Category Archives: Downtown Economy

I posted this on Rob’s facebook…but will share my thoughts about the License Commission meeting today.

Since I was at the meeting too I have to say a few things. 1. Respectfully to Mr. Bayliss; this is NOT about him or the License Commission. This is about everyone involved getting together and trying to determine what the future of the neighborhood is going to be; stop pointing fingers and come up with some solid ideas. In my opinion Chief Lavallee has identified a problem and he is reaching out to everyone involved looking for solutions 2. I’m sure the stats are up because more incidents are being reported. That does not mean there were less incidents. I could be wrong but I suspect this can be attributed to the current sector captain who was formerly in a neighborhood were REALLY bad things happen and the guy is probably wondering why on earth this nonsense is tolerated. 3. In my opinion the reason we can not attract better businesses downtown is because any serious business owner doing their due diligence is going to hang around the neighborhood at all hours for at least a few weeks…and probably thinking this is not the place for me. 4. People from Belvidere should not have to look at there watch and think “It’s almost 10; I better get out of Dodge”…reference point 3. 5. Possibly above all else and something newer people to the area do not understand; historically people did not LIVE downtown; they worked here. When industry started to leave and the city found itself with a ghost-town (I remember the 80’s) someone came up with the wacky idea of filling the place up with subsidized housing. That was good but still more space…let’s fill the rest of the place up with more people (really crazy idea). However no one ever sat down and thought about the logistics of how you mix all those pieces together. I think LDNA and the LPD and most of the bar owners have done an excellent job of getting together and finding a way to make it all work. The city council and the License Commission should get on board and throw out anyone who doesn’t have a long-term goal of being a responsible part of the community. 6. As someone who does not discriminate; I make an effort to try out everything downtown; I love my island! (yes we are surrounded by water on all sides-maybe we should just pull up the draw-bridge at 1AM…alternatively we might consider shutting off the alcohol at 1AM and staying open all night for breakfast) It’s a great place to live; it is and should be a great place for anyone to come out and have some fun and not have to deal with the both the petty nonsense and certainly not have to leave before 10 to avoid an unruly bunch of drunks or precariously step over the vomit going out the door in the morning…or worse. 7. Last but not least, the LPD should not have to “baby-sit” drunks when there is an entire city who needs them; my tax dollars could be much better spent. KMM

p.s. Commissioner Weicker did not make a new friend today when he made reference to my being “old”.