Council votes to reduce liquor license fees

After repeated requests from bars and restaurants that were hammered financially by closures and restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cloquet City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to reduce liquor license fees by 50 percent for the next license year starting July 1. The reduction applies across the board to all liquor license fees, including the more expensive bar and restaurant licenses as well as liquor store licenses.

The city normally takes in around $30,000 in liquor license fees, finance director Nancy Klassen said.

City administrator Tim Peterson said they believe the city can be reimbursed for lost fees from the latest round of federal stimulus funding. Cloquet is getting $1.3 million, which can be applied through 2024. The city is planning to implement a grant program for businesses impacted by the pandemic in the future, possibly modeled after Carlton County’s grant program.

The council also voted unanimously to make it illegal for a retail establishment to sell dogs and cats in the city of Cloquet, as a preemptive strike against puppy mills and the like. The law should not affect responsible breeders who sell directly to buyers.