Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Missouri-area council drafts private vendor alcohol policy
By Ryan Gladstone
The Maneater (U. Missouri)
05/22/2007

(U-WIRE) COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Columbia (Mo.) City Council forwarded a draft policy to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Monday night that would allow private vendors to sell alcohol at events in city parks. The plan, which was drafted by city employees of the Parks and Recreation Department, will now undergo a review by the commission's citizen panel.

The city permits the sale of alcohol at its golf clubs and baseball stadiums, but if the proposed plan were to pass, vendors interested in selling alcohol would have to meet several requirements outlined in the draft plan before they could also sell. The proposed requirements include securing a special event alcohol sales permit in addition to the normal event permit and paying a fee of $100 or 10 percent of sales, whichever is more.

Like all events held on city grounds, the vendors would have to carry $2 million of liability insurance, City Manager Bill Watkins said.

Watkins said the city staff was asked to research the possibility of allowing individuals to sell alcohol after a request last summer.

"Last year, with the Art in Park, there was a request to sell alcohol, specifically wine," Watkins said.

The council decided to address the wider issue, instead of making decisions on a case-by-case basis, and asked the Parks and Recreation Department to study what ordinances other communities have adopted and what options Columbia had.

"Parks and Recreation has been working on this for a number of months," Watkins said.

Parks and Recreation Department Director Mike Hood introduced the draft during the meeting. He said the permits would only be issued for events held in the city's larger parks and not in smaller "family parks."

"In general, we think it is a workable policy," Hood said.

Mayor Darwin Hindman said he was in favor of the plan, but he wants to make sure the park property, as well as others' rights to enjoy the city's parks, is protected.

"We, as a city, sell alcohol in our parks, so we are already doing it ourselves," Hindman said. "I think it can be done and done well without hurting anyone."

Only Fourth Ward Councilmen Jerry Wade voted against approving the report.

"I am not convinced that the benefits to the individual are strong enough," Wade said.

Wade said he was concerned about the message that having alcohol at events would send.

"To me, there is a broader question we need to consider," he said.

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