"It's like a lot of other things we need to look at, we need to do it before it happens," Bailey said. "The people (who) have been working on (the ordinance) have put a lot of thought into it. I understand that these places we're trying to keep out can just happen overnight. (We) just wake up one morning and they're there. So I think this is a preventative measure."
The ordinance is being set-up not to ban such stores from Trigg County and Cadiz, but to make it difficult for the stores to open. Hollis Alexander, Cadiz Chief of Police, said he thinks the ordinance is what most Trigg County and Cadiz residents want, so owners of adult entertainment businesses will not begin to open a store here.
"I think what the desire of this body and I think what the city's desire is to get something on it to make it as hard as possible so when they come … (they say) 'we don't want to go there, look at all the red tape.' And I think that is what everyone desires," said Alexander.
There were 26 community members and five councilpersons present at the public hearing, all who were opposed to these types businesses opening in the area.
David McCraw, who owns McCraw Lumber Company in Cadiz, said he thought about the possibility of an adult entertainment store opening next to his business and realized that it would be devastating. Also, as an owner of real estate in Trigg County, McCraw said this was the first time he has ever fought for zoning laws in the area.
Pastor at Ponderosa Baptist Church, John Mitchell said as both a pastor and a citizen of Cadiz he would be opposed to adult entertainment opening in Cadiz. He also plugged that there are a number of opportunities for more family oriented businesses to come to the community.
Alice Jones, member of Ponderosa Baptist Church, said she is concerned for the welfare of the children in Cadiz. She said she thought this would give children the temptation to go to adult establishments when they have enough to deal with in the world today.
Trigg County Judge Executive, Berlin Moore, was in attendance at the hearing and was there to give any informational help from the county's perspective in passing this ordinance. Moore also said he is very against adult entertainment businesses in Trigg County and the feels the ordinance will deter people from moving here.
"Fortunately we haven't had any really try (to open)," Moore said. "This is (indefinite) to the type of community we have here … it's just not the type of environment people are moving to Trigg County to find."
Thursday was the second reading of an ordinance that will be recommended and voted on by the City Council at their meeting on Tuesday, June 1. To totally deter adult entertainment coming to Cadiz, the county has to also pass an ordinance with similar types of stipulations as the city. The county will be having its second reading of its ordinance Tuesday, June 15.
