Posted by Daniel On October - 27 - 2009
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Live Entertainment & Dancing
A more vibrant Cross Street Bar Scene?
Tuesday October 27th. 2009- Vol 1, Issue 182
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| City Council approves live-entertainment bill |
It doesn’t take a Political Science Major to read behind the headlines.
Faced with the certainty that the City Council would approval some form of Live Entertainment and Dancing Bill, FHNA engaged in over a year’s worth of some times heated, one-on-one negotiations with the Council President in an effort to secure some sort of legislative recourse for residents faced with businesses that represent a disruptive presence.
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| Greenbacks ‘N’ Beer |
As you might imagine, bar and restaurant owners stand to make a lot more money drawing even larger crowds by featuring live entertainment and dancing. The hospitality industry “invested” heavily to get a bill that would provide them with the utmost benefit.
But your many letters and e-mails to the Mayor, the Council President and to City Council Members provided the political leverage necessary to convince the President to allow the introduction of a couple of companion bills that provide residents a means of holding irresponsible operators accountable should they fail to act as good neighbors.
If you have not read the article in today’s Sun, please left click HERE
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| Count the Votes |
 10 “yea’s” would have assured veto proof approval by the Council. 5 Council Members (including two co-sponsors of the original Bill) voted no. One was counted as “not present”. 10th District Councilman Ed Reisinger recused himself because his family owns a tavern. One former no vote flipped to a “yea”.
Therefore the Bill effectively passed (8 to 7) by a single vote margin
So it is extremely significant that Mayor Dixon has refrained from officially committing to signing the Live Entertainment Bill into law.
Sun reporter Annie Linskey writes “Mayor Sheila Dixon must sign the measure before it becomes law and she said yesterday that she will make her decision after consulting with neighborhood leaders.”I need to follow up with those communities that had concerns,” Dixon said. “That is really going to determine if I sign it or not.”
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| The Mayor Needs Your Input |
Mayor Dixon has been sensitive to the concerns raised by residents living in the communities most likely to be impacted by the Live Entertainment Bill. She deserves our thanks for assuring that FHNA and representatives from the community associations from Harbor East to Canton had a seat at the table.
Now action on two separate fronts is required on the part of anyone with an interest in the outcome of the final political push to allow all of the bars and restaurants near the Cross Street Market to potentially be granted the right to feature live entertainment and dancing as an additional enticement to lure more customers into the area..
First – post a comment today on the Sun’s website for this story.
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A vote of the General Membership will take place at FHNA’s November 17th General Membership Meeting. Two Motions will be introduced. One directing your Board to formally express to the Mayor FHNA’s support for the Live Entertainment and Dancing Bill. The other to direct your Board to formally stand in opposition.
Be sure to see the November print edition of the Federal HillSider for a more in-depth, intriguing look at the politics involved.
Look for the HillSider to come through your mail slot this weekend. You can also pick up a copy at select advertiser locations throughout the neighborhood.
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Paul W Robinson – President
Federal Hill Neighborhood Association
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Federal Hill Neighborhood Association | PO Box 27112 | Baltimore | MD | 21230
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