• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Apr 2, 2008 - Page: 5B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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HAMMOND — The City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday night that would force future video bingo halls to locate at least 2.5 miles apart.

Originally proposing a 2-mile radius for the halls, the ordinance’s author, Councilman Jason Hood, suggested Tuesday night adding a half-mile to the zone to make sure the area around Hammond Square mall falls within a no-hall zone.

Hood and others said they did not know by enacting the ordinance exactly what areas of Hammond would be able to offer the games in the future.

Hood had suggested during a City Council meeting last fall prohibiting any new video bingo halls within a certain distance from existing halls.

He pushed again last month for the limitation because the council voted in February to grant a zoning change to a bowling alley that would allow the alley to offer video bingo games.

That vote drew opposition from the city’s anti-video bingo constituency and led to a petition drive now underway to place a proposition on the November election ballot to ban video bingo entirely.

Hood also drew criticism because he worked for a man who is a partner in a video bingo machine distributorship. Hood has since quit that job.

Councilwoman Kathy Montecino cast the lone no-vote on the issue and declined to comment on her decision after Tuesday night’s meeting.

During the public hearing on the matter, the Rev. Louis Husser of Crossgate Baptist Church in Robert told the council that restrictions on future video bingo halls is not the answer.

“This is nothing more than trying to lock up the barn after the horse is already out,” he said.

However, Husser suggested the council consider a larger radius to outlaw video bingo in areas that could be annexed in the city. Husser also suggested prohibiting cash machines inside the parlors, prohibiting bingo halls from cashing entitlement checks and banning parents behind on child support from playing the games. He also added that video bingo should help fund gambling addiction programs.

Husser’s comments drew sharp criticism from Councilman Willie Grant Jackson and Montecino.

“You’re trying to run people’s life and you can’t do that,” Jackson said.