BROWNTOWN - Now that concerns about a possible strip club in Browntown have been exposed, the village's board must decide what to do about it.
The Browntown Village Board will discuss the issue at its March 17 board meeting in the village hall.
About 20 residents attended Tuesday's village board meeting to talk about stripping complaints at Trailside Inn.
Village Clerk Carol Davis described the people who attended the meeting as "very upset." Davis said people are concerned that a business which allows stripping would hurt community property values and could bring in a "bad" crowd.
Trailside Inn owner Dale Hoesly didn't responded to calls from The Monroe Times in regard to Tuesday's meeting but told the Times earlier this month that he's not running a strip club.
Hoesly, who has owned the bar for about seven years, said he does allow pole dancing at the bar, and said women have taken off their tops while dancing. He said the women who use the pole for dancing are local customers who aren't paid by the bar.
Village Board President John Schmitt said there are reports that women come from out of town to dance at the bar and are paid through tips.
Schmitt said citizens and board members oppose stripping at Trailside. However, he said the board needs to be careful when it writes the ordinance because stripping is considered a freedom of expression. He said the board could get into legal trouble if it writes an ordinance that isn't enforceable.
The board could create a zoning ordinance that would prohibit adult entertainment from places close to residential areas. Trailside Inn is close to residential housing in the village. Zoning ordinances have been used in other communities to prevent stripping and adult entertainment.
Hoesly added a pole to the bar about a year ago to allow people to dance. Schmitt said the board told Hoesly at the time it wouldn't prevent him from putting a pole in the building but cautioned him that it would monitor the situation if people began to complain about the type of dancing at the bar.
Schmitt said he's received some complaints, but added the people who have complained haven't put their names to any of the complaints. He's not heard of anyone contacting the Green County Sheriff's Department with any complaints.
Sheriff Randy Roderick said Friday his department hasn't received any complaints about stripping at Trailside Inn.
Davis and Schmitt said people who have complaints at Trailside Inn should contact the sheriff's department.
The Browntown Village Board will discuss the issue at its March 17 board meeting in the village hall.
About 20 residents attended Tuesday's village board meeting to talk about stripping complaints at Trailside Inn.
Village Clerk Carol Davis described the people who attended the meeting as "very upset." Davis said people are concerned that a business which allows stripping would hurt community property values and could bring in a "bad" crowd.
Trailside Inn owner Dale Hoesly didn't responded to calls from The Monroe Times in regard to Tuesday's meeting but told the Times earlier this month that he's not running a strip club.
Hoesly, who has owned the bar for about seven years, said he does allow pole dancing at the bar, and said women have taken off their tops while dancing. He said the women who use the pole for dancing are local customers who aren't paid by the bar.
Village Board President John Schmitt said there are reports that women come from out of town to dance at the bar and are paid through tips.
Schmitt said citizens and board members oppose stripping at Trailside. However, he said the board needs to be careful when it writes the ordinance because stripping is considered a freedom of expression. He said the board could get into legal trouble if it writes an ordinance that isn't enforceable.
The board could create a zoning ordinance that would prohibit adult entertainment from places close to residential areas. Trailside Inn is close to residential housing in the village. Zoning ordinances have been used in other communities to prevent stripping and adult entertainment.
Hoesly added a pole to the bar about a year ago to allow people to dance. Schmitt said the board told Hoesly at the time it wouldn't prevent him from putting a pole in the building but cautioned him that it would monitor the situation if people began to complain about the type of dancing at the bar.
Schmitt said he's received some complaints, but added the people who have complained haven't put their names to any of the complaints. He's not heard of anyone contacting the Green County Sheriff's Department with any complaints.
Sheriff Randy Roderick said Friday his department hasn't received any complaints about stripping at Trailside Inn.
Davis and Schmitt said people who have complaints at Trailside Inn should contact the sheriff's department.