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Council again denies proposed nightclub owner

Joe Moylan
Victor Tarango stands before the Craig City Council on Tuesday night during a public hearing to discuss the approval of his application for liquor and retail gaming licenses for a proposed night club in Craig. The application was unanimously denied because Tarango failed to declare two 2011 criminal convictions — one for illegally transporting horses infected with Equine Piroplasmosis and another for disorderly conduct, according to a background investigation conducted by Craig Police Department Commander Bill Leonard.
Joe Moylan

In other action ...

At its regular meeting Tuesday, the Craig City Council:

• Approved, 6-0, May 8 meeting minutes

• Approved, 6-0, the renewal of a tavern liquor license for Mathers Bar, Inc. at 420 Yampa Ave.

• Heard a presentation of the Citizen’s Academic Scholarship Awards to Justin Willems and Joe Henderschott.

• Discussed NIMS training for elected officials with Tom Soos, Moffat County Emergency manager.

• Awarded, 6-0, a $60,203.25 bid to Anson Excavating & Pipe, Inc. for Third and Tucker streets curb and gutter project.

• Heard an April 2012 financial report

• Heard water and wastewater annual and monthly reports

— Council member Gene Bilodeau was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.





Victor Tarango stands before the Craig City Council on Tuesday night during a public hearing to discuss the approval of his application for liquor and retail gaming licenses for a proposed night club in Craig. The application was unanimously denied because Tarango failed to declare two 2011 criminal convictions — one for illegally transporting horses infected with Equine Piroplasmosis and another for disorderly conduct, according to a background investigation conducted by Craig Police Department Commander Bill Leonard.
Joe Moylan

In other action …

At its regular meeting Tuesday, the Craig City Council:

• Approved, 6-0, May 8 meeting minutes

• Approved, 6-0, the renewal of a tavern liquor license for Mathers Bar, Inc. at 420 Yampa Ave.



• Heard a presentation of the Citizen’s Academic Scholarship Awards to Justin Willems and Joe Henderschott.

• Discussed NIMS training for elected officials with Tom Soos, Moffat County Emergency manager.



• Awarded, 6-0, a $60,203.25 bid to Anson Excavating & Pipe, Inc. for Third and Tucker streets curb and gutter project.

• Heard an April 2012 financial report

• Heard water and wastewater annual and monthly reports

— Council member Gene Bilodeau was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

More than 20 residents attended Tuesday’s Craig City Council meeting to participate in a public hearing on a proposed night club in Craig.

The audience was split between those in support of Steamboat Springs resident Victor Tarango and those against Tarango’s Night Club, which was slated to be located at 535 Green St.

Tarango appeared before the council in late March seeking approval for tavern liquor and retail gaming licenses, but was denied because of false information contained in his application.

Most notably, Tarango failed to declare that between 2000 and 2010 his driver’s license had been suspended on four different occasions — once in 2000 for a driving while ability impaired conviction and three times for failure to pay child support.

Despite the dishonesty, council members invited Tarango to reapply, which prompted Craig residents Jen Kenney and, Randy and Cindy Looper to begin a petition signing campaign against Tarango’s.

The Loopers planned to present those signatures to the council Tuesday night, but as it turned out they weren’t necessary.

Bill Leonard, Craig Police Department commander, was invited by Craig Mayor Terry Carwile to begin the public hearing.

Leonard was tasked with conducting a background investigation of Tarango following the submission of his most recent application in late March, which yielded the discovery of two more criminal convictions.

In 2011, Tarango illegally transported and housed several horses infected with Equine Piroplasmosis, according to Moffat County Court documents.

He was later found to be in violation of Colorado Brand laws and regulations, and was convicted that same year on two counts of illegally importing livestock.

Tarango was also cited with disorderly conduct in 2011, Leonard said. Neither one of the 2011 convictions were declared on Tarango’s most recent application filed in late March.

When asked why, Tarango had little to say. “I put the same stuff that you asked for in the other application,” Tarango said. “Believe me, I thought I put everything in there.”

Council members had given Tarango the benefit of the doubt the first time around, but each of them highlighted his dishonesty in their unanimous decision to deny his second application.

“I honestly don’t need to hear from everyone else (in the audience),” council member Jennifer Riley said. “This is two times that you have failed to fill out this application correctly and I have no problem denying this application.”

Additionally, in accordance with state law, Tarango may not file for another liquor or retail gaming license in Craig for two years.

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