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Directing the Department of Safety and Inspections to proceed with the 10-day license suspension adverse action against Damera Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant LLC d/b/a Damera (License ID #20110004770) for the premises located at 823 University Avenue West.
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WHEREAS, Liquor On Sale- 100 seats or less & Liquor On Sale Sunday license (“License”) held by Damera Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant LLC d/b/a Damera under License ID #20110004770 for the premises located at 823 University Avenue West., in Saint Paul (“Licensed Premises”), which is owned by Senait Kifle & Dawit Jida was the subject of adverse action pursuant to an March 25, 2025, Notice of Violation and Request for Imposition of a 10-Day License Suspension (“Notice”) (Exhibit # 1) in which the Department of Safety and Inspections (“Department”) provided notice to the Licensee of its intent to suspend license until Licensee provides Liquor Liability Insurance, and move forward with adverse action supported by Saint Paul Legislative Code §310.03; and
WHEREAS, on October 9, 2025, the City Attorney’s Office received a Full Request for Action for a $500 fine with Suspension for failure to submit supporting documents and insurance for the Liquor On Sale - 100 seats or less & Liquor On Sale Sunday license(s); and
WHEREAS, on October 24, 2025, Stephanie Harrington from the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI), sent the Licensee an email at olana13@yahoo.com <mailto:olana13@yahoo.com> requesting Licensee to complete and return the AG&E renewal forms. Ms. Harrington also advised the Licensee to submit the Liquor Liability Insurance Certificate with the insured listed as Damera Ethiopian Bar and Restaurant LLC d/b/a Damera. The Licensee was advised to return requested documents no later than 3:00 p.m. on October 24, 2025; and
WHEREAS, on October 25, 2024, the City Attorney’s Office was informed by DSI Inspector, Joseph Voyda, that Licensee paid the $500 fine and submitted supporting documents for the renewal with the exception of the Liquor Liability Insurance; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney’s Office was made aware the Licensee was advised to bring their license current for 7/1/2024 to 2025. Failure to comply would permit DSI to move forward with a new request for action to the City Attorney’s Office for the current year; and
WHEREAS, on January 22, 2025, Stephanie Harrington from DSI sent an email to DSI Inspector, Joseph Voyda, and Licensing Manager, Eric Hudak, and Tom Ferrara. In the email Ms. Harrington informed DSI that she had not received the Liquor Liability Insurance from the Licensee. Licensee was given an extension on the deadline to provide the Liquor Liability Insurance but failed to do so; and
WHEREAS, the Notice laid out the basis for adverse action and the Legislative Code upon which the Department was relying as follows:
Saint Paul Legislative Code §310.01, defines Adverse Action as: “the revocation or suspension of a license, the imposition of conditions upon a license, the denial of an application of the grant, issuance or renewal of a license, the imposition of a fine, the assessment of the costs of a contested hearing, and any other disciplinary or unfavorable action taken with respect to a license, Licensee or applicant for a license. “Adverse action” includes any of the foregoing directed at one (1) or more licenses held by a Licensee at any location in the city. “Adverse action” also includes disapproval of licenses issued by the state under statutory provisions which permit the governing body to disapprove the issuance of the license.
Saint Paul Legislative Code §310.02 (2)(e)(3) states:
2) Class N Licenses.
(e) Levels of approval:
3. “Revocation or suspension. If the director determines that the renewal application for the renewal of a license does not meet all of the requirements of law or that there exist grounds for revocation or suspension of a Class R License the director will follow the hearing procedures as outlined in Saint Paul Legislative Code Section 310.03.”
Saint Paul Legislative Code §310.03 (a)(m)2 (12) - (please see attached Exhibit # 2):
Saint Paul Legislative Code §409.05(a) states:
(a) “Term. All licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor are be for a term of one (1) year from the date of issuance or renewal, except as provided herein. The date shall be determined by the inspector and entered upon the license. “
Saint Paul Legislative Code §409.065 states:
No license under this chapter may be issued, maintained or renewed unless the licensee or applicant therefore complies with the insurance requirements imposed by Minn. Stat. §340A.409. such insurance coverage must comply with the requirements of Minn. Stat. §340A.409 and Chapters 7 and 8 of this Legislative Code.
Minnesota Statutes 340A.409, Subd. 1 states:
“Subdivision 1. Insurance required. (a) No retail license may be issued, maintained or renewed unless the applicant demonstrates proof of financial responsibility with regard to liability imposed by section 340A.801. the issuing authority must submit to the commissioner the applicant’s proof of financial responsibility. This subdivision does not prohibit a local unit of government from requiring higher insurance or bond coverages, or a larger deposit of cash or securities. The minimum requirement for proof of financial responsibility may be given filing:
(1) A certificate that there is in effect for the license period an insurance policy issued by an insurer required to be licensed under section 60A.07, subdivision 4, or by an insurer recognized as an eligible surplus lines carrier pursuant to section 60A.206 or pool providing at least $50,000 of coverage because of bodily injury to any one person in any one occurrence, $100,000 because of bodily injury to two or more persons in any one occurrence, $10,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one occurrence, $50,000 for loss of means of support of any one person in any one occurrence, $100,000 for loss of means of support of two or more persons in any one occurrence, $50,0000 for other pecuniary loss of any one person in any one occurrence, and $100,000 for other pecuniary loss of two or more persons in any one occurrence.”
WHEREAS, the Licensee had failed to provide required information, the Department of Safety and Inspections will recommend a 10-day license suspension of the Liquor On Sale- 100 seats or less & Liquor On Sale Sunday license application based on violation to Saint Paul Legislative Code §310.01, §310.02 (2)(e)(3), §310.03 (a)(m)2 (12), §409.05(a), §409.065 and Minnesota Statute 340A.409, Subd. 1; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Safety and Inspections recommended a 10-day license suspension; and
WHEREAS, the Notice laid out options for the Licensee:
“You have four (4) options on how to proceed:
1. If you do not contest the imposition of the proposed adverse action, you may do nothing. If I have not heard from you by April 4, 2025, I will presume that you have chosen not to contest the proposed adverse action, and the matter will be placed on the City Council Consent agenda for imposition of the 10-day suspension of your License.
2. You can complete the renewal process by providing all supporting documents for renewal as well as the renewal fee. If this is your choice, you should make payment directly to the Department of Safety and Inspections, at 375 Jackson Street, Ste. 220, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1806 no later than April 4, 2025. Please contact the Department immediately.
3. If you wish to admit the facts but you contest the 10-day license suspension of your License, you may have a hearing before the Saint Paul City Council. You will need to send me a letter with a statement admitting to the facts and requesting a Council hearing no later than April 4, 2025. The matter will then be scheduled before the City Council to determine whether to impose the 10-day License suspension. You will have an opportunity to appear before the Council and make a statement on your own behalf.
4. If you dispute the facts outlined above, you may request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). You will need to send me a letter disputing the facts and requesting an administrative hearing no later than April 4, 2025. At that hearing both you and the City will appear and present witnesses, evidence and cross-examine each other's witnesses. After receipt of the ALJ’s report (usually within 30 days), a hearing will need to be scheduled. At that time, the City Council will decide whether to adopt, modify or reject the ALJ’s report and recommendation.
WHEREAS, the Notice was sent to the licensee on March 25, 2025, providing that you respond by April 4, 2025, on whether you contest the proposed adverse action; and
WHEREAS, on April 8, 2025, the City Attorney’s Office contacted the Department of Safety and Inspections to confirm whether the requested documents and renewal fee was received and was informed that they received the $500 payment but have not received the requested Liquor Liability Insurance Certificate; and
WHEREAS, the Notice stated if the Licensee failed to submit the renewal payment and all supporting documents to the Department of Safety and Inspections, that the matter would be placed on the City Council Agenda to impose the recommended penalty; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the Liquor On Sale - 100 seats or less & Liquor On Sale Sunday license held by Damera Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant LLC d/b/a Damera (License ID #20110004770) for the premises located at 823 University Avenue West., Saint Paul, MN 55102, is hereby to provide the Liquor Liability Insurance to the Department of Safety and Inspections in violation of Saint Paul Legislative Codes §310.01, §310.02 (2)(e)(3), §310.03 (a)(m)2 (12), §409.05(a), §409.065 and Minnesota Statute 340A.409, Subd. 1).