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Fargo- from www.minotdailynews.com – A Fargo businessman faced the firing squad last Thursday evening as his application for a special use permit, in order to open a gentlemen’s club, was shot down by the Ward County Planning Commission.

Kerry Fernholz, who owns the Northern Gentlemen’s Club in Fargo, applied for a permit to open a bar and gentlemen’s club at the old Speedway Restaurant, located on the western edge of Minot. According to Fernholz, the proposed business would be a split use facility, with one half featuring a restaurant and bar; the other half would be the gentlemen’s club, featuring topless dancers.

The commission unanimously rejected the permit, much to the delight of the 100-plus audience members who spoke out against having a third gentlemen’s club in their city, let alone for some on their doorstep.

Gayle Martin, who lives adjacent to the Speedway, said that she had “a huge concern about this type of business in close proximity to where we live and do business.” Martin and her husband also own Tablot’s Trailer Court, also in the vicinity of Speedway. She addressed Fernholz, asking him about the number of police calls that the Northern gets; after some investigating, Martin said that it received an average of 70 calls, a fact that would jeopardize the work load of the Ward County Sheriff’s Department.

Many of those in attendance questioned Fernholz about moral issues. David Rothchild, a resident of Rolling Hills Drive, addressed the commission, telling them that it would be their decision on whether or not “having a topless joint in Minot (would) be better for our community.” He noted four points, ranging from how demeaning topless dancing is to women, to a possible increase in prostitution, to an influx of sexually transmitted diseases.

“Is this the type of family-friendly business we want here in Minot?” Rothchild asked. “I would argue on each of these cases, no. This is not how we would want our community to grow.”

His speaking points were met with a thunderous applause from the audience.

In speaking to the audience, Fernholz explained that in Fargo, “we run a very clean, upscale gentlemen’s club operation” complete with strict security measures and a professional atmosphere that would eradicate the “seedy, sex-based” stigma that one usually associates with gentlemen’s clubs.

Jacci Culver, of northwest Minot, asked Fernholz what his purpose is in starting “this business” in Minot. Fernholz explained that there is “some financial gain” to be had, not only for himself as a businessman, but also for the community.

“It would bring in somewhere to 30 to 40 new jobs,” Fernholz said. “It would bring in an additional tax base with the county. With my projections, similar to numbers in Fargo, that tax base would amount to – just in sales tax – $10,000 a month. There is some economic basis to it and obviously some financial gain.”

These numbers, however, didn’t persuade any of the audience members to change teams. They firmly held their anti-gentlemen’s club stance.

Culver responded, asking Fernholz why he couldn’t open something similar to the Speedway.

“You could make a good business, a friend to the community,” she said. “Just knock off the topless dancing.”

“Way to go, Jacci!” a friend hollered, as Culver returned to her place against the wall with the large crowd, it was standing room only.

Another Minot resident asked Fernholz what he is offering to “our young ladies to encourage them to (lower their) moral values” in order to work with him. Fernholz explained that it is “a free will deal.”

“It’s their choice to work in that (kind of work),” Fernholz said. “I’m not trying to chance anyones beliefs. In my experience, they don’t take it as a demeaning task. It’s a way for them to make a lot of money, it’s relatively easy in their eyes. In my eyes, its giving them a great opportunity to make a lot more money than working as a teller somewhere.”

His reasoning was met by a few audible scoffs.

“The last thing I wanna see is a bunch of drunken perverts – sorry, that’s what you’re going to be addressing – on that highway,” said Vern Eckel, of Burlington. He said that his family uses the highway between Minot and Burlington every day; the number of drunken drivers would increase, hampering road safety. “If my family gets hurt on that highway, are you going to take responsibility? And the board, if you approve it, are you going to take responsibility?”

Fernholz responded that he is not promoting people to drink and drive.

“If they choose to drink and drive, that’s their problem,” Fernholz said, noting that people can use alternative methods of travel, such as taxi-cabs.

There was only one voice – other than Fernholz’s – that spoke in favor of the gentlemen’s club. A resident, who said that he “lives above the Speedway,” stated that he believes in free enterprise. Also, as a former Fargo resident and as a former customer of the Northern, he knows Fernholz’s strict guidelines at the club.

“When people get rowdy drunk, they’re out of the establishment,” he said. “My point is to the community: there’s a lot of dollars out in the oil field. They’re going to take their money and go back home with it. They’re going to spend a lot of money here.”

As he walked back to his seat, Culver murmured to him: “Some things are more important then money.”

Brian Lee, who lives in the county, near Max, said that he was “speaking for the younger generation.”

“The slogan is ‘Why not Minot.’ Why do we have to be like everything else? Why don’t we establish oursevles as something different, something better?” he said.

Lee noted that a gentlemen’s club would be “a disservice to the community” and would not increase a surge in family values. He faced the audience and asked everyone that was against it to please stand; everyone did. Lee then urged the commissioners to “go with what you see here.”

After 1 1/2 hours of testimony from the public, the commissioners closed the public hearing and moved to a discussion amongst the members. A unanimous vote against the gentlemen’s club was accepted by the commissioners and appreciated by the citizens.