The last, last call may be soon at hand for two Coos Bay bars that police contend pose a safety hazard to the community.

Mak’s Old City Hall Lounge and Gussie’s Bar and Grill both have applied for liquor license renewals with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Although the decision is the OLCC’s to make, Coos Bay Police has asked the Coos Bay City Council to recommend denying the renewals at Tuesday’s meeting.

In his staff report, police Chief Rodger Craddock noted police have responded to Mak’s 51 times since the start of the year for everything from assaults to fights to illegal drug use.

In a separate report, he said police responded to Gussie’s 65 times since July of last year. Calls included reports of a stabbing, shooting, robbery and numerous assaults.

“These calls represent a pattern that reveals a history of serious and persistent problems,” he wrote. “These incidents represent the signs and symptoms of over serving alcohol, which poses a serious threat to the safety of their patrons, staff and the community at large.”

Jericho Clark, who does security work at Mak’s, said every employee at the bar is trained to recognize the signs of intoxication.

“Everyone is checking for over service on a nightly basis,” he said.

He said the number of calls to police has diminished since January, and most are precautionary, rather than reporting an out-of-control situation.

“We have some pushing and arguing, but we don’t have brawls,” Clark said.

Both bars have five employees providing security on Friday and Saturday nights.

John Pundt, owner of Gussie’s, said his staff also is trained to identify intoxicated customers.

What can be challenging is if someone takes a couple shots in the parking lot, then goes into the bar to order something, that person may not show the effects until it is too late, Pundt said.

“We are certainly going to tighten our ship,” he said. “Right now, if they are already intoxicated, we send them out the door.”

Mak’s is located at 375 Central Ave. Gussie’s is at 1088 Newmark Ave.

— Staff Writer Alexander Rich