Should Minot bars be allowed to stay open until 2 a.m.?

That was the issue Wednesday before the City Council's Liquor and Gambling Control Committee. Actually, the committee was scheduled to discuss a proposal to allow bars to remain open an extra hour on New Year's Day (which it rejected), but Fred Mueller, representing Sports on?Tap, requested the committee go further and allow bars to stay open until 2 a.m. yearround.

An amendment to state law in 2005 gave cities and counties the option of allowing bars to be open until 2 a.m., and some cities have adopted the change, including Fargo and Grand Forks. The committee took no action on the proposal, but we hope the members reject the idea when they take it up again. Minot bars do not need to be open until 2 a.m.

We agree with Mueller when he noted at the committee meeting that bar patrons are generally a night crowd, and some feel that 1 a.m. is too early to go home. But have little or no sympathy for those patrons. Staying out until the bars close at 1 a.m. is plenty late.

Alderman Ron Boen was right to question that if bars are allowed to stay open until 2 a.m., what's to stop owners from coming back again to request hours until 3 a.m., or eventually requesting to stay open 24 hours a day?

The Minot Police Department opposed the extra hour, noting it would change their shifts to keep more officers on duty during peak hours. More importantly, Police Chief Jeff Balentine noted Minot is on a record pace for driving under the influence arrests. An extra hour of drinking time certainly won't help that situation.

We urge the committee to reject the 2 a.m. bar closing request when it again takes up the issue.