A bid to keep underage people out of Fort Dodge bars late at night has been put on hold because of opposition from Iowa Central Community College.
The school's Student Senate and its administrators joined forces against the plan, claiming it would ''affect the college atmosphere'' and perhaps cause fewer students to enroll.
Their complaints prompted the City Council to postpone any action on the concept until Dec. 8.
''College students are very, very important to us,'' Councilman Dan Payne said after Monday night's council meeting. ''We have a big college base. We've got to be cognizant of their impressions of the community.''
Councilman Don Wilson said there's ''absolutely nothing'' for young people to do in town.
''I think we just want to take some time and visit with the students,'' he said. ''I feel they have some great concerns that we need to address.''
The proposal that upset the college community would prohibit people under age 21 from being in a business that has a liquor license after 10 p.m. unless they're with their parents or guardians.
That 10 p.m. deadline would not apply to businesses that could prove that more than half of their revenue comes from sales of food or items other than alcohol.
The measure is intended to help curtail underaged drinking. Council members gave it preliminary approval on Oct. 13. It has to be approved twice more to become law.
That process hit a delay Monday night after six people, all from Iowa Central, spoke against it.
Logan Villhauer, representing the Student Senate, read a resolution opposing the plan. He said the student governing body approved it unanimously on Oct. 14.
''Members of the Student Senate are concerned that by banning college students and other young adults from entering nightclubs after 10 p.m., the City of Fort Dodge will be adversely affecting the college atmosphere and would likely impact student enrollment negatively,'' he said. ''In addition, the city would potentially discourage young adults from living and working in Fort Dodge. The Student Senate views this City Council proposal as a de facto 10 p.m. curfew for college students and other young adults.''
Dave Drissell, a social science professor and adviser to the student government, told the council that the college's administration ''is definitely behind the Student Senate in opposing this resolution.''
College student Robert Carman described the proposal as an ''unfair curfew.''
''This will not curb underage drinking,'' he said. ''They'll just go to house parties.''
Five supporters of the proposal also had their say Monday.
''We're asking today that the City Council vote yes to ban minors from bars after 10 o'clock,'' said Liddy Hora, coordinator of the Webster County Drug-Free Alliance. ''Please don't miss this opportunity to reduce underage drinking in our community.''
Theresa Newman, director of the Healthy Living Department at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, told the council that prohibiting those under age 21 from being in bars is a ''powerful and well-documented approach'' to combating underaged drinking.
Megan Averill, a St. Edmond High School student and a member of Youth In Action, said statistics have shown that 53 percent of underaged college students who acknowledge drinking said they did that in off-campus bars.
After hearing both sides make their case, Councilman Richard Inman, a semi-retired Iowa Central instructor, moved that the proposal be tabled until Dec. 8. That measure was approved unanimously, with Councilman Matt Bemrich absent.
Payne said that City Manager David Fierke and the Police Department will work on revising the proposal.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net
