The latest violence at Last Call has left local residents fed up and demanding a solution.

“This is a steady barrage of bad elements and incidents that are happening there, and they need to go,” said Phyllis Bia, whose Giant Flea store is right next door to Last Call, 729 N.H. “Prior to this and what happened on K-10, right then I knew that this had really gone so far, they need to get rid of it. There’s no way of cleaning it up.”

Just hours after three people outside the club were shot and taken to hospitals, Lawrence city leaders said they were ready to expand their efforts to curb violence that occurs or starts in the 700 block of New Hampshire.

Mayor Sue Hack said she wants to revive a controversial proposal to license entertainment and hospitality businesses in the city.

“In that case, if you lose your license, you can’t operate any more,” Hack said.

The mayor’s comments refer to the fact that Last Call still is operating, even though the city was successful in having the bar’s liquor license revoked by the Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Since that license was revoked late last year, Last Call has operated as a private club. As a private club, Last Call allows patrons to bring and drink their own alcohol on the premises.

And last Friday, owner Dennis Steffes asked a Shawnee County District judge to restore his liquor license while he appeals the ABC ruling. The city has pushed to shut down the club because of violence and reported drug use around the establishment. Steffes said the city’s action against him is racially motivated. Last Call plays hip-hop music and attracts mostly black customers.

Neither Steffes nor his attorney, Daniel Owen, returned messages left with them Sunday afternoon.

Hack flatly rejected any notion that the effort to shut Last Call down was racially motivated, pointing to Sunday’s violence as one example of the problem that must be addressed.

“If this were something that had any overtones of racism, not one commissioner or staff member would take part. And this has absolutely nothing to do with that,” Hack said. “This is about public safety and welfare.”

Hack said she hoped to have the licensing proposal on the agenda for the Feb. 19 or Feb. 26 commission meeting. That proposal, however, has not been without controversy.

“There’s concern that revoking these licenses might be arbitrary, but I don’t believe that will be the case,” Hack said.

City Manager David Corliss said licensing was tabled while the city focused its efforts revoking Last Call’s liquor license.

“Commissioners indicated they didn’t want to have any additional discussion of those ordinances,” he said.

That’s no longer the case.

Hack said the city has used all the tools it currently has in its toolbox and she is interested in exploring new ways to control problem establishments.

“We also can work with the local district attorney, within the state court system, and talk about prosecution of venues that have become a public nuisance,” Hack said. “I think the Last Call would certainly be considered by many to be a public nuisance after what has happened.”

Corliss said prosecution as a public nuisance has been a possibility for some time but it wasn’t the city’s prerogative to pursue that charge. Corliss said it would be up to District Attorney Charles Branson to pursue prosecution.

In addition to those proposals, Hack said she was interested in working with the Kansas Legislature to give cities more power to regulate businesses.

“We know there are businesses that operate absolutely above-board and take responsibility for patrons outside their businesses and there are others that don’t,” Hack said Sunday. “Last night is an example of a place that doesn’t take responsibility.”