By PATRICIO G. BALONA
STAFF WRITER
DELAND -- Complaints poured in as a string of anonymous phone messages left on the city manager's voicemail.
Citizens were concerned that underage drinking by students in downtown DeLand bars is a problem, and professors are worried because students show up in class drunk or hung over, affecting their performance and grades, said City Manager Michael Pleus.
So, in an effort to curb drinking by minors, city officials have partnered with Stetson University to raise awareness about the consequences of alcohol consumption by teenagers.
"In the community's mind, there are just too many incidents of underage drinking," Pleus said.
The city researched ordinances addressing the issue and commissioners amended city law Sept. 1 to target bar owners serving alcohol to people under 21 years of age.
After a bar owner is cited nine times in a 90-day period for serving alcohol to minors, DeLand's new law requires the alcohol-selling establishment to post a notice for 90 days prohibiting persons younger than 21 from entering the bar after 9 p.m. If the bar violates the prohibition two more times, the city will then take the bar owner to court.
"We are hoping that bar owners will become more aware of who they serve alcohol to," Pleus said.
STAFF WRITER
DELAND -- Complaints poured in as a string of anonymous phone messages left on the city manager's voicemail.
Citizens were concerned that underage drinking by students in downtown DeLand bars is a problem, and professors are worried because students show up in class drunk or hung over, affecting their performance and grades, said City Manager Michael Pleus.
So, in an effort to curb drinking by minors, city officials have partnered with Stetson University to raise awareness about the consequences of alcohol consumption by teenagers.
"In the community's mind, there are just too many incidents of underage drinking," Pleus said.
The city researched ordinances addressing the issue and commissioners amended city law Sept. 1 to target bar owners serving alcohol to people under 21 years of age.
After a bar owner is cited nine times in a 90-day period for serving alcohol to minors, DeLand's new law requires the alcohol-selling establishment to post a notice for 90 days prohibiting persons younger than 21 from entering the bar after 9 p.m. If the bar violates the prohibition two more times, the city will then take the bar owner to court.
"We are hoping that bar owners will become more aware of who they serve alcohol to," Pleus said.
Several bars in downtown have been cited for serving minors but still
continue to operate. Pleus said the state Division of Alcohol and
Tobacco has appeared to be reluctant to pull the liquor licenses of the
establishments.
Alexis Lambert, press secretary of the Department of Businesses and Professional Regulation, said that the agency cannot pull a liquor license on a first offense. Once a violation is reported, an administrative process followed, she said.
On a first offense, the law requires that the establishment to pay a $1,000 fine and have its license suspended for seven days. A second offense draws a $3,000 fine and a 30-day license suspension. A possible license revocation occurs after a third offense, Lambert said.
Besides the ordinance, city officials also met with Stetson officials last year to discuss the issue, said Rina Tovar, dean of students at Stetson University.
Stetson officials, including Director of Public Safety Bob Matusick, met with DeLand police Lt. Jack Waples in November to discuss the issue of high risk and underage drinking. The group contacted Alcohol Abuse Prevention on College Campuses and requested information. They discovered that Gainesville had passed an ordinance that seems to be working in fighting underage drinking, Tovar said.
DeLand's new prohibition law is modeled after Gainesville's ordinance.
In addition to the city's new law, Stetson University also implemented a Brief Alcohol Intervention Screening for college students last year, Tovar said. The program addresses concerns about students involved in excessive drinking and alcohol poisoning, Tovar said.
"Our counselors use it to try to get students to evaluate their drinking habits," Tovar said. "The goal of the program is to reduce the abuse of alcohol."
Through the program, students determined to have a significant alcohol abuse problem are referred to outside treatment centers. When students are ticketed by the police for drinking in downtown DeLand, program officials get the police report and put the students through the school's judicial system, Tovar said.
The school judicial system involves a hearing by a student judicial officer and if the student is found guilty, then measures or punishments are recommended, said Akeel St. Jean, president of Stetson's student government and a junior majoring in political science.
St. Jean said there are mixed feelings about the new ordinance on campus and students have been tweeting others about it on Twitter or discussing it on Facebook.
Most students feel a law addressing underage drinking exists and that there was no need to create a new one, St. Jean said.
"There is this sort of a feeling that it (new ordinance) was a red herring to the movement of students downtown," Akeel said.
But Akeel believes the ordinance is already showing its effect. Last week, as he went through downtown, fewer students were in the city's center. And students of drinking age are not frequenting downtown because they cannot take their underage friends along, he said.
"It is a really interesting situation because what was intended to curb underage drinking is also deterring those who are of drinking age," St. Jean said.
Stopping the Flow?
DELAND
*Amended city underage drinking law took effect Sept. 1.
*After a bar owner is cited nine times in a 90-day period for serving alcohol to minors, DeLand's new law imposes a 90-day prohibition requiring the alcohol-selling establishment to post a notice keeping people under 21 from entering the bar after 9 p.m.
*If the bar violates the prohibition two more times, the city will then take the bar owner to court.
STETSON
*University implemented an alcohol intervention screening plan for students last year.
*The program addresses concerns about students involved in excessive drinking and alcohol poisoning.
Alexis Lambert, press secretary of the Department of Businesses and Professional Regulation, said that the agency cannot pull a liquor license on a first offense. Once a violation is reported, an administrative process followed, she said.
On a first offense, the law requires that the establishment to pay a $1,000 fine and have its license suspended for seven days. A second offense draws a $3,000 fine and a 30-day license suspension. A possible license revocation occurs after a third offense, Lambert said.
Besides the ordinance, city officials also met with Stetson officials last year to discuss the issue, said Rina Tovar, dean of students at Stetson University.
Stetson officials, including Director of Public Safety Bob Matusick, met with DeLand police Lt. Jack Waples in November to discuss the issue of high risk and underage drinking. The group contacted Alcohol Abuse Prevention on College Campuses and requested information. They discovered that Gainesville had passed an ordinance that seems to be working in fighting underage drinking, Tovar said.
DeLand's new prohibition law is modeled after Gainesville's ordinance.
In addition to the city's new law, Stetson University also implemented a Brief Alcohol Intervention Screening for college students last year, Tovar said. The program addresses concerns about students involved in excessive drinking and alcohol poisoning, Tovar said.
"Our counselors use it to try to get students to evaluate their drinking habits," Tovar said. "The goal of the program is to reduce the abuse of alcohol."
Through the program, students determined to have a significant alcohol abuse problem are referred to outside treatment centers. When students are ticketed by the police for drinking in downtown DeLand, program officials get the police report and put the students through the school's judicial system, Tovar said.
The school judicial system involves a hearing by a student judicial officer and if the student is found guilty, then measures or punishments are recommended, said Akeel St. Jean, president of Stetson's student government and a junior majoring in political science.
St. Jean said there are mixed feelings about the new ordinance on campus and students have been tweeting others about it on Twitter or discussing it on Facebook.
Most students feel a law addressing underage drinking exists and that there was no need to create a new one, St. Jean said.
"There is this sort of a feeling that it (new ordinance) was a red herring to the movement of students downtown," Akeel said.
But Akeel believes the ordinance is already showing its effect. Last week, as he went through downtown, fewer students were in the city's center. And students of drinking age are not frequenting downtown because they cannot take their underage friends along, he said.
"It is a really interesting situation because what was intended to curb underage drinking is also deterring those who are of drinking age," St. Jean said.
Stopping the Flow?
DELAND
*Amended city underage drinking law took effect Sept. 1.
*After a bar owner is cited nine times in a 90-day period for serving alcohol to minors, DeLand's new law imposes a 90-day prohibition requiring the alcohol-selling establishment to post a notice keeping people under 21 from entering the bar after 9 p.m.
*If the bar violates the prohibition two more times, the city will then take the bar owner to court.
STETSON
*University implemented an alcohol intervention screening plan for students last year.
*The program addresses concerns about students involved in excessive drinking and alcohol poisoning.
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