Council clears way for bingo

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Mar 1, 2008 - Page: 1B

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HAMMOND — The City Council opened the way for a third video bingo parlor in Hammond by voting Friday to override the mayor’s veto of a bowling alley zoning change that would usher in the games.

The 4-1 vote came after an hour-long council meeting attended by 100 or more people filling all seats and standing in the aisles, most of them against any expansion of gambling in the city.

At issue was a zoning change sought by Brian Depaula, owner of Tangi Lanes Bowling on Thomas Street, that would permit him to open a video bingo parlor on the premises.

The council voted 4-1 to grant the zoning change on Feb. 6, but Mayor Mayson Foster vetoed the measure on Feb. 15.

Video bingo has been a controversial issue since 2005, when the City Council first adopted an ordinance to allow the electronic gambling machines that are similar to video poker but are governed by different state laws.

At that time, the mayor vetoed the City Council’s decision to allow the games, but the council overrode him during a daytime special meeting with an overflow crowd of residents speaking out against video poker.

Just as in 2005, ministers and their allies spoke to the council on Friday about video bingo not being a family-friendly value to promote in Hammond and emphasizing the problems of gambling addiction.

Some video bingo opponents addressing the council Friday directed their remarks at Councilman Jason Hood, who quit his job working for a man who owns a video bingo distributorship.

Hood’s resignation from that job came after constituents raised concerns that his employment conflicted with his votes for a video bingo parlor, even though that parlor was not directly owned by his former boss.

“I think this has become more about perception and whether or not the original vote has been tainted in any way,” Greg Drude, a Hammond resident and businessman, told the council.

Hood addressed the comments made by Drude and others before casting his vote to override the veto.

“I feel I was elected to make a vote, and I did quit my job,” Hood said.

Hood added that if he had anything to hide, he would have waited until after the bowling alley issue was settled before taking the job in January.