February 9, 2011
Put policy on ice,
council says
by Vance Gutzman
Deep River council
members would like to put the town's proposed alcohol policy on ice.
The policy came up for discussion last week, after recreation manager
Shelly Cull presented council with a draft copy of a municipal
alcohol policy she formulated.
This latest policy is actually a rehash of the previous alcohol policy
which the previous council undertook in 2009.
The main issues that arose from that policy were incorporated into this
latest draft.
"A policy such as this will provide operational procedures for those
holding events in municipally owned facilities," Cull stated in her
background report on the issue.
"The policy will ensure that events where alcohol use is permitted will
be supervised and operated properly."
The original draft policy from two years ago generated a great deal of
controversy in the community at the time.
One of the concerns was that the conditions in the policy would make it
harder for local groups to hold fund-raising events.
Councillor Chris Carroll still has concerns like that about the revised
draft policy.
"I remain unconvinced of the utility of this policy," Carroll said at
last week's council meeting, noting that alcohol policies are put in
place automatically through special occasion permits under auspices of
the Liquor Licence Act of Ontario.
"It was very poorly received," Carroll said of the community's
reception to the alcohol policy two years ago.
"It was viewed as being very prescriptive by the municipality."
Councillor Terry Myers concurred with that sentiment.
"The sale and service of alcohol is regulated by the province," Myers
said.
"Our responsibility as owners of the facilities is to make sure people
are properly licensed."
Councillor Ron Desrochers liked a suggestion by Councillor Daniel Banks
that the town could simply do more to raise public awareness of the
existing policies contained in the Liquor Licence Act.
"Maybe we should just have a checklist, or a summary," Desrochers said.
"If someone breaks the law, I expect the police to deal with it."
Councillor Ruth Syme also weighed in on the issue, expressing her
doubts as to how well the new draft alcohol policy would hold water
with people in the community.
"I'm not sure this would be received by the public as a particularly
helpful document," Syme said.
"It may be regarded with a certain sense of hostility."
Cull was adamant, however, that the policy she formulated would do the
town a world of good in terms of mitigating liability issues.
"It's very important for a municipality in a suing world out there,"
Cull said.
"I believe this needs to be done."
Myers remained unconvinced however, despite saying that he had no
problem with the concept of an alcohol policy - just not one on its
current guise.
"I still don't think our role is to set ourselves up in the role of
liquor inspectors," he maintained.
But Cull's draft policy received support last week from Michelle
Larose, the town's chief administrative officer.
"It's called due diligence on the part of the municipality," Larose
shot back after hearing some of the criticisms.
"It's a huge liability risk if we don't have an alcohol policy in
place. It's reducing our risk."
"That's just the point," Carroll countered.
"If that's all this did, that would be fine, but this policy goes way
beyond that. When you get into the role of being an inspector, you're
almost being more Catholic than the Pope."
Over the top
Mayor David Thompson, while commending Cull for her efforts in
formulating this latest alcohol policy, is also not a big fan.
"If the goal is to reduce municipal liability, this document will do
that," Thompson said.
"But it exceeds what the province asks for, and the province is
already over the top in its rules and regulations."
Thompson went on to say the draft policy is so restrictive, it would
make people think twice about even wanting to use the town's facilities
for licensed events.
"Even though this policy isn't in place, people have already been
talking with their feet," Thompson said, noting that, if the policy was
in place, events like the volunteer party he attended at the library
just before Christmas wouldn't even be the same.
"I was not accosted by an unruly mob of sherry-soaked seniors," the
mayor said, tongue in cheek.
As council debated what, if anything, to do with Cull's 16-page
document, Councillor Banks suggested the town should garner input from
the very groups that rent its facilities for licensed events.
"I do want to make sure we aren't going too far," he said.
But Deputy Mayor Mary MacCafferty said she already has a fair idea of
what sort of an answer the town would receive.
"People don't want it," MacCafferty said.
"The public doesn't always like everything we impose at this table."
Council will wait until tonight's council meeting when it will listen
to a municipal insurance policy presentation from its insurer, MIS
Insurance Services, before deciding what, if anything, to do with the
draft policy.
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