From the Archives highlights weird, funny or interesting stories from the over 100 year history of the Okeechobee News, many of which have never been online before.
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From the Archives highlights weird, funny, or interesting stories from the over 100 year history of the Okeechobee News, many of which have never been online before.
By Leonora Bohen
Okeechobee News
Sept. 23, 1990
The interpretation of a 1962 city ordinance which prohibits city bars from serving alcohol in conjunction with the operation of a game room or pool table has city officials stumped.
These same officials are also concerned about whether city restaurants can serve alcohol and offer a dance floor at the same time.
In fact, representatives of the city finance office believe they may have erroneously issued several occupational licenses to local bars and restaurants without knowing it.
“In the code book, it says there is to be no dancing in bars, and from our understanding there are restaurants with dance floors,” City Finance Director Lola Parker told City Councilmen. “And if it’s not allowed in bars, are you going to allow it in a restaurant?”
The confusion could lead to a new round of ordinances governing what restaurants and bars with state beverage licenses can offer in terms of entertainment on their premises.
“Any dance conducted or performed within a bar or any room connecting with a bar, within the city limits are hereby declared to be a nuisance injurious to the morals and health of the citizens of the city,” the 1962 city ordinance states.
The city code book states it is unlawful for a pool, billiard, game, or amusement parlor “to permit or allow any alcoholic beverages to be brought on or within the premises.”
City attorney John Cook said this section would be labeled ambiguous by attorneys for any occupational license holder in violation of this particular ordinance.
The attorneys would argue the ordinance doesn't prohibit the sale of alcohol on the premises, but rather forbids the transport of alcoholic beverages onto the premises, Mr. Cook explained.
Dancing is also prohibited in bars, the city code book says.
“Any dance conducted or performed within a bar or any room connecting with a bar, within the city limits are hereby declared to be a nuisance injurious to the morals and health of the citizens of the city,” the city ordinance states.
The city code book is outdated, Mr. Cook said.
Everybody agreed revisions needed to be made.
“If we’ve got an ordinance saying you can’t put a pool table in a bar, I think we’re overstepping our boundaries,” City Councilman R.R. ‘Nick’ Collins said.
The City of Okeechobee has 36 restaurants. Alcoholic beverages are sold in 10 of these restaurants, and pool tables and video games are available in three of the restaurants with alcoholic beverage licenses.
“We have several restaurants in town which are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages,” states a Sept. 18 memo from the finance department to City Councilmen. “These restaurants also have pool tables and video games. Therefore, it appears we have issued these licenses in error.”
The issue came to light in the finance department after Ms. Parker heard that dancing, among other activities, was occurring in one of the restaurants.
“Since it is prohibited in bars, we would like a clarification of whether it is allowed in a restaurant,” Ms. Parker said after the Council meeting.
The Council plans to ask for copies of occupational license ordinances from other cities so that changes can be made to the Okeechobee ordinances.
Occupational licenses brought in revenues of $31,828 in the 1988-89 fiscal year; about $23,000 in the 1989-90 fiscal year; and, an estimated $25,000 is proposed for the 1990-91 fiscal year.
