Ahead of Sauerkraut Days, members of the Lisbon City Council will be evaluating the city’s policy on alcohol use in Lisbon City Park. At discussions at their meeting July 26, council members will consider whether a vendor should provide alcohol in the park during the Sauerkraut Days festival or if the city’s prohibition on alcohol in the park be consistently enforced.
And if the latter, who will make sure the rules are enforced?
The discussion arose during a discussion of Sauerkraut Days activities, when Lisbon city council member Stephanie Kamberling asked if the softball tournament will be held at the city park again this year. She noted that in years past, the amount of beer cans found after the softball tournaments in the park was evidence the city’s ordinance wasn’t followed. She was also worried about the city’s liability if it is not enforcing its ordinance prohibiting alcohol in the park.
Lisbon city council member Sara Nost noted she had approached the Sauerkraut Days committee about providing alcohol at the park this year, an extension of her business Regal Crown being part of the festivities. Nost had heard nothing from the committee.
The Sauerkraut Days committee operates a beer garden in downtown Lisbon as part of the festival but had no interest in establishing another beer garden at the park, committee president Jerry Dietsch said.
Smith asked if it was necessary for city attorney to review the ordinances pertaining to alcohol use in the park to make sure the city was on solid ground.
“It’s always felt wrong to have law enforcement look away from people violating the city’s code of ordinances just because there is a festival in town,” Smith said.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon police chief Doug Shannon said he would be more on board with someone with a liquor license operating a beer garden in the park then he would the current practice of allowing the violations to go forward because of the community celebration.
“Having a provider with a liquor license there gives someone control over the level of drinking that happens at the park,” Shannon said. “Those who have a liquor license are going to make sure those drinking are over 21, and are going to be able to cut someone off when they’ve had too much.”
As well, Shannon noted that if things get out of hand, that provider is going to call law enforcement because they’re not going to be willing to lose their liquor license for a violation.
Kamberling noted that if there would be no liquor license offered to any area businesses, then no alcohol or liquor should be allowed in the park, as that is spelled out in the city’s ordinances.
“I want our new police department and citizens to know exactly what the expectations are when it comes to our ordinances,” Stephanie Kamberling said.
As outlined in the Lisbon Code of ordinances for the park (Chapter 47), alcohol use in the park is prohibited, unless the premises are covered by a liquor control license. Any person who violates that ordinance is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
The council will have continued discussion and possible action on the matter at July 26’s meeting.