Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Voted no to topless dancers

Voted no to topless dancers

Feb 13, 2008 - 04:05:55 CST

GRAFTON (AP) - The City Council has voted to ban topless dancers in bars.

Mayor Todd Burianek proposed the ordinance in January, after a bar hired two topless dancers. It failed on a 6-4 vote, but three Grafton council members changed their votes this week and the measure passed 7-3.

Councilman Rudy Lopez said his vote last month was a mistake, that he had intended to side with the mayor. Council members Dave Fellman and Chris West said public opinion led them to change their votes and support the ordinance.

"I had 18 responses, with three saying they didn't care and the rest wanting to get rid of it," Fellman said. "I felt I should do what my constituents wanted."

Paul Gudgel, owner of the Last Chance Saloon, hired two topless dancers Jan. 4. He said he planned to hold an event with topless dancers about once a month.

"This isn't over yet," Gudgel said Monday night, after the vote. "We'll figure something out. This event makes the bar money."

Burianek said the dancers could lead to other problems and hurt the city's image.

"I liken it to a pack of cigarettes that says smoking may cause cancer," he said. "It doesn't say it will, but it could."

Tim McDonald, who voted against the ordinance, said fears about collateral damage may be no different from other celebrations or even a bar with a ban.

"In those cases, you have more people, and with more people, you're going to have more criminal activity than you have on a Sunday morning," McDonald said.

"Devils Lake has dancers on occasion, including during their recent ice fishing derby, but no one thinks of Devils Lake as a stripper town," he said.

News > State

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Comments

Liberals wrote on Feb 21, 2008 12:59 PM:

" For those of you frustrated with these types of ordinances, remember this type of governing when it comes to the national level at election time this year. That is what the Liberals favor, big government, and the government knows what's best for the people. Give a huge chunk of your money, and we'll provide you with healthcare, retirement, prescription drugs, etc, etc, etc. Bottom line, look at our current Soc Sec plan, it's going broke, most of us paying today will never draw a penny from it. The more you give to the goverment, the more the will mis-appropriate to pork barrel legislation and filling the pockets of special interests and lobbyists. "

Nickel Trophy wrote on Feb 20, 2008 10:25 AM:

" Good for Grafton.

The arguments work both ways, gentlemen. If you don't like living in a place with decency standards, then move to Portland, or Minneapolis, or Vegas, or.... "

dubbles wrote on Feb 19, 2008 9:10 AM:

" Whatever happened to Freedom and Liberty?
That must have gone out the window/ "

kevin wrote on Feb 19, 2008 6:45 AM:

" cr i agree with you i live in mandan and we had dancers at the sikver dollar bar and people whined here untill they got it closed.if it bothers people that bad stay out, what do you do if you don't like a restraunt, you just don't go there. I think people think they are still livingin the 1800's or something, i really don't know "

CR wrote on Feb 16, 2008 10:32 AM:

" Portland has more stip clubs than any other city in the US, and its still a beautiful clean city with no more problems than anyother big city. The clubs there are full nude and full bar. Who cares about a couple of topless dancers one night a month. "

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