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Village Council responds to complaints on Cafe Rosetta

CALUMET — The Village Council addressed the issue of ordinance enforcement at its regular meeting Tuesday, in response to several complaints and concerns regarding the possibility that Cafe Rosetta poses a public health risk to the community by refusing to shut down. The cafe is operating in defiance of two court-issued restraining orders, having its license revoked, and ignoring a civil contempt of court charge. Cafe Rosetta has made national headlines for it refusal to comply with an emergency health order issued by the Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services last Nov. Councilor Andrew Ranville said the cafe has given the village a black eye.

He told the council that while he is aware the issue with Cafe Rosetta is being addressed by the state, he has received several complaints and comments from residents asking him to look into village ordinance enforcement.

“People who are very much interested in public health were looking at our ordinances about what would be applicable to — asking me to look into not complying,” Ranville told the council, adding: “… there were some strong calls for the Village Council to take some sort of position on this.”

Ranville said he is aware that it will not sit with some residents, but he had requested that Village Manager Caleb Katz look over ordinances, including a nuisance ordinance, as well as an ordinance covering health and safety.

As the ordinance is written currently, a warning could be sent to the Fifth Street establishment in regard to operating within the village without state-issued food license. In the event of that failure to comply, a $25-fine could be issued for every day the business continues to operate.

Ranville mentioned that the council had intimated earlier that they are “small potatoes’ when compared to the state in handling the Rosetta issue.

“But there have been calls from constituents to myself that it has been really kind of a shame that the village isn’t doing something, even at this small, municipal level, so I understand what they’re saying.”

Village President Brian Abramson told the council he spoke with the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office on the matter, and was told the council is essentially powerless to enforce the ordinance, unless the village has a police officer on duty.

“Under the General Village Law Act,” Ranville responded, “actually, the (village) president can issue citations in relation to ordinance violations,” adding the village does not need to have a police officer.”

Ranville concurred, saying, because the ordinance violation is a civil issue, there is nothing law enforcement can do in regards to the violation.

“It is just being brought to me by constituents, so I’m just bringing it to the council, and that’s the situation right now: there is the possibility of them also violating a village ordinance, not only state regulations by not having a food license currently.”

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