I would like to respond to your article "Dropping the case" (6/30/02) regarding the lawsuit the Union City Bar and Restaurant Owners Association attempted to launch against the Union City Board of Commissioners over the 2 a.m. seven-day-a-week closing of bars. Prior to this amendment of the city's alcoholic beverage ordinance, bars were allowed to remain open until 3 a.m. on the weekends.
"The law was on their side," said Ramiro Franco, president of the association... stated your article. Fortunately, the law was always on our side, from the moment this amendment was introduced until Mr. Franco and his association dropped their lawsuit. The bar owners association was ill-advised when they initiated this lawsuit and I am pleased they decided to come to their senses and drop the suit. Not only are they saving themselves legal fees, they are saving the taxpayers of Union City the tens of thousands of dollars that would have been required for the City to defend this lawsuit.
Common sense is also on our side. Since the earlier closings, calls for service to the police department have declined on the weekends during the overnight hours. Things are starting to improve already.
Do I realize the bars are losing three hours of business a week? Yes I do, but I am not the mayor of only bar owners, I am the mayor of all of the people of Union City, the people who elected me and the Board of Commissioners to represent them and to do the right thing when it comes to the quality of life in our city.
Brian P. Stack
Mayor
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