The Cape Girardeau City Council wants more time to work through an ordinance that would prohibit underage customers from bars after 10:00 p.m.
The original ordinance would ban patrons who are under 21 years of age from establishments that earn 35 percent of their annual gross sales from alcohol.
Some problems arose with the mechanics of the ordinance. How would the city collect data from business owners to know if 35 percent of annual gross sales is from alcohol? How would brand new businesses estimate this percentage? What about special events ... and sports complexes and golf courses?
During the course of discussions at Monday night’s study session, council members also brought up an alternative - increase the punishment for selling to underage drinkers.
City manager Scott Meyer says all options are still on the table.
"So there’s several ideas that we’re going to come back and have some more discussion on, which I think is very good," Meyers said. "I think that’s really what the purpose of study session is -- to work through the ideas sufficiently to where we really get all the input and come up with the best ordinance for the community as well as the business owners as well as the city. And you want the outcomes. You really want less minors drinking."
In a city-sponsored online poll, only 20 percent of 312 respondents felt the proposed ordinance is adequate. Staff will make more recommendations at the next council meeting.
In other business, council members voted 6 to 1 in favor of an ordinance that regulates scooters. Under the new law, scooter drivers must wear a helmet, possess insurance and cannot travel on roads with speed limits above 35 miles per hour. Trent Summers was the lone council member to vote against the ordinance.
The council also gave first reading approval of an ordinance that requires pawn shops, second hand dealers, recyclers, and junk and scrap dealers to report transaction on a service called Leads Online. This service helps law enforcement track down thieves and stolen goods.
