Four bars fined for serving minots during Swedish Days

Four downtown Geneva bars and restaurants each face a $1,000 fine and a one-day suspension of their liquor licenses for serving minors during the city's Swedish Days festival in late June.

Michelle Adams, an attorney representing the police department, recommended the punishments Tuesday during a hearing in which each of the owners admitted to failing a compliance check.

Each infraction was the first offense for each owner, and several said the punishment was "too severe."

But Adams and other city officials said each bar knew the checks were coming.

"The city of Geneva does warn these establishments (the checks are) going to be occurring," she said.

Mayor Kevin Burns, who also serves as the city's liquor commissioner, has five business days to hand out punishments.

He said he could inform bar owners as early as Friday and that any license suspension would be sooner rather than later.

One by one Tuesday, owners of each establishment expressed regret.

•Jim Gibbons, owner of Sanfratello's Pizza, 7 W. State St., said the bartender had a "stupid math moment" and accidentally thought it was a½ minor's 21st birthday. "We're sorry for the incident. It's not our intent," Gibbons said.

•John Arbizzani, owner of the Little Owl and Flagstone Pub, 105 W. State St., said it was his first violation since he first received a liquor license in 1972. The bouncer checking patron IDs at the door had not started his shift and the bartender read the minor's license incorrectly. "We tried to do our best," he said. "Once we became aware of it, subsequent visits (by police) failed."

• Jason Cellini, owner of Old Towne Pub, 201 W. State St., said he went home for brief break when a temporary doorman wasn't paying attention and let someone in without checking at all. "My door guy was fired that day, on the spot," he said.

•Lance Vanni, co-owner of River Lane Pub, 65 N. River Lane, said management changed paper bracelet colors used to identify minors, but no one passed word along to the bartender. "Through a communication error on our part, we didn't get it right," he said.

In the past, punishments for a first-time violation for Geneva bars have typically been a fine and one-day suspension of their liquor license.