With the deadly shooting at a local bar over the weekend, city leaders expressed their opinions on the ordinances surrounding the operation of the city’s night clubs.
The topic was brought to the table during Monday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. From enforcing current ordinances to implementing a “shutdown” process, the conversation was sparked by the death of a young man during a shooting at the LB Night Club on Bridge Street early Sunday morning.
“I believe our ordinances say that there should be a certain amount of security in these bars in Yazoo City,” said Mayor Diane Delaware. “There are a certain amount of requirements to meet the fire marshal’s code. Effective immediately, we will be making sure we are adhering to the ordinances.”
Delaware said the city council supports the current ordinances that address the operation and requirements of local night clubs and other similar businesses. o
“We are seeking for the police department, the fire department and everyone else to ensure that we are adhering to these ordinances,” Delaware said. “That is very important.”
Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. said he would like to add to the current ordinances.
“Especially since the shooting this weekend, we need to include that if there is a death on your property or on your premises that we will close that club down,” Brent said. “It needs to be in our ordinance. We can’t prevent them from having these clubs, but in situations where a death takes place, I think we should do that locally.”
Delaware said the process to include such a provision begins with “writing a bill.”
“That requires we write a bill,” she said. “One of us needs to write that bill or ask our city attorney to write that bill. Bring that bill to us so that we can act on it.”
“I’ll write it,” Brent added.
