VIDALIA — Early morning noise complaints from residents living near the Dodge Store caused the Concordia Parish Police Jury to discuss possible solutions at Monday night’s jury meeting.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. when the night clubs close, residents complain they are often awakened by the glass-vibrating music as Dodge Store customers park to get food to sober up.

“They are there to get some of that chicken,” said juror Whest Shirley.

This was the second time in a year that Dodge Store area supervisor George Grayson was called before the board, and Shirley said with enough complaints the store’s beer license could be at risk.

“It is not a big beer store,” Grayson said. “We could run the business without beer.”

Grayson said his employees are telling people to turn the music down when they pull up. They also call the sheriff’s office when the noise gets out of hand. But by the time the deputy arrives, the violator is usually gone, Grayson said.

“I feel sorry for what is happening to these homeowners, but I am limited in what I can do,” he said. “There is not a lot we can do as a company — if we hire a security guard, it’s just going to get someone hurt.”

Juror Willie Dunbar said the parish ought to have an ordinance that exists in other cities where a ticket up to $500 can be written for a noise violation.

Responding, fellow Juror Jimmy Wilkinson said the parish has an ordinance prohibiting someone from disturbing the peace.

“You have to make it a $500 fine,” Dunbar said. “That’s the only way you are going to get their attention.”

Dunbar said under the current policy, sheriff’s deputies are limited in what they can do unless the deputy catches the violator in the act.

To take care of this problem, Wilkinson suggested that the Dodge Store hire an off duty deputy to show up in a car and a uniform to act as security between midnight and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Grayson said he doesn’t make such decisions, but he could bring it up with his bosses. He did have a problem with potentially hiring a guard, though, beyond the cost of posting one.

“A lot of our business is from people driving by,” he said. “If they see a guard, they will think this isn’t a good place to be and keep driving.

“We’ve been a part of this community for a long time — as long as some of those houses. It’s a good business, and we’d like to continue being a part of this community.”

In other news, business licenses were approved for a 3D printing and gun accessory store Range Tray on 392 Rountree Road; and DME Express, 329 Westside Drive, a medical equipment provider.