DES MOINES, Iowa — It was an active Des Moines City Council meeting on Monday, July 17 with the continued absence of Councilwoman Indira Sheumaker and conversation about renewing Tipsy Crow's liquor license.
Sheumaker was absent again, and council members said don't know where she is haven't seen her since March 6.
"I don't believe she has even answered any emails, or opened up her computer, or done any of those things," Joe Gatto, council member for the 4th Ward, said. "It would be nice to know where Indira is."
Members said they think her constituents would value her voice being present at the meetings.
"I think it's important that everyone be represented and that folks understand what is going on. And if she is able to continue or if she is not, this needs to I think come to a resolution for the benefit of the residents of her ward," said Josh Mandelbaum, who represents the 3rd Ward.
At the meeting, the President of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association also spoke, saying Sheumaker's absence has silenced and ignored all residents of Des Moines' 1st Ward.
"Council member Schumaker, please consider the oath you made to the people of Ward One and determine if you can still execute that oath. If not, please resign so the residents of Ward One can have a voice on this council," Marcus Coenen, president of Beaverdale Neighborhood Association, said.
Another notable takeaway from the meeting Monday night was discussing the renewal of Tipsy Crow's liquor license.
On July 12, the Des Moines City Council voted against renewing Tipsy Crow's liquor license.
This recommendation was made based on the lack of good moral character from the owner, Steve McFadden.
McFadden pleaded guilty to tracking a woman without her consent using a GPS device.
Gatto believes there is a certain responsibility to maintain as a liquor license holder in the city.
"You have to be the person that is going to be good to our community and be able to do the things that we expect as a city," he said.
Mandelbaum also emphasized that there is a process and they made sure to build their evidence before making a final decision.
"We'll do the same if there are other bad actors out there," Mandelbaum said. "We're gonna build the record and we're gonna demonstrate that in our decision-making so that we protect the public but do so in a way that is as defensible as possible."
In addition to McFadden's guilty plea, the bar hasn't paid multiple tax debts, at both the federal and state level.
"If you're going to create a public nuisance, and you're not going to change the way that you act, and you are going to take up a lot of our resources, public safety resources... we're going to use every tool in our toolbox to make sure that we can do everything possible to keep our residents safe and to keep our public safety folks safe also," Gatto said.
McFadden does have the option to appeal the renewal to the state courts. However, council members have said they will not be renewing the Tipsy Crow liquor license.