The Reader's Page
Journal Inquirer
March 17, 2008

On March 18, the Vernon Town Council will again have a vote on the ordinance to allow drinking of alcoholic beverages in our town buildings and our town parks by a permit approved by Mayor Jason McCoy.

At the Feb. 5 meeting, 13 residents spoke against this ordinance and 200 signatures were presented opposing the ordinance.

There are a number of reasons not to let this happen:

1. The insurance liability to the town of Vernon.

2. The cost of overtime for the Police Department.

3. The cost of overtime for clean up by the Recreation Department maintenance staff.

4. The cost of additional portable toilets to be located by the Fox Hill Tower.

The most important reason is that we are sending the wrong message to our young people that you can't smoke in our town buildings or our schools, but we will issue you a permit for a cost to drink alcoholic beverages in our town parks and buildings.

I would like to ask Vernon residents to e-mail or call the mayor, or come to the Town Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at the Senior Center on Park Place. Let the mayor and the Town Council know that you are against this ordinance.

Pauline Schaefer
Vernon

The writer is a Town Council member.