Post by Chuck McCue on Jul 16, 2014 13:33:17 GMT -5
A picture can say a thousand words as I am writing this notice on what has become a very somber day for The Pier Cantina and our employees.
Effective 07/14/2014, The City of Jacksonville Beach has REVOKED our extended hours permit for a period of 30 days. This decision comes from the City Council appointed Special Magistrate. Currently, Sonya Harrell Hoener holds this position and it was her sole decision.
This revocation comes from being issued (1) warning notice on April 26th, 2014 at 9:48pm and (1) notice of violation on June 7th 2014 at 1:50am.
The April 26th incident was the result of a customer leaving their dinner table with an open container of alcohol and walking onto the adjacent boardwalk. This was witnessed by Chief Patrick Dooley and Mayor Charlie Latham. Chief Dooley instructed Corporal Daniel Watts to issue the warning to The Pier. The patrons who left the patio were not ticketed or arrested.
The June 7th incident was the result of a fight/battery between 5 patrons of The Pier. Video surveillance shows that within 10 seconds of the beginning of the fight, The Pier security staff (6 on duty) and employees respond accordingly. The fight is contained and involved parties are removed from the premises within 31 seconds of the initial confrontation. Police present on 1st St were notified directly by The Pier’s staff members that a fight had occurred. No tickets were given and no arrests were made.
As an owner with multiple restaurant locations in and around Jacksonville, I have always taken pride in the way that my staff members conduct themselves. I could not be more proud of the way The Pier staff handled each of the incidents that are listed above and I fault them in no way.
I willingly accept the punishment that is handled to me only with the assumption that The Pier is being held to the same standards as other establishments located within the Downtown area of Jacksonville Beach. With that being said, it is extremely difficult for me to believe that the June 7th incident at The Pier is the only case of a battery/fight taking place within Downtown Jacksonville Beach establishments since the enactment of the extended hours permit in May of 2011. It is to my knowledge that The Pier is the only establishment that has received a notice of violation in the previous 3 years.
I would like to apologize and “Thank You” again to all the employees, musicians, off-duty JSO officers, vendors, and patrons who have helped make The Pier become the success that it is today. The welcome mat to doing business in Jacksonville Beach has simply been pulled out from under us, at no fault to you.
Thank you,
Benjamin J. Porter
Porter Management Group
Office – 904.246.6454
Mobile – 704.560.7317
Ben.Porter@PMG-Jax.com
Effective 07/14/2014, The City of Jacksonville Beach has REVOKED our extended hours permit for a period of 30 days. This decision comes from the City Council appointed Special Magistrate. Currently, Sonya Harrell Hoener holds this position and it was her sole decision.
This revocation comes from being issued (1) warning notice on April 26th, 2014 at 9:48pm and (1) notice of violation on June 7th 2014 at 1:50am.
The April 26th incident was the result of a customer leaving their dinner table with an open container of alcohol and walking onto the adjacent boardwalk. This was witnessed by Chief Patrick Dooley and Mayor Charlie Latham. Chief Dooley instructed Corporal Daniel Watts to issue the warning to The Pier. The patrons who left the patio were not ticketed or arrested.
The June 7th incident was the result of a fight/battery between 5 patrons of The Pier. Video surveillance shows that within 10 seconds of the beginning of the fight, The Pier security staff (6 on duty) and employees respond accordingly. The fight is contained and involved parties are removed from the premises within 31 seconds of the initial confrontation. Police present on 1st St were notified directly by The Pier’s staff members that a fight had occurred. No tickets were given and no arrests were made.
As an owner with multiple restaurant locations in and around Jacksonville, I have always taken pride in the way that my staff members conduct themselves. I could not be more proud of the way The Pier staff handled each of the incidents that are listed above and I fault them in no way.
I willingly accept the punishment that is handled to me only with the assumption that The Pier is being held to the same standards as other establishments located within the Downtown area of Jacksonville Beach. With that being said, it is extremely difficult for me to believe that the June 7th incident at The Pier is the only case of a battery/fight taking place within Downtown Jacksonville Beach establishments since the enactment of the extended hours permit in May of 2011. It is to my knowledge that The Pier is the only establishment that has received a notice of violation in the previous 3 years.
I would like to apologize and “Thank You” again to all the employees, musicians, off-duty JSO officers, vendors, and patrons who have helped make The Pier become the success that it is today. The welcome mat to doing business in Jacksonville Beach has simply been pulled out from under us, at no fault to you.
Thank you,
Benjamin J. Porter
Porter Management Group
Office – 904.246.6454
Mobile – 704.560.7317
Ben.Porter@PMG-Jax.com