College town leaders mull possible booze ordinances
Posted: Monday, December 04, 2006
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) -- The Brookings city attorney has shown city council members some examples of binge drinking ordinances they could consider.
One potential ordinance would restrict alcohol sales to people who are obviously drunk. Other changes could bar alcoholic beverage sales below wholesale cost or ban the sale of unlimited servings of alcohol.
A recent study shows just under half of the students at South Dakota State University are significantly more likely to take part in binge drinking than those in other states, according to Dennis Falken, interim city manager.
The study defines binge drinking as more than five drinks in one sitting.
One bar owner said bars already have an obligation to cut off those who obviously are drunk -- and it happens a lot. There's only so much that bar workers can do to keep people from getting drunk, the bar owner said.
Some downtown business owners say they're concerned about the effect that bar customers have on the area.
Donna Ramsay, who owns a business in downtown Brookings, said drinkers have harassed her and many others.
"I have personally observed it -- in broad daylight, people urinating in public ... in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday," she said.
Bars may have a bad reputation, but they're safer for drinkers than parties, said Karl Steege, manager of Skinner's Pub.
"If a young person at a house party passes out, no one's going to call an ambulance," he said.
"They'll just put them to bed and hope they wake up in the morning."
Steege said bar employees take care of people "because they're our customers and we want them to come back -- and we're required to by law, to keep our operating agreements."
The city council agreed that the city should hold quarterly meetings with bar owners and police to handle any issues that come up.
One potential ordinance would restrict alcohol sales to people who are obviously drunk. Other changes could bar alcoholic beverage sales below wholesale cost or ban the sale of unlimited servings of alcohol.
A recent study shows just under half of the students at South Dakota State University are significantly more likely to take part in binge drinking than those in other states, according to Dennis Falken, interim city manager.
The study defines binge drinking as more than five drinks in one sitting.
One bar owner said bars already have an obligation to cut off those who obviously are drunk -- and it happens a lot. There's only so much that bar workers can do to keep people from getting drunk, the bar owner said.
Some downtown business owners say they're concerned about the effect that bar customers have on the area.
Donna Ramsay, who owns a business in downtown Brookings, said drinkers have harassed her and many others.
"I have personally observed it -- in broad daylight, people urinating in public ... in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday," she said.
Bars may have a bad reputation, but they're safer for drinkers than parties, said Karl Steege, manager of Skinner's Pub.
"If a young person at a house party passes out, no one's going to call an ambulance," he said.
"They'll just put them to bed and hope they wake up in the morning."
Steege said bar employees take care of people "because they're our customers and we want them to come back -- and we're required to by law, to keep our operating agreements."
The city council agreed that the city should hold quarterly meetings with bar owners and police to handle any issues that come up.
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