The State News’ editorial “Dance On” (2/22) incorrectly identified me, by name and title, as the lone dissenting vote against a special-use permit for a dance floor, coupled with other conditions, requested by the Spartan Sports Den before the East Lansing City Council at our Tuesday meeting.

Councilmember Bill Sharp even asked City Clerk Sue Donnell at that meeting to clarify the vote by asking the dissenting council members to identify themselves immediately after the vote, so there should have been no mistaking my vote by the reporter.

The city clerk’s draft minutes show no council member identified as the dissenting vote, because there was no roll call vote requested. The State News generally reports factually and clearly in its news articles, but I was dismayed 1) the reporter got facts wrong that were easily verified at the meeting or by the city clerk, and 2) the editor responsible for the editorial, secondhand, compounded the reporter’s error in the editorial singling me out for vilification in opposition to the editorial position.

The concerns expressed by several council members Tuesday evening had little to do with the dance floor as it related to dancing, but to the problem of “walk-around” drinking - a casualty of the disparity between actual seats required in licensed establishments and the occupancy allowed by fire code. The Spartan Sports Den special-use permit request actually increased the amount of seating available, replacing an existing games section of the business with a dance floor.

There were also concerns regarding a condition of the special-use permit as to service of patrons directly from the bar, which was also a condition of the special-use permit for Troppo’s.

I voted against a motion to strike the “no walk-up service” provision from both Spartan Sports Den’s and Troppo’s special-use permit applications, but ultimately voted in favor of both special-use permits because the issue is not the dance floors, but the capacity problem and the issue of “walk-around” drinking.

Elizabeth A. Schwarze
mayor pro tem, East Lansing