CITY DENIES BAR LICENSE A 2ND TIME

For the fourth time in two years, Jerriann and John Wyman were unable Monday to persuade the Cape Girardeau City Council to grant a liquor license for a new tavern over the objections of a neighborhood church.

A split council Monday voted 4-3 to deny the liquor license for the Casbah, situated to the rear of Mollie's, a tavern and restaurant the Wymans own at 627 Good Hope. The council also denied the request at a September meeting.

In 1989 and 1990, the council voted down the Wymans' liquor license application for the former Sprigg Street Tap at 316 S. Sprigg. The action came after members of the True Christian Pentecostal Witnesses Church objected to the closed tavern being reopened. The church is near the tavern site.

The council in January also denied a liquor license to Phillip McClellan at the same site.

At Monday's meeting Councilmen David Barklage and David Limbaugh pleaded for approval of the license, saying that the Casbah would only improve the Good Hope Street area.

Barklage, who voted against the liquor license for the former Sprigg Street Tap, said Monday the Wymans' track record at Mollie's has persuaded him to support their plans to open another liquor establishment in the area.

He said the Casbah would be an improvement to a vacant building and likely would encourage further development of the area.

Limbaugh also said the Wymans' exemplary management of Mollie's indicates that their new establishment would not be a detriment to the church or the neighborhood.

"They were undeterred when they were denied a license on Sprigg Street, and they came back and in an enterprising way opened Mollie's, and have only helped the neighborhood," Limbaugh said. "They should be significantly applauded, not punished.

"What we're doing here is denying an operation the chance of going into business before they've demonstrated any inclination to negatively impact the neighborhood," said Limbaugh. "Quite to the contrary, they've got a track record that shows they would only enhance the area."

John Wyman also addressed the council, and urged members not to give the church's view on the matter more credence than his own.

"Everyone has a right to voice an opinion, but no opinion is weighted more heavily than any other," he said. "We're part of the community too.

"We just stand on our record at Mollie's. We don't feel we've been a detriment to the community."

Richard Wilson, a member of the True Christian Pentecostal Witnesses church, said the group was opposed to any additional taverns in the area, regardless of the owner.

Also, Capt. Elmer Trapp of the Salvation Army on the corner of Sprigg and Good Hope said his congregation was opposed to alcohol consumption in general, and specifically, a liquor license for a new bar.

Councilmen Al Spradling III, Hugh White and Doug Richards joined Mayor Gene Rhodes in voting to deny the liquor license, while Mary Wulfers joined Barklage and Limbaugh in favor of the request.

In other business, the council approved a motion by Barklage to discuss at the Nov. 11 meeting a proposal to better monitor complaints against the city's planning and inspection department.

Barklage suggested that questionnaires be drafted to send to contractors and engineers after they complete a project. The surveys would include questions about the efficiency and quality of work of the city's inspection and planning department.

He said there are contractors in the city who are apt to vote at the polls today concerning the city's purchase of the water system.

"I know the staff works hard, but you still hear people out there criticizing the staff," Barklage said. "We need a way to determine what kind of attitude is out there, what the complaints are, and deal with them accordingly.

"We need to determine the perceptual problems and go out and take care of them, and maybe keep some from voting down a very worthwhile project because they're upset over something."

In other business, the council approved:

First reading of a law that would provide for the Family Counseling Center to establish an alcohol treatment facility at the corner of West End Boulevard and Linden.

20First reading of a law that would prohibit parking on the west side of Randol Street in front of Alma Schrader School.

A resolution declaring it necessary to pave the next section of the Lexington arterial project from Carolina Lane to Perryville Road.

Appointment of Spradling as the city council's representative on the Cape Girardeau Park Development Foundation.

Appointment of Felix Kinsley to the Historic Preservation Commission.

Appointment of Michael Hopen and Ronald "Ike" Carlton to the Golf Course Advisory Board.

A beer license for Pamela Burger, doing business as Rajun Cajun at 24 S. Spanish.