photo courtesy: beatboxingmayhem
story courtesy: montgomeryadvertiser.com
The following is a statement released Tuesday by the office of Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange:
Active, involved and informed citizens are Montgomery’s greatest asset; and to all who have signed the Centennial Hill property online petition, thank you for your concern for the safety and welfare of our city. Thank you for your involvement in decision-making in the capital city. We need you and we rely upon you as we seek to serve as your mayor and City Council.
When we closed the Centennial Hill Bar and Grill on Saturday, we acted to address an imminent threat to the public’s safety. In the wake of Saturday’s shooting and this senseless loss of life, we had no confidence that this establishment could operate in safety and security, and strongly believed that its continued operation posed an imminent and continuing threat to the community.
The troubled history of this property without question was a factor in our decision to close the business. Issues of structural safety would have allowed the city to take an additional step and order the building demolished. But structural safety has never been an issue at this business; threats to the safety of its patrons have been of a different nature. The continuing threat to safety posed by the operation of this business gave us the authority to shut it down, but we have no legal authority to demolish the building.
There are families and friends today grieving the loss of their loved ones, and it is painful that the site of such tragedy still stands in our city. Yet as mayor, council and community, we have the power to determine the future of this property. We are of one mind with the good people of the Centennial Hill neighborhood. Any future operation or development at this site must be consistent with the wishes of the community and the safety of our city.
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