The city of Akron is formally lodging its objection to the Highland Tavern’s liquor license renewal, which is up for consideration in October.
City officials say the bar has contributed to a pattern of violence in Highland Square in recent months. Highland Tavern owner Jess Williams has defended the business, saying the blame on her establishment is unfairly placed.
City Council passed a resolution 9-4 on July 6 objecting to the renewal of the Tavern’s liquor permit and requesting a hearing before the division of liquor control. The resolution is the first step in a process outlined on the Ohio Department of Commerce’s website.
The bar’s liquor license has been revoked before; its former owner ignored state COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, leading to the disciplinary step.
Jessica Connell, Akron’s domestic violence and community prosecutor, told City Council’s Public Safety Committee “sufficient evidence of things like overcrowding, a number of calls for service and police reports that we would be presenting before the division of liquor control” is being gathered to present in opposition to the permit’s renewal.
During the council’s regular meeting, Akron’s Public Safety Chief Craig Morgan said the city could withdraw its objection and hearing request if the bar and the city can resolve the situation. He said the hearing would likely occur in late 2026 or early 2027.
Yee Au, a Mendenhall Law Group attorney representing Highland Tavern, spoke during the council meeting’s public comment period.
“Highland Tavern hasn’t been given the time to respond, to address the misunderstanding and review the evidence,” he said, adding that his client only received the council’s notice of its intent to take up the resolution five days earlier. “We actually made a public records request for any evidence regarding this allegation.”
Au said it’s the firm’s belief that there’s no evidence showing the Highland Tavern is more a problem than other Highland Square bars.
Morgan said over the last two years there have been 40 calls for service to Highland Tavern for the police. Almost half of the calls, he said, were for fights, and seven of those calls were made in the last two months – adding that the past month has been quieter.
Ward 1 City Councilperson Fran Wilson said the violations have been ongoing for months.
Williams, appearing virtually during the comment period, said she couldn’t do anything about fights on the street outside the bar “because I don’t own the street.” She said the problem is teenagers with guns and their parents not being held accountable.
Police need to enforce the city’s curfew, she said.
“We do everything we can to keep people inside of our business safe,” Williams said.
Interim Chief City Prosecutor Elayna Saad told the committee the relationship between the city and the bar remains strained.
“We’ve attempted contact and sit-downs to try and find roots of the problems here and haven’t had much response yet from the location,” Saad said. “So the concern is that our efforts to collaborate aren’t being followed up on.”
Williams told the Beacon Journal she hasn’t heard from the city recently, and she hasn’t contacted the city to discuss her concerns with its handling of the situation.
“If they want to sit down, cool,” Williams said, “but my lawyer will be handling it.”
At the City Council meeting, Council President Margo Sommerville said conversations she’d had with Williams showed a will to find a solution. Wilson also expressed openness to resolving the situation.
“I would love to be able to resolve the many issues that we have between now and the hearing,” Wilson said, “and I would absolutely be willing to commit us to withdrawing this objection if we can make that happen.”
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron City Council objects to Highland Tavern’s liquor license renewal
Reporting by Derek Kreider, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Derek Kreider, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
