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The Roseburg City Council voted Monday night against allowing “social gambling” in the city despite reports that other cities that allow it have seen few problems.
Councilor Mike Baker said he doesn't believe the city should be in the business of promoting the activity, which involves low-stakes games, such as poker, in private businesses or clubs.
“I just don't think it's something that is desirable in Roseburg,” Baker said.
Roseburg Police Capt. Jerry Matthews told the council that he'd checked with law enforcement agencies about the activity. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office hasn't seen problems in Riddle, and the Sutherlin Police Department reported the same.
Matthews said most businesses use the activity as a way to draw in more customers, given that businesses are not allowed to profit directly from the activity.
Councilor Steve Tuchscherer questioned why the city would not allow social gambling when gambling is already prevalent.
“We're not being asked to be ethicists,” he said.
He also expressed concern that the city is essentially keeping people from starting new businesses by not approving an ordinance that would allow social gambling.
The council voted in 2005 to not pursue such an ordinance. Monday night, the council voted 4 to 3 not to pursue it. Councilors Baker, Rick Coen, Tom Ryan and Ken Averett were in the majority.
In other business, the council approved a resolution in support of the rebuilding of the Interstate 5 interchange at Exit 129 at Del Rio Road near Winchester. The resolution did not specify which design the council prefers.
The Oregon Department of Transportation prefers a design that would cost an estimated $50 million, while the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently expressed favor for a more costly design they say would better open the area to industrial development, although members also expressed conditional support of the $50 million project.
The council also voted to support an application for a vertical housing program administered by Oregon Housing & Community Services. The program allows the city to provide partial property tax exemptions for developers who construct residential housing over commercial spaces within the program area, in this case, the Downtown Historic District.
The council also asked city staff to come up with a new ordinance to address the issue of using “boots” to immobilize vehicles whose owners have not paid their parking tickets. Several councilors expressed concern with having the threshold for the required number of unpaid tickets too low.
Councilors voted 4 to 3 for a motion to have staff prepare an ordinance that would require someone to have at least five unpaid tickets equaling at least $250 in fines before a boot could be used.
Councilor Mike Baker said he doesn't believe the city should be in the business of promoting the activity, which involves low-stakes games, such as poker, in private businesses or clubs.
“I just don't think it's something that is desirable in Roseburg,” Baker said.
Roseburg Police Capt. Jerry Matthews told the council that he'd checked with law enforcement agencies about the activity. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office hasn't seen problems in Riddle, and the Sutherlin Police Department reported the same.
Matthews said most businesses use the activity as a way to draw in more customers, given that businesses are not allowed to profit directly from the activity.
Councilor Steve Tuchscherer questioned why the city would not allow social gambling when gambling is already prevalent.
“We're not being asked to be ethicists,” he said.
He also expressed concern that the city is essentially keeping people from starting new businesses by not approving an ordinance that would allow social gambling.
The council voted in 2005 to not pursue such an ordinance. Monday night, the council voted 4 to 3 not to pursue it. Councilors Baker, Rick Coen, Tom Ryan and Ken Averett were in the majority.
In other business, the council approved a resolution in support of the rebuilding of the Interstate 5 interchange at Exit 129 at Del Rio Road near Winchester. The resolution did not specify which design the council prefers.
The Oregon Department of Transportation prefers a design that would cost an estimated $50 million, while the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently expressed favor for a more costly design they say would better open the area to industrial development, although members also expressed conditional support of the $50 million project.
The council also voted to support an application for a vertical housing program administered by Oregon Housing & Community Services. The program allows the city to provide partial property tax exemptions for developers who construct residential housing over commercial spaces within the program area, in this case, the Downtown Historic District.
The council also asked city staff to come up with a new ordinance to address the issue of using “boots” to immobilize vehicles whose owners have not paid their parking tickets. Several councilors expressed concern with having the threshold for the required number of unpaid tickets too low.
Councilors voted 4 to 3 for a motion to have staff prepare an ordinance that would require someone to have at least five unpaid tickets equaling at least $250 in fines before a boot could be used.
