Reply With QuoteCouncil concerns clash
BY MICHAEL HAYS
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 10:52 PM MDT
One could say Lake Havasu City Council members do not exactly come to agreement on the issue of Bridgewater Channel problems over long holiday weekends.
There's the issue of Lake Havasu City's reputation:
Vice Mayor Vall Striyle: I think we have to be tourist-friendly at all times. If anyone goes down there on a holiday weekend, they know what they're going to see.
Councilman Allan Sturtevant: We have a reputation all over the state. Do we want a family-friendly city, or do we want what we've seen down there? Some of the young ladies had them [bathing suits] painted on.
Then there is the issue of having enough police officers on the lake on surrounding parks:
Mayor Harvey Jackson: You're going to have vacancies on the staff. [referring to current police officer openings.]
Acting Chief Dan Doyle: I'd just like to not have eight vacancies.
Doyle previously had stated that additional staff brought in from Kingman and Bullhead City helped tremendously this year. In response to Councilman Hinman's original question of whether or not the department has adequate staffing for busy weekends, Doyle said more are needed, particularly when the issue is understood in a visitors per officer ratio' frame.
Council members offered some possible solutions:
Councilman Schilling: It's not going to change overnight. We need to go where they sleep (hotels), where they launch their boats (ramps), and where they buy their alcohol to get information out there about our laws on indecent exposure, underage drinking, and other problems we're seeing.
Councilwoman Aldridge: Is it possible to do some increased signage specifically addressing indecent exposure? I don't' think it will take very long for people to get the message if that charge goes on their record.
At the end of the night, under the persistence of Jackson, the City Council walked out of the meeting with some concrete direction for future weekends.
Members approved a motion to direct the city attorney to adopt an ordinance concerning the removal of loud, obnoxious revelers from the channel or surrounding parks. After testimony by Doyle, it became apparent that the officers' job would be easier if the groups causing problems and inciting others could be forced to leave the park.
Another motion, which would mandate a 15-foot space between boats mooring in the channel, was defeated on a 4-3 vote. The LHC Chamber of Commerce opposed the 15-foot idea as well.
And some more for you.....
Very Disappointed Mayor
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ - Mayor Harvey Jackson repeatedly tried to get some significant motions passed in council last night regarding alcohol, mooring and other issues. However, he could not muster the votes needed with one exception. A unanimous decision (7-0) resulted in calling for the city attorney to adopt an ordinance giving police permission to evict unruly persons and their boats from the channel for unacceptable behavior.
On Saturday, Jackson told TSN he wanted to see more spacing between the tightly knit beached boats. However, a motion calling for a 15-foot space between the boats was defeated 4-3. Afterwards, the mayor told TSN he was, "very disappointed that the council has decided in effect to effectuate essentially no controls - the proposed ordinance will be like a drop in the bucket."
) and get the group 86'd for being unruly!
