City Council To Discuss License for Cancun Mexican Grill, Downtown Parking

Saline City Council will take up downtown parking and a liquor license for when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Mayor Gretchen Driskell will also recognize the recent Saline High School grad who was second-runner up in the National Distinguished Woman Pageant for 2012. Saline Main Street Director Kelly Idzikowski will also update city council on the progress of the young organization.

Liquor License Cancun Mexican Grille

As a result of the 2010 census, a liquor license became available to the city. After notice was published in the Saline Reporter, two businesses applied for the license. The Boulevard Market, 100 E. Michigan Ave., withdrew its application, leaving ECI Inc, which is doing business as Cancun Mexican Grill, as the lone applicant. The restaurant, located at 405 E. Michigan Ave., is owned by a Kentucky Corporation.

City Council is expected to vote on granting the license Monday.

Reached by phone Wednesday, a company official said the restaurant will open in less than two months.

In other news:

• City council will discuss a parking status report conducted by Police Chief Larry Hrinik. Hrinik and Sgt. Jay Basso have been studying the parking situation in downtown Saline and they’ve found that there is normally available parking.

In July, the downtown business community met with Interim Police Chief Mike Lindman and Mayor Gretchen Driskell to discuss downtown parking. The issues that came up in the meeting were similar to issues Chief Hrinik read about in a parking study conducted in 2000. One of the big concerns is employees who use the lots for longer than the three-hour limit allowed in Lot 1, located off North Ann Arbor Street. On the other hand, some businesses say the three-hour limit isn’t enough for customers. There is also debate about whether or not the three-hour limit should be enforced.

In a memo to city council, Chief Hrinik suggests that business owners be sent a letter requesting that they and their employees park in the long-term lots. Hrinik also suggested making available post-cards with a map of parking lot locations and rules.

“Every lot is just a short distance to the downtown area. If we all do our part then parking should not be an issue,” Hrinik wrote in his memo.

• The Saline Community Fair is requesting a break on renting the city’s “showmobile stage.” Last year, the fair paid $1,680 for installation, use and removal of the  stage.

In a memo to the city, fair director Kevin Ernst said the fair has lost money the last two years due to funding cuts from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and because rainy weather chased away customers.

The fair would like to pay $480 for delivery, installation and pickup and is asking the city to waive the rental fee.