Mr. Burgess of J&J's Lounge complied with everything the beer board had recommended he should do. It seems to me no matter what you do or where you go you are going to have some people who don't carry themselves in a respectful matter or do not regard the safety of people around them.
One of the board members suggested if the establishment was in a different location such as Hixson it would have been better. Are you saying there is no crime in Hixson?
Officer John Collins stated that much of the trouble that occurs in the area is from a vacant lot across the street.
Why can't the city fine the person that owns that lot for disorderly conduct or have the person that owns the lot put up no loitering signs or cameras like Mr. Burgess had to do? He is not responsible for the vacant lot. Mr. Burgess has tried to contact the individual several times himself. .
Officer Collins also stated they cannot babysit the vacant lot, Why? the majority of the time you have police officers sitting at the Sunny town Grocery Store parking lot where you can clearly see the vacant lot from there. As far as the babysitting, you have officers babysitting Coolidge Park. What makes one area better than the other?
One man cannot control the environment any better than the Chattanooga Police Department. If that were true, we would not have the gang problem that we have in our city.
Board member Kevin Mckenna made a statement, "The people who go there tend to be violent." That's not a true statement; you can't put everyone in one basket just because they come into this establishment. There are some hard-working respectful people that come to JJ's
Dr Clark White stated there is a high unemployment rate in that area, Look around, Dr. White. there is a high unemployment rate everywhere. I do hope the people in the area can rest better and have a sense of safety, but you have two other clubs and a liquor store in the area. Are you going to close them as well?
You can't even feel safe on Market Street anymore. Are you going to close those business that have fights or have had to call the police on several occasions. I don't think so. I do not know a lot about the beer board so i want to ask are these people voted in? One board member said he had been on the board for six years. That's longer than the President. He needs a break.
It amazes me how you can sit there and take away a person;s livelihood about something he could not control any more than any of you can.
Sitting there listening to them has opened my eyes to a lot of things going on around me. I will be at more board meetings now because its time for a change and it can start with me.
Betty Joiner