Hanceville Council calls for audit of Cadillac Ron’s Sports Grill

Published 5:00 am Sunday, August 17, 2014

HANCEVILLE — Residents and city officials are up in arms over loud music and alcohol sales at a restaurant they allege is illegally doing business as a bar.

On Thursday, the City Council voted to hire an auditor to investigate sales receipts from Cadillac Ron’s Sports Grill on U.S. 31. The council also approved a new stricter noise ordinance in an effort to crack down on loud music that has generated more 30 complaints from residents from the Hopewell subdivision behind the business, officials said.

Mayor Kenneth Nail said the owner, Ron Block, has now filed a notice of claim against the city for $250,000, accusing Hanceville police of harassing him and his customers in an effort to put him out of business. Attempts to reach Block this week for comment were unsuccessful.

Resident Judy Turney said her and her neighbors aren’t opposed to the restaurant serving alcohol, but they think Cadillac Ron’s is operating as a bar, not a restaurant. A sign outside Cadillac Ron’s advertises “happy hour” specials and “Ladies Night.”

Councilman Charles Wilson said the number one complaint he’s heard from residents is the noise, not the fact it serves alcohol.

“When the letter went out from the city saying the business was getting an alcohol license, no one had a problem with it,” Turney said. “The loud music going on after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights is keeping people up at night. That’s the problem we have.”

The city’s Alcohol Review Committee, which has oversight over Hanceville businesses that serve alcohol, reviewed the business’ revenues. It appeared Cadillac Ron’s had more alcohol sales than food sales, Nail said. Hanceville’s alcohol ordinance allows only restaurants to obtain licenses to serve alcohol, with at least 60 percent of their revenue from food sales and no more than 40 percent of alcohol revenue.

“The committee looked at it, and it was more like 55 percent alcohol revenue and 45 percent food revenue,” Nail said. “The committee gave the business time to try to get it straightened and tried to work with them.”

Police Chief Bob Long, who helps monitor alcohol sales for the city, said a few months after the city notified Cadillac Ron’s of the revenue issue, its receipts showed a “suspicious” spike in food sales and decline in alcohol profits.

This spring, police began receiving numerous complaints from residents behind the business about the loud music. City officials said live bands performing at the business were not purchasing the required business license to play. However, in recent weeks, two bands have since purchased the city license, City Clerk Tania Wilcox said.

The alcohol review committee has recommended suspending Cadillac Ron’s license due to its alleged non-compliance. At Thursday’s meeting, the council agreed to first pursue an audit of the business while police begin enforcing the city’s new stricter sound ordinance.

“We need business in Hanceville,” Nail said. “The city has tried to give him time to get the business where it ought to be.”

Those cited for violating the new sound ordinance will face a fine and a court appearance, Long said.

On Thursday (Aug. 14), the Hanceville City Council:

• Agreed to survey city employees for their interest in signing up for Air Evac insurance.
• Approved donation toward construction of a disc golf course at Wallace State Community College. The 19-hole course is expected to be the largest in the state and bring tournaments to Hanceville.
• Approved police presence at inaugural Grant Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund 5K/ 1-Mile Fun Run Sept. 20.
• Approved street closures for Mud Creek Marching Festival Oct. 11.
• Approved Ordinance 604 establishing a tree commission.
• Approved bills payable. Councilmen Doug Batemon and Charles Wilson voted no, citing Mayor Nail’s payment of the city’s liability insurance in installments rather than in a lump sum which they believed the council had agreed to in a previous meeting in February.
• Approved invoices for Fuller/ Willingham law firm for legal services and Specialty Pools for servicing the city pool this summer.
• Reviewed bank accounts balance sheet.
• Approved minutes from July 24 meeting.

The city council will hold a work session 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28 followed by its meeting at 7 p.m.