Bar Servers Could Be Restricted By City
By Joan Kent, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Jan. 17–La Crosse could require that all people serving liquor at bars be employed there and have some training, City Attorney Pat Houlihan told the Alcohol Oversight Committee on Tuesday.
That would eliminate the practice of patrons selling trays of shots in exchange for a reward such as free beer, he said. Committee members have said that is a problem at some local establishments.
The city now can’t require that all those who serve alcohol be licensed bartenders, Houlihan said. People without licenses can serve as long as they are at least age 18 and work under the supervision of a licensed bartender.
The La Crosse Common Council’s Judiciary and Administration Committee can withhold a bartender’s license if someone has tickets for alcohol offenses, such as underage drinking, but it cannot stop a bar from hiring that same person as a supervised server.
Such a move would have to be recommend to the Common Council before any action could be taken. The Alcohol Oversight Committee took no action Tuesday.
Members of the La Crosse County/City Tavern League are concerned about the proposed public intoxication ordinance, which will be introduced at a special Jan. 25 council meeting for consideration in February, said committee member Dave Berger, owner of Sloopy’s Tavern and member of the league.
“It has become paranoia,” he said. Bar owners are afraid that when people come in groups and one takes beer back to his buddies, the establishment could be fined or closed down for a time if any member of that group already is drunk, he said.
The proposed ordinance will describe conduct that would indicate public intoxication, Houlihan said. “It can’t be (just) standing on a corner, drunk.”
Committee vice chairman Dorothy Lenard said she hopes the ordinance will not discourage people from calling police when friends are at risk because of drinking. “I want to catch them before they hurt themselves, rather than being punitive,” she said.
The city’s keg ordinance has helped decrease the number of large house parties, said Officer Drew Gavrilos, police liaison with the higher education institutions.
New committee member Keith Carson asked what the city is doing to educate high school students to the dangers of alcohol abuse, noting high school drinking parties.
Gavrilos said other communities have adopted hosting ordinances that make it illegal for parents to serve alcohol to their underage children.
Joan Kent can be reached at (608) 791-8221 or jkent@lacrossetribune.com.
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Copyright (c) 2007, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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