Adult businesses vex council

BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

HOWELL — Councilman Joseph DiBella said recently that municipal officials are at work trying to develop a "proper fix" for the issue of where to place establishments that cater to adult entertainment media and products.

The statement was made at the Township Council’s body’s Feb. 3 meeting.

At that time, the council members had to vote to approve games licenses for several restaurants and other establishments that included the Funtime Boutique, Route 9.

The Funtime Boutique is an adult games and bookstore that has been a thorn in the side of several Howell administrations as citizens have, over the years, called for the closing of all such businesses in the community.

The Howell Adult Book Store, Route 9, was scheduled for a new license approval on Tuesday’s council agenda.

No one under 18 is permitted in either business.

Township Attorney Thomas Gannon told Mayor Timothy J. Konopka and members of the council at the earlier meeting that under the law they could not move to close these types of businesses.

"If you tried to close [Funtime Boutique] you’d get sued and you’d lose," Gannon said.

Councilman Peter Tobasco said the only recourse for the governing body would be to adopt an ordinance establishing a zone that would restrict the adult businesses to that zone.

Given Gannon’s admonition about the cost of rejecting the reapproval of the games license for the Funtime Boutique, DiBella voted with Konopka and Tobasco for approval after stating his vote was, "regrettably, yes."

Councilman Juan Malave and Deputy Mayor Cynthia Schomaker voted no on the new approval Funtime Boutique needed in order to continue operating.