a net profit, therefore no hearing would need to be held this year.

Olivolo now proposed as a means to increase revenue that he didn't really like the idea of drink specials for uniformed personnel such as firefighters, law enforcement and military personnel. He elaborated that he has nothing against uniformed personnel but felt that the city should "not just pick groups" who would receive discounts at the bar.

Carlson said, "I appreciate having law enforcement in town."

The council acknowledged that local law enforcement rarely unwind at local establishments as a matter of professionalism.

Daher said the city has some very dedicated people in the fire department who do the job at a minimal rate of reimbursement.

Hachey verified that the perk is indeed a minimal $1 for tap beer and a buy-one-get-one-free on appetizers.

Olivolo still thought the discount should be removed and made a motion to do so. Daher called for a second three times before the motion died.

City accountant Amy Joslin, who has worked extensively with liquor operations finances, was not present at this meeting to answer any questions about the state of profit and loss.

The council has discussed with Joslin at a previous meeting issues with balance sheet.

There were incorrect figures reported due to a software error. The council has discussed problems with the accounting software at other meetings.

Presumably those have now been resolved by the vendor.

Avalos said that Joslin had told the council at the last council meeting that some of the accounting, in Avalos's words is "messed up."

Hachey and Joslin were scheduled to discuss some minor discrepancies in their accounting vocabulary in order to be consistent.

Olivolo had one final request on the subject that "anytime there's a loss, it should be explained what those losses are, if it's bad checks write ‘bad checks,' if it's theft I want to know that."

Olivolo next wanted to know who is responsible for the hiring at the bar and at Stacy Wine and Spirits. That is Hachey's job as liquor operations manager.

Olivolo asked about review of resumes and applications for city jobs, a recurring theme for this new council member.

Grundhoefer cautioned the council against getting into any discussion of personnel as that may lead to comments about performance issues that are not public business at this time.