Undeterred by second round of DeKalb council ‘no’ vote, Mason says he’ll survey Wards 4-7 about laundromat video gaming permit

DeKALB – DeKalb-based landlord and businessman Jim Mason plans to do more homework to see what DeKalb residents really think about his proposed combined video gaming and liquor license for a local laundromat after the DeKalb City Council’s declined again this week to approve the license.

Mason said Thursday following a DeKalb City Council meeting earlier this week he ‘has done everything he can to do things the right way’ business-wise and has paid about $50 million in real estate and sales taxes since 1967 for his numerous properties throughout the area. In response to residents in Wards 4, 5, 6 and 7 allegedly coming forward opposed to the idea of video gaming, beer and wine at the Mega Grande Laundromat off of Fourth Street, he said he was going to start surveying those residents by mail and anticipates sending those out in early spring.

“I’m being treated unfairly,” Mason said. “No doubt about it.”

If the survey says there’s a majority that takes an interest in it or at least no opposition, Mason said, the plan is to try bringing this up again before a new mayor and new city council after the April 6 consolidated election.

“Because if it becomes apparent this isn’t a problem, the new mayor and City Council should reconsider,” Mason said.

The DeKalb School District 428 Board of Education members were not in support of the city’s laundromat liquor license classification, according to school board documents.

“They were not comfortable with liquor being sold at the Mega Grande Laundromat due to its close proximity to Huntley Middle School,” according to Sept. 15 school board minutes.

However, city officials said during the Monday council meeting there’s a gaming establishment that serves liquor within 100 yards of Founders Elementary School. Twin Tavern also is close to Lincoln Elementary School and there’s also another video gaming establishment within 100 yards of Clinton Rosette Middle School.

Mason said the establishment is required to be 100 feet away from a school and the distance from Huntley Middle School to the laundromat is 250 feet. Sullivan’s, the grocery store that used to occupy the same space the laundromat is in now, was there for about two decades and they had a liquor license there, he said.

“I either get my ammunition or I drop it,” Mason said, adding he didn’t think his proposal would be voted down.

DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said Mason called him to tell him he was considering surveying residents. He said it’s not often that a petitioner will do something like that, but he personally doesn’t believe it would hurt anything and people will decide on their own whether they want to respond to it when they receive it.

“That’s something that’s actually doing homework,” Nicklas said. “So if he really wants to know and wants to spend money on it, I don’t see any problem with it.”