Nov 26, 2002 By April Straughters 4 min read

CALIFORNIA – Borough council approved its 2003 tentative budget Monday before conducting a public hearing for the transfer of two liquor licenses into the borough. Borough approved its $1,168,247 budget with no tax increase. Taxes will remain at 38 mills with 28 mills going to the general fund, two mills to street improvements and three mills to the fire department.

The budget includes a sewer fund with $1,299,950 in revenue and $1,041,129 in expenditures and liquid fuels at $136,482 in both revenues and expenditures.

Council also heard testimony and public comment for the transfer to two liquor licenses from within Washington County to the borough.

Linda J. Teslovich of Ellsworth Street, California, owner of L.J. Properties Inc., has requested a liquor license transfer to open a restaurant at 141-143 Second St., which is currently the Hollywood Grille.

Michael Grimes of Charleroi, owner of Campy’s Pizza and Six Pack Shop, in Charleroi (Speers) has requested a liquor license transfer to add a six pack shop to the current Michael’s Pizzas and Subs at 128 Wood St., owned by Michael Zahand.

Teslovich said she purchased the Second Street property from Tim and Cheryl Erdely, owners of McMonagle’s and Pizza Joe’s Six Pack Shop and the liquor license from DiFalco enterprise Inc., Cannonsburg.

She testified that she plans to open a “nice” sit-down restaurant with home-style cooking and periodical entertainment for the 25 and older crowd.

“My intention is to bring a nice restaurant into California …a place for people over the age of 25 to 27 to come out and enjoy,” she said.

Teslovich said California does not have a restaurant/bar geared toward an older crowd. She said her restaurant would feature a menu that is affordable for families or couples looking for a “nice evening,” and would not cater to the college crowd as most establishments with liquor licenses in the borough do.

She said hours of operation would be from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday hours may be added in the future. She said she will manage the business herself and would have six to 12 employees, including an assistant manager, cooks, wait staff and bartenders.

She said only 25 percent of her total restaurant space will be dedicated to the bar area and she would not mind if that were made a condition of the borough’s approval of the license transfer.

Wesley Sheets, pastor at the California Baptist Church, asked about the proximity of the proposed business to local churches.

Solicitor Michael Savona said that matter is controlled by the state Liquor Control Board and not the borough.

Cheryl Erdely said she agreed to sell her business to Teslovich because she believes there are too many bars in town that cater to college students.

“I thought the (Teslovich’s proposal) would benefit the borough. She’s a good person, and if I thought she would hurt the borough in any way, I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to the sale,” Erdely said.

Grimes said he plans to open a six pack shop and run it much like his business in Charleroi. He said the establishment would not be a bar.

If the license transfer is approved, Grimes said he will become a partner with Michael Zahand, owner of Michael’s Pizza.

Grimes purchased his license from Mike’s Bar and Grill in Charleroi.

He estimated that the addition of the six pack shop will more than double the volume of business currently at Michael’s Pizza.

“It (food and beer) draws off of each other,” Grimes said, noting that business at Campys increased dramatically when he added the six pack shop.

Grimes said he has owned and operated Campys for 14 years and never had a violation.

Zahand testified that Michael’s will be the “same establishment it always been except we’re adding a six pack shop.”

He said the pizza shop is now open during the week until 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. on the weekends. He said he may extend operation by a couple of hours on the weekends and maybe an hour on the weekdays. He said they will not deliver beer, but they will continue to deliver food.

Zahand said all young people will be watched closely and everyone will be carded before purchasing alcohol.

He said the coolers will be positioned at the opposite end of the doorway and seating will be limited to the areas away from the coolers. He said the coolers will also have alarms on them and make a noise every time they are opened.

Both Zahand and Grimes said they would agree to not allow any alcohol consumption on the premises if it would be made a condition of council’s approval.

Savona said council will render a decision on both matters within 45 days of Nov. 12, 2002, the date of application.