St. Charles aldermanic candidates say taverns aren't big problem

Candidates for St. Charles City Council all agree taverns can be an important part of the city's downtown business mix, but they can't be the only ingredient.

Rowdy behavior at some downtown bars prompted Mayor Ray Rogina to expand the city's liquor commission. It also led city officials to look for ways to cut down on the need for police intervention at the late-night establishments. City council candidates weighed-in on the relationship the city has with its taverns.

Ward 3

Naomi Bosko said her son often laments there isn't anything for young adults to do at night in the city except go to a tavern. But he doesn't drink. So he and his friends are left to hang out either at IHOP or Steak & Shake, she said. One of her main campaign platforms involves bringing more youth entertainment options to the city. That includes working with the existing taverns.

Bosko said taverns need more options than drinking to entertain patrons. She is in favor of establishments that offer activities like volleyball and arcade games.

"I don't think that there are too many taverns downtown," Bosko said. "I think there are some problems that are occurring in these places but nothing to the extreme where I think that the bars should be eliminated."

Her opponent, incumbent Todd Bancroft, said the key to a healthy relationship between the city and its taverns is enforcing the laws the city already has in place.

"It's simple," Bancroft said. "You police bad behavior. You police it whether it's in a park, a bar, an office building. There is a responsibility that comes with having a liquor license. And sometimes life's not fair, and you have the responsibility for your patrons and their bad behaviors. But I don't think the right avenue is to shut down commerce that's happening in our city."

Both candidates agree any reduction in the late hours taverns can stay open would be a death knell to all the establishments.

Ward 4

Matt Dowling is one of two candidates vying to replace Alderman Jim Martin, who is retiring from the city council.

Dowling lives two blocks away from the busiest mix of downtown taverns. He said he believes any negative reputation the taverns have is overblown "For as many taverns as we have, and as many people as we attract to them, I don't think there's a huge problem," Dowling said.

Dowling is satisfied that existing police presence during peak tavern traffic puts a damper on problem behavior.

"I have no interest in chasing them out of town," he said. "But I'm also not saying we need to put more bars in the downtown. What we need to do is make sure it's not just taverns and restaurants there."

Dowling supports tax incentives to fill vacant spaces and working with landlords to make their properties more attractive and affordable.

His opponent, Steve Gaugel, said problems with taverns will be eased by the city's recent approach to setting clear expectations for tavern owners and holding them to those standards.

"As any parent knows, you can't beat your kid up for something that you didn't tell them you expected of them," Gaugel said. "This is much in the same vein. Those establishments are a vital part of the fabric of our city. It's a vital part of revenue right now for the city. We would be in a world of hurt without them. As much as they are written about in the papers, I don't think that it's anything that's a problem."

Gaugel is a fan of a pending program aldermen are contemplating that creates grants for would-be business owners that will help defray the costs of updating old infrastructure. Taverns would, and should, be eligible for those funds, Gaugel said.

Incumbent candidates in Wards 1, 2 and 5 have no opposition on the April ballot.