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Directing the Department of Safety and Inspections to proceed with the 10-day license suspension adverse action against Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant Inc d/b/a Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant (License ID # 20240000267) for the premises located at 1625 University Avenue West.
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WHEREAS, the Liquor On Sale-101-180 Seats, Liquor On Sale-Sunday, Entertainment (B) & Gambling Location license (License ID # 20240000267) (“License”) is held by Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant Inc d/b/a Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant, owned by Beku Tufa (“Licensee”), for the premises located at 1625 University Avenue West (“Licensed Premises”); and
WHEREAS, the Licensee was notified in a letter from the City Attorney’s Office dated December 16, 2025, titled Notice of Violation and Request for Imposition of 10-Day License Suspension (“Notice”) (Exhibit 1), that the Department of Safety and Inspections (“Department”) recommended a 10-day license suspension due to the Licensee’s lapse in liquor liability insurance from October 18, 2025, to November 12, 2025, a Notice which provided the Licensee with an opportunity to respond; and
WHEREAS, the Notice explained that in the course of seeking renewal of the License, the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division approved renewal of the License. However, the Saint Paul Legislative Code requires the imposition of a penalty for failure to maintain insurance coverage; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has authority to take adverse action against the Licensee under Saint Paul Legislative Code § 310.03, and adverse action includes the suspension of a license pursuant to Saint Paul Legislative Code § 310.01; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Legislative Code § 310.03(m)(2)(12) identifies the presumptive penalty for this violation as a 10-day license suspension; and
WHEREAS, the Department recommends the imposition of the presumptive 10-day license suspension; and
WHEREAS, on January 8, 2026, the City Attorney’s Office confirmed with the Department that the Licensee failed to respond to the Notice by the December 26, 2025, deadline; and
WHEREAS, the Notice stated that if the Licensee does not contest the imposition of the 10-day license suspension, the matter would be automatically placed on the City Council consent agenda to impose the recommended penalty of a 10-day license suspension; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Liquor On Sale-101-180 Seats, Liquor On Sale-Sunday, Entertainment (B) & Gambling Location license held by Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant Inc d/b/a Dilla Sports Bar & Restaurant (License ID # 20240000267) for the premises located at 1625 University Avenue West, Saint Paul, MN 55104, is hereby suspended for ten (10) days for violation of Saint Paul Legislative Code § 310.02(2)(a)(1) and Minnesota Statutes § 340A.409, subd. 1, consistent with Saint Paul Legislative Code §§ 310.02(2)(e)(3), 310.03.