RESORT BANS AFTER-HOURS NIGHTCLUBS

OCEAN CITY - In an emergency meeting on the Fourth of July, the Town
Council passed a new law forcing underage and afterhours clubs in the
resort to close at 2:30 a.m., effective immediately.

The new law was unanimously approved by the six council members who
attended the meeting. Officials hope the closing time will reduce reports
of riots, drug dealing and other disturbances at the popular hangouts.

There have been more than 150 arrest made this summer at Ocean City's
underage and after hours clubs.

"The extraordinary resources needed to control those clubs is putting a
burden on the municipality as a whole," said Councilman Joe Hall.

After-hours clubs have existed in the resort for years, but this summer the
number of night spots increased to four.

Because the clubs do not sell alcohol, the businesses are not regulated by
license boards or other agencies. With no standards of operation, the
businesses often stayed open until sunrise, drawing crowds when the
hundreds of bars and restaurants in town closed at 2 a.m.

But along with the crowds, problems have arisen. The first two weekends in
June, police were called to clubs at the 45th Street Village Shopping
Center to stop widespread fights.

On June 4, the Town Council passed a moratorium to keep other clubs from
opening. Since then, police have posted a special task force at the
shopping center every weekend, making more than 100 arrests in the past
three weeks for charges ranging from drug possession to disorderly conduct.

But the arrests are taking a toll. Police officials say the department. is
paying more overtime for up to 20 police officers to patrol from 2 a.m. to
6 a.m., normally a quiet time In the resort.

To staff the task force, undercover police officers have been taken off
patrols on late bus routes and other areas. Last weekend, several bus
drivers refused to continue working the late shift, fearing for their
safety from the club crowds, according to two sources who asked not to be
identified.

Town officials said they've tried to talk about the problems with owners of
Club 46 and Life Begins at 2 a.m., the two clubs in the 46th Street
Village, but said the owners have been slow to respond. None of the club
owners could be reached for comment Wednesday.

Council members met with town police and members of a Maryland State Police
drug in a closed meeting. Police reportedly told the council that convicted
criminals were traveling up to three hours to spend time at the clubs,
attendants at the meeting said.

The Tuesday meeting brought the emergency legislation Wednesday in one of
the first holiday meetings in years.

"It's highly unusual, but it had to be done," said Mayor Jim Mathias. "We
thought It was best to do sooner than later."

Mathias family rents a building on the Boardwalk to H20, another nightclub.
Mathias had excused himself from earlier proceedings, but he signed the
emergency ordinance Wednesday, citing concerns of public safety

"The council did exactly the right thing," he said. "The community has a
safeguard now. Those police officers who were pulled off the Boardwalk, the
streets and the buses are now able to go back to these routine assignments."

Police officials were not sure Wednesday If officers would be sent to close
down clubs now that the law Is in effect.

"Our reaction will be based on what (the clubs) do," said Jay Hancock,
police spokesman.