At the commission’s final meeting of March, commissioners asked city staff to fast-track an ordinance that would help promote live music in downtown businesses. The ordinance requested removed a nightclub license from the city’s books, which commissioners felt “double taxed” restaurants that host live entertainment.
However, due to police and fire department obligations to public safety, city staff is asking commissioners to keep the nightclub license and eliminate the fee associated with it, according to City Clerk Terri Lillard.
“Both the police and fire departments expressed a need to know which establishments will have entertainment,” Lillard said. “The city’s fire department is charged with ensuring businesses in
Other city departments also expressed other reasons for wanting a list of businesses that provide entertainment, including possible late hours of operation, for the additional police presence that sometimes is needed.
“I can appreciate them wanting to know who those folks are and wanting them to be licensed,” said Commissioner John Kady, who had proposed removal of the license. “I would like to see the fee eliminated. I have no problem with the continued licensing and I understand them needing to know that information.”
The nightclub license requirement charges a fee of $150 per year if a business has entertainment of any sort, even if it is for one night of the year.
Restaurant owners also pay for restaurant licenses, which commissioners said was a form of double taxation. Eliminating the nightclub license fee would allow retail stores to host entertainment without a fee.
With a live music initiative, now dubbed “Music Matters,” beginning to take root downtown, Kady, the ward representative, gained the commission’s approval to remove the fee that may deter some businesses from participating.
City staff, instead, is asking for commission input on the amount the fee could be reduced. Kady said that approach would still achieve the goal of eliminating barriers for restaurants who want to dabble in live entertainment.
“It’s all part of the deliberative process,” Kady said. “As we look at problems as individual commissioners, we don’t always have the complete history of an issue or know how it will impact other departments.
“People voice their concerns and sometimes you change your approach,” Kady said.
Commissioners will convene Tuesday in City Hall,
Music Matters
CRA officials are requesting a shift of up to $7,000 from the Downtown CRA budget to go toward paying for music licensing fees. Each venue is required to pay about $1,000 in licensing fees each year if covers of original songs are performed.
CRA funds could cover about six or seven venues on a first-come basis. CRA Director William Whitson said if they get the go-ahead, they will start with four businesses.
“I’m quite hopeful regarding this initiative; it came from outside the CRA but we are happy to support it and happy to see it flourish,” Whitson said. “Music, arts and culture are some of
Commissioners also are scheduled to consider:
— A marina proposal document to be sent out nationwide requesting private sector input for possible partnerships with the city during the Marina Redevelopment Project.
— Awarding a contract of $109,976 to Royal American Construction for the
— Awarding a bid or $371,208 to I-C Contractors for the multisite pollutant separators project.