Mad Dog’s Sports Bar requested an addition to their liquor license, hoping to add a beer garden behind the Chestnut Street establishment. The idea has been approved by Kimball’s City Council after an entertaining debate.

The application submitted Greg Reinninger, owner of the former Greg’s Grub and cook at Bag’s Bar in Potter, states the beer garden will be constructed as an outdoor area included in the licensed premises, which is used for the service and consumption of alcoholic liquors, and which is contained by a fence or wall preventing the uncontrolled entrance or exit of persons form the premises.

The application also assured the barrier would prevent the passing of alcoholic liquors to persons outside the premises.

The document was signed and paid for by Reinninger.

A copy of the lease or deed proving ownership was to have been included with the submission. When the City received the application, however, no such information had been added.

As a result, there was a moment of confusion when the city council began discussion of Mad Dog’s application. Reinninger was not present at the time the council first addressed the issue. Chris Cook, who works at Mad Dog’s as a manager, was present and representing the facility, but did not have all of the information requested by the council.

“In this letter dated April 16th from Mad Dog’s it says Greg Reinninger, owner,” questioned councilwoman Kim Baliman. “I thought the Williams’ owned this.”

The building was once owned by Reinninger then sold to MorMax Mortgage, LLC, on October 20, 2011. According to Cook, Reinninger is now leasing the bar from MorMax under his liquor license.

“So, Greg has the license,” started councilwoman Kim Christensen, before Baliman completed the thought with “and he [Max] owns the business?”

“Yeah,” clarified the manager.

“That’s a little different,” stated Baliman.

“What concerns me more,” expressed Christensen, “is that Greg is not active in the business.”

“No, he is,” responded the manager, “he just has another job at the manor. We just filed an LLC and put him on as a manager on there.”

Reinninger works at the manor during the day and Bag’s Bar many evenings.

“I don’t feel completely comfortable, without the owner of the business here to represent what we are doing,” stated Christensen.

The council began a motion to table the discussion when the issue took another turn. Just seconds before the call of adjournment by the council, Reinninger stood.

“Mr. Reinninger is here now,” Baliman observed. “I move that we untable the liquor license for Mad Dog’s.”

“I am sole owner of the business,” Reinninger explained.

“Since when?,” questioned Baliman.

“Since the beginning,” explained Reinninger, “I sold the building. I am running the business.”

After hearing Reinninger’s explanation, the council voted to approve the beer garden.