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| 11 April 2002 - East County Californian Local teen club owner forced out of El Cajon Record of owner’s ‘irresponsibility’ cited by officials By Becky Pallack EL CAJON – Communities Against Substance Abuse and the El Cajon Police Department forced an “irresponsible” businessman out of town last week just before the hearing for a conditional use permit was to be heard at the city council meeting. CASA and police officials claimed businessman Stojan “Stony” Mitich, who intended to open the Innergy Club downtown has a reputation of irresponsibility for other clubs he owned in San Diego County and Temecula, California. Lt. Jim Cunningham, community policing commander, said oversights in security led to high numbers of police responses to criminal activity and violence inside and outside the other clubs. “It appears that it would create an undue number of police service calls just for noise,” Cunningham said. “It’s a business that has a heavy demand for police services and for that reason the police department can’t support that.” The police department planned to issue a negative report and recommendation to deny the permit to Mitich. However, Mitich decided to withdraw his application from consideration by the city. “It’s a shame because we need a teen dance club here,” Mayor Mark Lewis said. Mitich said he is undecided whether to continue to look for club locations in El Cajon. “It just didn’t seem like the “city” was in support of it. We just decided to pull out and not try,” Mitich said. “The downtown business community has a vision and kids don’t seem to be a part of that vision. I guess they’d rather have them in downtown Tijuana.” Mitich, whose business owns the mobile DJ system that plays for all the area’s high school dances, said he was trying to answer the demand for other teen hangouts that would be safer than clubs in Mexico. CASA Communications Director Mary Ann Dunwell said a local club is a good alternative to trouble in Tijuana, however, the communities could not endorse a club with a “bad news” business owner who “cuts corners on security.” Dunwell said an El Cajon teen club should be run by the Parent-Teacher Association, city parks and recreation departments or local religious groups. There are currently no teen centers or clubs in El Cajon. “Just because a place is billed as alcohol and drug-free doesn’t mean that it is,” Dunwell said. “We don’t provide the youth any opportunities. That’s why the door is open for an irresponsible business owner like this.” Meanwhile, Mitich insists that he does not have a bad reputation, citing involvement with Boys and Girls Clubs and chambers of commerce in the communities where he currently owns clubs. Mitich also owns Club Tropic, a dance club in San Marcos, and The IceHouse, a non-alcohol youth dance club in Escondido. He has owned individually and with his father, Charles Mitich, three other non-alcohol teen dance spots: After Dark in Escondido, The Valley Beat in Temecula and Club Tronix in Casa De Oro. All of these clubs have had problems with noise and violence, police and CASA representatives said, including a drive-by shooting, a multiple-victim baseball bat attack, fighting, prostitution and gang activity. Mitich acknowledged that there have been problems at his father’s clubs, but said the clubs have improved under his ownership. Ten years ago, he explained there was no screening of club goers. Now, he says he has upped security and enforced screening rules. Dunwell and Mayor Lewis said the city needs to evaluate what opportunities are available to teens for evening entertainment. Lewis said he will ask the city’s youth commission to report on the possibility of a teen center in the city. |
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