The Board of Mayor and Aldermen have approved an agreement between the city and Larry Prentiss, owner of L.D.’s Kitchen, that is expected to improve safety and security at the business on Mulberry Street.

The vote Monday was 3-0 to approve the agreement, which was presented to the city Friday during a meeting between Mayor George Flaggs Jr. and Prentiss to discuss safety issues at the business after a Dec. 24 shooting in which five people were wounded. Prentiss was allowed to reopen the business’ lounge area Friday after the meeting.

“I’m glad that the board backed my action to sign the resolution and that it was unanimous,” Flaggs said. “We now have an official memorandum of understanding.”

Under the agreement, the lounge in the business will not open until 5 p.m. daily and all customers will be screened by security guards using hand-held metal detectors, including customers who leave the business and later return, and all customers will have to enter through the building’s front door.

The security guards will also monitor the parking lot, and the minimum age to enter the lounge will be 25, with security checking IDs.

Prentiss will also be required to install video cameras in and outside the business and make recordings available to police, install a walk-through metal detector, upgrade security, train the staff on new safety procedures, redecorate and organize furniture to keep walkways clear, and repaint the interior a lighter color increase visibility inside the building by Jan. 31.

All exit door locks must be changed to push bar emergency exits with sirens on the door by July 1.

The Christmas Eve shooting forced city officials to close the lounge area at L.D.’s until Prentiss could provide the city with a plan to include improved safety and security procedures, although the business’ restaurant and catering service was allowed to remain open

Denzell Watts, 21, 1146 Lee Davis Circle, Utica, is charged with five counts of aggravated assault in the shooting. He is being held in the Warren County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.