(Aug. 17, 2017) Noise complaints surrounding late-night carousing at the Chicken Man Food Store in Snow Hill was the basis for a spirited discussion during a Town Council meeting last Tuesday.
Mark Nixon, a business owner adjacent to Chicken Man’s West Market Street location, said he has spoken previously to town officials about the hours of operation and conduct of patrons.
“Chicken Man stays open until midnight,” he said. “I think my main complaint is he should shut down at 10.”
Nixon went on to explain that a small percentage of Chicken Man’s clientele listen to music at high decibel levels when they visit the food store.
“During the day it gets a little bit out of hand when I’m sitting in my office and they’re vibrating the windows in the shop,” he said. “One guy rides around in a silver vehicle … that’s got external speakers and that’s just crazy. He turns them on when he walks in Chicken Man.”
The real issue for Nixon is noise levels after dark.
“My biggest problem is basically from 9 on at night,” he said. “A lot of times I’m in bed at 10 and then at 11 I get woke up.”
Snow Hill Police Chief Tom Davis said, based on previous contact with Nixon, his staff has been responsive to the issue.
“Every shift we have people doing patrol checks there for the specific reasons of noise complaints and letting their vehicles run,” he said. “They’ve made quite a few number of traffic stops … and written a number of citations and warnings.”
Nixon said the nighttime bursts of bombastic music have been a continual source of frustration.
“You’re sitting there going, ‘are they going to stop and pull away?’” he said. “They’re still there when you call [the police] and all of a sudden two minutes later the car takes off.”
In response to concerns raised previously by Nixon regarding alleged nuisances associated with Chicken Man customers, Sylvester Bratten Sr. said he spent numerous hours monitoring the traffic flow at the food operation.
“What I noticed was nothing,” he said “But I did notice one thing — somebody sitting in your yard taking pictures.”
Nixon admitted he has taken time to document the behavior exhibited by a small percentage of patrons.
“About 10 cars go up there with their stereos cranked,” he said. “Most of them get out of the car and turn the stereo up louder, and yeah, I do take pictures of them.”
Bratten argued that Nixon has a personal agenda.
“It’s a nuisance for one person and this one person has been complaining for years,” he said. “He didn’t want Chicken Man there from the get go.”
In fact, Bratten said he has attempted to be proactive in discouraging the behavior.
“I do let the guys know that please don’t come up here with that loud music,” he said. “So I’m working with you too, chief.”
Councilmember LaToya Purnell said she has spoken to ownership at Chicken Man who has made attempts to curtail the contested behaviors.
“I don’t know if you’ve been up there yet, but they did place signs where it’s visible to view,” she said. “I think they’re covering themselves as far as the loud music.”
Purnell also confirmed the police have been actively handing out citations for nuisance issues.
“They have given citations because I’ve heard the complaints about the citations,” she said. “As far as them closing down [earlier] that’s totally up to you Mayor, but we don’t have anything else in Snow Hill open. That’s the only thing we have as far as a source of food at night.”
Purnell said the police have responded appropriately and questioned what level of control store ownership should exercise over customers.
“If 12 is too late … we should address that, but I think they’re doing as much as they can,” she said. “They can’t walk out there and make people turn their stuff off.”
Nixon argued that business owners are responsible for complaints associated with their operations.
“He’s responsible for the property and for the clientele that comes on the property, period,” he said. “There ain’t no questions about it.”
Mayor Charlie Dorman said he would discus the hours of operation with ownership at Chicken Man to see if a reasonable accord could be reached.
Mark Nixon, a business owner adjacent to Chicken Man’s West Market Street location, said he has spoken previously to town officials about the hours of operation and conduct of patrons.
“Chicken Man stays open until midnight,” he said. “I think my main complaint is he should shut down at 10.”
Nixon went on to explain that a small percentage of Chicken Man’s clientele listen to music at high decibel levels when they visit the food store.
“During the day it gets a little bit out of hand when I’m sitting in my office and they’re vibrating the windows in the shop,” he said. “One guy rides around in a silver vehicle … that’s got external speakers and that’s just crazy. He turns them on when he walks in Chicken Man.”
The real issue for Nixon is noise levels after dark.
“My biggest problem is basically from 9 on at night,” he said. “A lot of times I’m in bed at 10 and then at 11 I get woke up.”
Snow Hill Police Chief Tom Davis said, based on previous contact with Nixon, his staff has been responsive to the issue.
“Every shift we have people doing patrol checks there for the specific reasons of noise complaints and letting their vehicles run,” he said. “They’ve made quite a few number of traffic stops … and written a number of citations and warnings.”
Nixon said the nighttime bursts of bombastic music have been a continual source of frustration.
“You’re sitting there going, ‘are they going to stop and pull away?’” he said. “They’re still there when you call [the police] and all of a sudden two minutes later the car takes off.”
In response to concerns raised previously by Nixon regarding alleged nuisances associated with Chicken Man customers, Sylvester Bratten Sr. said he spent numerous hours monitoring the traffic flow at the food operation.
“What I noticed was nothing,” he said “But I did notice one thing — somebody sitting in your yard taking pictures.”
Nixon admitted he has taken time to document the behavior exhibited by a small percentage of patrons.
“About 10 cars go up there with their stereos cranked,” he said. “Most of them get out of the car and turn the stereo up louder, and yeah, I do take pictures of them.”
Bratten argued that Nixon has a personal agenda.
“It’s a nuisance for one person and this one person has been complaining for years,” he said. “He didn’t want Chicken Man there from the get go.”
In fact, Bratten said he has attempted to be proactive in discouraging the behavior.
“I do let the guys know that please don’t come up here with that loud music,” he said. “So I’m working with you too, chief.”
Councilmember LaToya Purnell said she has spoken to ownership at Chicken Man who has made attempts to curtail the contested behaviors.
“I don’t know if you’ve been up there yet, but they did place signs where it’s visible to view,” she said. “I think they’re covering themselves as far as the loud music.”
Purnell also confirmed the police have been actively handing out citations for nuisance issues.
“They have given citations because I’ve heard the complaints about the citations,” she said. “As far as them closing down [earlier] that’s totally up to you Mayor, but we don’t have anything else in Snow Hill open. That’s the only thing we have as far as a source of food at night.”
Purnell said the police have responded appropriately and questioned what level of control store ownership should exercise over customers.
“If 12 is too late … we should address that, but I think they’re doing as much as they can,” she said. “They can’t walk out there and make people turn their stuff off.”
Nixon argued that business owners are responsible for complaints associated with their operations.
“He’s responsible for the property and for the clientele that comes on the property, period,” he said. “There ain’t no questions about it.”
Mayor Charlie Dorman said he would discus the hours of operation with ownership at Chicken Man to see if a reasonable accord could be reached.