Baxter keeps bar closing time at 1 a.m.

BAXTER -- The closing time for Baxter bars will remain at 1 a.m.

The Baxter City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to stay at 1 a.m., despite recent state action allowing Minnesota bars to stay open until 2 a.m. starting Aug. 1.

Baxter joins Brainerd, which decided Monday to make 1 a.m. the official bar closing time.

"It's my personal opinion that right now we should go along with Brainerd or at 1 a.m. Those people will be coming to Baxter and we don't have the staff for that," said council member Rosemary Franzen.

The bar closing time issue will also be on the agendas of other areas cities within the next month, including the resort cities of Breezy Point, Crosslake and Lakeshore. So far it is not known when the Crow Wing County Board will address the issue.