NATCHEZ, Miss. – The mayor broke the Board of Aldermen’s 3-3 vote Tuesday to crack down on a Franklin Street nightclub tied to reports of criminal activities in that downtown area.
“I don’t want us to take this lightly,” said Mayor Dan Gibson, who voted to order Truth Lounge owners to do more to help city officials be proactive and take “the fullest means to maintain public safety for our citizens.’
The mayor and aldermen received police reports of gunfire and several other incidents around the 700 block of Franklin Street, where Truth Lounge opened earlier this year. The bar is owned by Natchez High School basketball coach David Haywood and Rickey Banks.
Gibson got the board Tuesday to enforce an anti-crime ordinance it adopted in 2022 to crack down on businesses tied to “chronic nuisance activities.”
Siding with Gibson to force Haywood and Banks to take steps to deter criminal activities around their bar are aldermen Valencia Hall, Sarah Carter Smith and Curtis Moroney.
However, Alderman Billie Joe Frazier said the mayor and fellow board members are overreacting to reports of crime based on “hearsay.” A retired Natchez police officer, Frazier said he’s seen no evidence the incidents are tied to Truth Lounge.
Siding with Frazier in opposing the measures against Truth Lounge are Felicia Irving and Ben Davis, a Co-Lin Community College campus police officer.
Tuesday’s action by the mayor and aldermen calls for the bar owners to be told they must develop plans within two weeks to prevent criminal activities. Gibson he’s already met with the bar owners but encountered disagreements on their responsibilities and what steps to take to remedy the reported problems.
City officials can order businesses tied to “chronic nuisance activities” to restrict their hours, install crime cameras and hire security guards, according to the city ordinance. Forcing businesses to close is the last resort.
In other action Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen approved contracts related to additional crime cameras throughout the city. Companies are being hired to install, operate, maintain and monitor the crime cameras and footage. This is being paid for with a grant from the U.S. Justice Department.
The video cameras – along with better-illuminated street lights that are being placed throughout Natchez – will “greatly enhance the security of our city,” Gibson said.
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