Vicksburg city leaders have increased the mayor’s power to temporarily shut down businesses that are sites of recurring crime problems.The Vicksburg Board of Aldermen and Mayor George Flaggs gave the Mayor’s Office more authority to deal with what it calls civil emergencies. Flaggs said the expanded authority is a major step in dealing with crime.”It is just simpler to say in the future, we have the authority to shut down any establishment for five days if it is disorderly or think it is in the best interest of the public,” Flaggs said. The new rules come after the city settled a lawsuit filed by the owners of Jacques’ Bar that had been closed down because of a stabbing there on April 17. One of the key arguments was that the city didn’t have the authority to do things like that. The mayor said he does now.”Now, we have some teeth in the law we gave the mayor’s office and the police chief. Now, we can have law and order in our city,” Flaggs said.Larry Prentiss said he does not like the city’s eagerness to shut down bars like his, L D’s Kitchen. Prentiss said he can count the number of times he’s been shut down by the city on two hands.”It hurts me bad when I get shut down,” Prentiss said.Prentiss said he hires security and doesn’t want crime or people fighting inside his bar. It’s bad for business. But he said he shouldn’t be punished for other people’s bad actions.”I have felt several times that they close me down unfairly,” Prentiss said. “As far as a fight, every time I get security over here, that is $1,000. And paying $1,000 before the night is over is not good.”There is an appeals process for those bars or restaurants that are shut down. The city also has expanded authority to deal with what it deems “nuisance” issues, like if bar is not operating properly or trying to fix the problem.
Vicksburg city leaders have increased the mayor’s power to temporarily shut down businesses that are sites of recurring crime problems.
The Vicksburg Board of Aldermen and Mayor George Flaggs gave the Mayor’s Office more authority to deal with what it calls civil emergencies. Flaggs said the expanded authority is a major step in dealing with crime.
“It is just simpler to say in the future, we have the authority to shut down any establishment for five days if it is disorderly or think it is in the best interest of the public,” Flaggs said.
The new rules come after the city settled a lawsuit filed by the owners of Jacques’ Bar that had been closed down because of a stabbing there on April 17. One of the key arguments was that the city didn’t have the authority to do things like that. The mayor said he does now.
“Now, we have some teeth in the law we gave the mayor’s office and the police chief. Now, we can have law and order in our city,” Flaggs said.
Larry Prentiss said he does not like the city’s eagerness to shut down bars like his, L D’s Kitchen. Prentiss said he can count the number of times he’s been shut down by the city on two hands.
“It hurts me bad when I get shut down,” Prentiss said.
Prentiss said he hires security and doesn’t want crime or people fighting inside his bar. It’s bad for business. But he said he shouldn’t be punished for other people’s bad actions.
“I have felt several times that they close me down unfairly,” Prentiss said. “As far as a fight, every time I get security over here, that is $1,000. And paying $1,000 before the night is over is not good.”
There is an appeals process for those bars or restaurants that are shut down. The city also has expanded authority to deal with what it deems “nuisance” issues, like if bar is not operating properly or trying to fix the problem.
