Maurice police chief wants bars to close at 2 a.m.

MAURICE — What time bars should close has been an issue brought to the Village of Maurice Board of Aldermen on multiple occasions during the past two years.
During its first meeting as a new board Wednesday, the new aldermen heard Maurice Police Chief Warren Rost’s request to have the bars in the village close at 2 a.m., a time that falls in line with the rest of Vermilion Parish, as well as neighboring Lafayette Parish.
Bars in the village close at 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The businesses do close at 2 a.m. on weekdays.
“The issue we are having,” Rost said, “is that when other bars close in the rest of Vermilion and Lafayette at 2 a.m., they still have an hour to come here and drink some more.
“As far as safety for the village goes, we do not need to invite those people here to continue to drink because not everyone has a designated driver.”
Rost asked the board to consider an ordinance that will require the bars to close at 2 a.m., seven days a week.
“I ask that the council put it on the agenda for a public hearing at next month’s meeting,” Rost said.
Alderman Kenneth “Keno” Picard, sitting in on his first meeting, agreed to move forward with the chief’s request to look into a possible change. Picard made a motion to place the issue on the agenda for the Feb. 18 meeting. A public hearing will take place prior to the meeting.
“I think everyone needs to discuss this and we need to get everyone’s views on this,” Picard said. “It does not just need to come from one side. We need to get everyone’s views.”
Alderman Lynn Howell, also taking part in his first meeting, agreed.
“I ran on the premise of serving the people,” Howell said. “I have heard several different views, but I feel like it is our obligation to look at his matter. I think it is important that we make a decision based upon good information.”
Rost, as well as Matthew Trahan, owner of City Bar, said they will present statistics to the board during the February meeting. Rost said his numbers, collected during the past few years, will show the increased activity that occurs during the 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. hour.
“I will present findings that I have put together,” Trahan told the board during Wednesday’s meeting. “It will counter the influx, which is not there.”
Rost explained that his push for change is due to safety of the village, saying his six-member department is stretched thin having to pay more attention to the large bar crowds on weekends. That problem is magnified, Rost added, with the recent opening of a new establishment, Bar 167.
“We just had another bar open,” Rost said. “We haven’t had any incidents there, but we are now up to three bars again. I think the people of the village deserve our attention in other parts of the village, not just at the bars.
“We have to be there because of the amount of people in that area and it takes away from other patrol.”