TC: More security at Union St. bars

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Pedestrians and an automobile travel past, from left, Union Street Station, Bootleggers and Dillinger's Pub on Wednesday on Union Street in Traverse City. Record-Eagle/Keith King

TC: More security at Union St. bars

City wants more supervision outdoors, less over-serving

By vanessa Mccray vmccray@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Thu Sep 20, 2012, 07:14 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — The city wants Union Street bars to amp up security after a spate of bad behavior around the happening hangouts.

City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht recently sent a letter to Dillinger's Pub, Bootleggers and Union Street Station — three bars on South Union Street's 100 block. The letter asks for more security employees to monitor patrons outside and avoid over-serving alcohol. It also requests bar owners talk with each other about "known problem individuals" and pick up litter and cigarette butts outside their doors.

Bootleggers and Dillinger's want to cooperate, said co-owner Michelle Wyzgowski. Owners plan to add more lights outside and an extra employee on busy nights to provide another set of eyes and communicate with police if needed.

"We don't want problems out in front of our business, either," Wyzgowski said. "We're just trying to nip it in the bud right now."

Trible-Laucht wrote the goal is to make "a noticeable improvement as soon as possible."

"If no improvement is made or if the situation continues to deteriorate, the city will be left with no other option but to object to the renewal of the liquor licenses for each establishment," she wrote.

City ordinance states the city commission can request a license be revoked or not renewed if there's a "pattern of patron conduct" that violates the law or disturbs the peace in the bar's vicinity. A public hearing is required, and the objection proceeds to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

"We would certainly hope to avoid that. We want the situation to get better. The city is not out to shut people down, but we want people to be safe," said Trible-Laucht.

Wyzgowski said licensing hasn't come up in her discussions with city officials, and the bar is working with the city. A representative from Union Street Station could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Concern about the Union Street area spread this summer after several rowdy incidents, including a fight that resulted in the smashed window of a nearby store and other disturbances. Traverse City Police Capt. Brian Heffner said police try to keep officers in the area and also added another to work overtime when available on busy bar nights.

Adding private security to keep an eye on what's happening could help, he said.

"A person associated with the bar may be able to alert us if they see a problem starting," said Heffner.

Bars "do a great job of eliminating problems inside," Heffner said, but once someone is shown the door "they become our problem, and we want a little more cooperation."

The watering holes, including several others in that Union Street stretch, said they want to help, Heffner said.

"We really want to work together and kind of motivate each other," said Trible-Laucht.

The more severe alternative — going after liquor licenses — is not a mechanism the city has often used, said Clerk Benjamin Marentette.

"It's certainly not something the city would take lightly," he said.