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aid other officers in calls associated with the 1:00 a.m. bar closing time, including arresting <br />drunk drivers and domestic disputes. A later bar closing time would push these activities and <br />many others later into the morning hours. A third effect is the overall public safety concern of <br />allowing people to consume alcohol an additional hour and than allowing them to drive a motor <br />vehicle. He noted that only two surrounding cities have implemented the 2:00 a.m. bar closing <br />time, which was East Bethel and Ham Lake. The other communities are waiting to see what the <br />other surrounding communities are doing. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook inquired if it was possible to allow the bars to be open until 2:00 a.m., but <br />require the last call to be at 12:45 a.m. <br /> <br />Police Chief Way replied that that is already an option. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook questioned if the only thing that change would allow is the sale of liquor <br />for one additional hour. <br /> <br />Police Chief Way replied yes. <br /> <br />Councihnember Cook stated that he was opposed to the change. <br /> <br />Councilmember Pearson inquired if the City has extra officers on Friday and Saturday nights. <br /> <br />Police Chief Way replied no. <br /> <br />Councilmember Pearson felt that they should leave the closing at 1:00 a.m. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig stated that if the City has not received calls from real interested bar owners <br />requesting the change than why would they do it. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec replied that the City did receive calls from two of the bar owners. <br /> <br />Police Chief Way noted that both were just inquiries as to what the City was going to do. One of <br />the bar owners indicated that it did not matter much to them either way. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen stated that she did not see the point with extending the bar hour an <br />additional hour. <br /> <br />Councilmember Zimmerman stated that the issue was brought forward because of the large bar <br />owner's downtown that hold large conventions. At this point he did not see a need for the <br />change in Ramsey. <br /> <br />Consensus of the City Council was to make no changes to the bar closing time. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session/July 8, 2003 <br /> Page 2 of 5 <br /> <br /> <br />