If a proposed nightclub gets the nod from the Craig City Council this month, Archie Albaugh is worried it won’t bode well for his neighborhood.

“I’m convinced I will be hearing Tarango’s if Tarango’s goes in,” he said, referring to a new business that has yet to open near his home in the 600 block of Pershing Street.

Albaugh put his concerns on paper, signing a petition slated to go before the council today.

As of Monday, about 25 business owners and 75 residents had put their names on three or four copies of the petition making its way through the city, said Randy Looper, co-owner of the nearby Elk Run Inn.

“We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge the Craig City Council to deny the tavern liquor license applied for by Victor Tarango, dba Tarango’s Night Club” located at 535 Green St., the petition reads.

Randy Looper and his wife, Cindy, are among the four local residents who are gathering signatures for the petitions, which have been in circulation since mid-March.

Jen Kenney, a Craig Police Department detective, is also circulating petitions. In an email, Kenney clarified her work on the petition is solely as a Craig resident and not a function of her position with the police department.

The petition started a few weeks before nightclub owner Victor Tarango made his first application for retail gaming and liquor licenses.

The Craig City Council unanimously denied the application after a background check conducted by the police department found Tarango allegedly provided false information on his applications.

He allegedly indicated he had no criminal convictions or driving privilege suspensions. But the background check revealed he was reportedly arrested in 2000 for DUI and was later convicted of driving while ability impaired, which resulted in a 30-day license suspension and a year of unsupervised probation.

He reportedly faced other license suspensions in 2000, 2001 and 2010 for failure to pay child support, according to the police report.

Tarango could not be reached for comment Monday.

The city council was initially scheduled to consider his second liquor license application today, but the hearing was rescheduled for May 22 because notice was not posted early enough before the meeting, Craig City Clerk Shirley Seely said.

Randy Looper plans to present the petitions to the council today, in case there is discussion, he said.

Randy, whose business is located just south of Tarango’s, declined to comment on why he backs the petitions. But, he said there has been good reception from other business owners.

“Most businesses around here who can sign, have,” he said.

Overall, though, reaction to the petitions has been mixed.

Surrounding government and nonpolitical entities— including the Craig Post Office, which is located in the same building as the proposed nightclub— are legally restricted from signing, he said.

Some people said they supported the idea, but wanted to avoid publicity, Randy said.

However, “we’ve gotten people who are very receptive,” he said.

Albaugh was one of them.

Both his office and his home are located near Tarango’s, and noise the nightclub could generate is one of his top concerns.

“There will be drinkers that get drinking and will stand outside (because they cannot smoke inside) and holler and yell at each other, and I will hear it and it will keep my wife and myself awake,” said Albaugh, 69.

He’s also worried about Tarango’s patrons damaging vehicles parked on nearby streets.

“I’m not saying … all drinkers will do that, but it tends to happen,” he said.

Bridget Manley can be reached at 875-1793 or bmanley@craigdailypress.com.