Mayor Diane Delaware said a weekend incident in which there was a brawl outside L.T. Miller Community Center proves the importance of the city’s recent focus on closing times and requiring proper security at night clubs and late night events.
Delaware said that she drove around the city Saturday night to inspect area businesses, and she didn’t see any problems in most areas.
An event hosted at the L.T. Miller Community Center was a different story, however.
“I was out there at 11:21, and my concern was that there was a big crowd, and it didn’t look like it was going to end,” she said.
Delaware said she later returned and observed the crowd.
“I heard the cussing and the fussing, and I looked at the bottles and the glass,” she said. “I drove on past and went to some other places, and they were still open as well. When I came back to the community center, this thing had grown. I didn’t do anything, because I am not the police, but I observed it.”
Delaware said she thought the event’s security would take charge of the situation.
“I thought the security would come out and take care of their responsibility because those who rent the community center have a responsibility,” she said. “Nobody came.”
Delaware said the police had to respond to restore order.
“There was a lot of cussing and fussing and fighting going on,” she said. “This was at the community center – a place that we hope with all our hearts will not cause dysfunctionality when we rent it out. This got so awful that our police were concerned and had to act. There were lots of people brawling. It was a brawl at a wonderful event hosted by wonderful people. It was a horrible situation with people getting hit in the head and all sorts of things after midnight when no one was supposed to be there.”
Delaware said the incident could have probably been avoided if the rules were followed.
“A lot of people had a good time, but I wish the people hosting this event had the building and the parking lot emptied by 12, but it was not,” she said. “I’m sure the cups that I saw had water in them, but it seemed like what was inside those cups helped cause this behavior. I can never know.”
The city’s ordinance requiring night clubs and event centers to close at midnight has been the subject of much debate. Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. made a motion in the previous meeting to allow the clubs to remain open for an additional hour, but that motion failed.
Police Chief Ron Sampson said he believes requiring the clubs to close at midnight is helping reduce problems.
In other business during the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting Monday:
* The board approved an order declaring the construction of the Willie Morris Parkway complete.
* Public Works Director Danny Miller said more people are beginning to follow the law requiring leaves to be bagged when placed on the curb for collection, and that’s good news for the city’s storm drain system.
“More residents are starting to follow the ordinance, and those who do not are being ticketed,” Miller said.
* Building Inspector Russ Carter said that the steps of City Hall have been repaired.
“They look very nice, and they draw attention to City Hall,” Carter said.
“More importantly, they are no longer dangerous,” Delaware added.
Carter also reported that a new clinic specializing in blood tests is expected to be constructed on a vacant lot on Wyeth Street next to the recently constructed Keyway Supersudz laundromat and that BankPlus has plans to remodel its building on Jerry Clower Boulevard.
* Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. said he wants to dedicate a street in honor of former Mayor Charles “Blackie” Fulgham.
“He was a good and fair mayor, and he had a lot of accomplishments,” Brent said.
Delaware said that Brent simply needs to follow the process to make the dedication.
