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<br />( <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />arbitrarily or capriciously. 'Ihe subject of <br />discretion of licensing authorities is well con- <br />sidered in 30 Am. Jur., Intoxicating Ligwrs, ~ 121, <br />as follows: <br /> <br />, . . . 'Ihe intendrrent of the law is that the <br />discretionary decision shall be the outcone <br />of examination and consideration, in other <br />w::>rds, that it shall constitute a discharge <br />of official duty, and not a mere expression <br />of personal will. '" <br /> <br />'D1e Minnesota Suprerre Court IS nost recent decision reviewing the denial <br /> <br />of an application for, an on-sale liqu:::>r license was in Polrran v. City of Royal ton, <br /> <br />, 249 NW'2d 466. Royalton is a city of 600 PJPulatian and <br /> <br />1977, <br /> <br />Minn. <br /> <br />is authorized to grant up to four "on-sale" liquor li02nses. It has never had nore <br /> <br />than three licenses outstanding. In July of 1975, Polm:m applied for an on-sale <br />liqu:Jr license. 'D1e Royalton City Council denied the ap.?lication because Royalton <br /> <br />" . . .has enough off-sale licenses already" and "we do not have any other reasons <br /> <br />besides the rrain one that we did what we did for the gcxXl of the town." It was only <br /> <br />at the court proceedings that the "for the good of the tcMn" was elal:XJrated on by an <br /> <br />affidavit of the M3.y?r citing that Royalton had three on-sale and off-sale establish- <br />rrents plus an .Arrerican Legion Club and that the City had no law enforcenent officer <br /> <br />and rrerely cxmtracts with the Sheriff for a "random patrol" of sixty (60) hours a <br /> <br />nonth. In addition, for over a year, the City had been receiving carplaints about <br /> <br />litter, noise and "hot-rodding", which was related to the sale of liquor in the City. <br /> <br />'J1le cxmrt, in the Polm3n case, stated: <br /> <br />"A ci q council has the fOwer to refuse a license or <br />to limit the nurrber of licenses to be granted, when, <br />in the judgrrent of the council, the welfare of the <br />city suggests such action. State ex rel. Howie v. <br />Common Council of ci ty of Northfield, 94 Mirm. 81, <br />101 N.W. 1063 (1904). The ciq council's action in <br />denying the 'polrrans' application was reasonable under <br />the standards set forth in our decisions." <br /> <br />(In the Respondent's brief in the Polrnan case, the city attorney cited a <br /> <br />decision by District Judge John A. Spellacy dated M3.y 14, 1976 ur:holding the action <br />of the St. Cloud City Comcil renying a liquor license to an applicant vmere D~ <br /> <br />o:nmcil stated, ailDng other things, it was saving the license for anticipated future <br /> <br />developrrents, perhaps a Holiday Inn. See Little Johns Pub, Inc. v. City of St. Cloud, <br /> <br />et aI, Stearns Comty District Court File No. 41401). <br /> <br />It is Plaintiff's contention t.'1at the findings of fact o:mtained in City's <br /> <br />Resolution lb. 1811 were not sUPfOrted by the testinnny before the Comcil. Rem2ITber <br /> <br />that this was the second t:iJre the rratter carre on for hearing and that the Council had <br /> <br />-3- <br />