City Council Meeting Date: November 25, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Jeff Schroepfer, Police Chief
Subject:
TITLE
Public Hearing for Review of all liquor licenses issued to Froggz L.L.C., aka Froggz LLC, for the licensed premises named Froggz, located at 307 Water Street South, Ste B, and 303 Water Street South, for failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility, including statutorily required liability insurance policies, and other violations of Minnesota State Statutes and Northfield City Code, including Sections 6-65, 6-66, and 6-69.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is being asked to hold a hearing for review of all liquor licenses issued to Froggz L.L.C., aka Froggz LLC, for the licensed premises named Froggz, located at 307 Water Street South, Ste B, and 303 Water Street South, for failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility, including statutorily required liability insurance policies, and other violations of Minnesota State Statutes and Northfield City Code, including Sections 6-65, 6-66, and 6-69.
Per the procedures included in the staff report, there will need to be a motion to close the hearing at its conclusion.
Summary Report:
During the liquor license renewal process in 2025, Froggz L.L.C., aka Froggz LLC, for the licensed premises named Froggz located at 307 Water Street South, Ste B and 303 Water Street South, submitted a license renewal with one of the partners no longer representing the business.
Since that time, another member has informed the City that they are no longer affiliated with the Licensee and have not been so for some time. This notification was done through their
“significant other” due to medical reasons. As a result, it appears that the only remaining member of the Froggz L.L.C. is Nicolas Erickson. This is directly contrary to the representation to the City Council that induced the City Council to initially grant a license to the licensee for the licensed premises. At the time of the public hearing on the issuance of the liquor license, concerns were raised regarding previous criminal citations and a pending felony matter for Nicolas Erickson. As Nicolas Erickson represented one of three members of the licensee, Froggz L.L.C., applying for the liquor license, the City Council approved the liquor license following statements made by the other members of the licensee. Further, the Police Chief has determined that Nicolas Erickson has since been charged with another felony-level offense, this time in the City of Northfield, and now has two pending felony offenses in the State of Minnesota.
In addition to the recent changes to the membership of the licensee, there have been approximately 38 police-related calls involving Froggz between March 2025 and November 2025, including five (5) incidents involving intoxicated patrons requiring transport to the hospital. According to the Northfield Police Department, Froggz demonstrates a higher-than-typical number of disorderly, disturbance, and substance-related incidents, including medical calls and suspected narcotics activity when compared to similar businesses in the City.
Pursuant to Northfield City Code, Sec. 6-69, the City Council may impose a civil fine, suspension, and/or revocation of the liquor licenses issued to Licensee for “[f]alse or misleading statements made on a license application or renewal, or failure to abide by the commitments, promises or representations made to the city council.”
In addition to the above-mentioned issues, on October 2, 2025, Northfield City Police Department conducted an unannounced compliance check at the licensed premises. According to a report from the Northfield Police Department, an employee of the Licensee at Froggz did sell liquor to a minor in violation of Minn. Stat. 340A.503.2(1) and Northfield City Code, Sec. 6-100. The employee has been charged with a violation of Minn. Stat. 340A.503.2(1). This case remains pending at this time.
After receiving reports that individuals were residing in Froggz at 303 Water Street South in April 2025, an inspection revealed a mattress and other domestic household items in that location. An inspection revealed a number of violations and an Order to Correct was issued by the Building Official dated July 11, 2025 and served on the owner of the licensed premises. On reinspection, some issues had been addressed, but certain Fire Code violations remained. During an inspection conducted in July 2025 by the Building Official, it was determined that the basement of 303 Water Street South was still being used as a sleeping area. In addition, on October 30, 2025, the Building Official received a report from the Northfield Police Department that the tenants were found sleeping at 307 Water Street South, which is not designed to be used as a residential property. As the licensed premises is not designed for residential occupancy, this use is a violation of the Minnesota State Building Code, and the Building Official intends to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy.
Finally, the most recently published tax delinquency liquor posting list includes Froggz LLC, indicating that the taxpayer is ten (10) or more days delinquent in filing or payment of liquor, wine and beer sales taxes.
Pursuant to Northfield City Code, Sec. 6-69, the City Council may impose a civil fine, suspension or revocation of the liquor licenses issued to the Licensee for any of the following reasons:
(1) False or misleading statements made on a license application or renewal, or failure to abide by the commitments, promises or representations made to the city council.
(2) Violation of any special conditions under which the license was granted, including, but not limited to, the timely payment of real estate taxes, and all other charges.
(3) Violation of any federal, state, or local law regulating the sale of intoxicating liquor, 3.2 percent malt liquor, or controlled substances.
(4) Creation of a nuisance on the licensed premises or in the surrounding area.
(5) That the licensee suffered or permitted illegal acts upon the licensed premises or on property owned or controlled by the licensee adjacent to the licensed premises, unrelated to the sale of intoxicating liquor or 3.2 percent malt liquor.
(6) Expiration or cancellation of any required insurance, or failure to notify the city within a reasonable time of changes in the term of the insurance or the carriers.
Pursuant to Northfield City Code, Licensee has the right to a hearing before the City Council before the City Council can impose a suspension or revocation of the license.
Consideration of revocation of the liquor licenses is scheduled following the hearing.
Hearing notices were emailed and served to the licensee on Friday, November 14, 2025. A copy of the notice (attachment 1) and the Affidavit of Service (attachment 2) are attached.
The following is the procedure of the hearing per the City Council’s adopted Rules of Business:
Hearing Procedure:
A. The Chair (Mayor Zweifel) will open the hearing by identifying the subject.
B. Staff Presentation - staff (City Clerk Peterson and Police Chief Schroepfer) will give a presentation on the subject and address questions from the City Council on the matter (10 minutes). Associate City Attorney David Assaf will be at the meeting and may be providing additional information as part of the presentation.
C. Licensee's Presentation- made available as an opportunity and if present (10 minutes).
D. Questions from City Council members of Licensee.
E. Public Input - The public will have the opportunity to speak for or against the issue. The public may ask questions, make comments, voice support, agree or disagree with the proposed action on the licenses.
1. The Chair will recognize a speaker at the podium and comments/conversation will be between the Chair and speaker; and between the Chair and Council Members.
2. At the podium the speaker must give their name and if representing a business, must give the name of the business or corporation. If an Attorney or consultant is representing a client, the client must be identified for the record.
3. Speakers will be allowed to speak a maximum of two (2) minutes per item (not including interpreter’s time).
4. Speakers who have material to be handed out to the City Council Members will pass the material to the City Administrator. The City Administrator will then pass the information to the appropriate people. A minimum of twelve (12) copies are needed.
F. City staff additional presentation, if necessary (10 minutes).
G. Questions or Clarifications from City Council - After the public input portion of the hearing is completed, the City Council may request questions or clarifications prior to closing the hearing. This section will be used when there are questions related to the topic on which the hearing is being held. Questions should be succinct and avoid being rhetorical or leading in nature. Subsequent actions of the City Council provide for opportunities for further questions or clarifications from the City Council.
H. Any material to be entered into the record shall be noted. Any written communication presented to the City Council during a City Council meeting shall be read into the record or summarized for the record or simply delivered to the City Council, as the City Council may determine. They shall then be recorded in the minutes by title and filed with the minutes in the office of the City Clerk.
I. Motion to Close Hearing- The City Council will make a motion, second, and vote on closing the public hearing.
Police Chief Schroepfer and City Clerk Peterson will be giving the presentation for staff. Associate City Attorney David Assaf will be at the meeting and available for questions. The relevant background materials and information for this item are included in the agenda item immediately following the hearing to consider action to revoke or suspend the liquor licenses and/or impose a civil fine. There will not be a separate staff presentation for that agenda item and there will not be separate testimony for that for the licensee or public at that time.
The potential actions following the public hearing is on the next agenda item immediately following. See a summary of the “alternative options” below and more detail in the next agenda item.
Alternative Options:
City staff is recommending revocation of the liquor license (Alternative 1 as follows). In the City Council’s discretion, the City may additionally impose a fine of $2,000.00, which must be paid within 5 business days of the date of Council action on this matter.
Alternative 1: Revocation. That the on-sale intoxicating liquor license and the Sunday on-sale intoxicating liquor license issued to the licensee shall be revoted effective immediately upon passage of this resolution.
OR
Alternative 2: Suspension. That the on-sale intoxicating liquor license and the Sunday on-sale intoxicating liquor license issued to Licensee shall be suspended for a period of __ days (the “suspension period”) commencing immediately upon passage of this Resolution and ending at 12:01 a.m., ____________, 202_. At all times and days during the above liquor license suspension period, Licensee is prohibited from making all sales and allowing or permitting the consumption of alcohol, and all other intoxicating beverages covered by the referenced liquor licenses, on the Licensed Premises. Licensee shall return Licensee’s suspended liquor license to the City Clerk by no later than the first day of the liquor license suspension period and may retrieve said license on the last day of the suspension period. (The maximum number of days for suspension of a license is 60 days.)
AND/OR
Alternative 3. Fine. That a civil fine in the amount of $2,000.00 shall be imposed and shall be paid on or before December 3, 2025. (The maximum fine is $2,000.00 per violation.)
Financial Impacts:
Staff has not accumulated expenses (time or “out of pocket”) for this issue. However, the fine options listed in alternatives would be new revenue to offset some expenses.
Tentative Timelines:
The next agenda item relates to consideration of revocation, suspension and/or civil penalty for liquor license violations for this license.
If revoked, license revocation will be sent to the Department of Public Safety, Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement Division (DPS-AGE) for their records.