Council Forms Underage Drinking Committee

The has formed the commitee that will examine an the council is considering enacting and make suggestions for how to tailor the ordinance to the borough.

The citizens committee includes Patrick J. Caserta, Esq., Mark Graw, Nicholas J. Zichello, Donna McLaughlin, Lila Helu, Jeanine Mazzola and Michele Barabash-Fradkin.

For the past several months, the that residents interested in serving on the committee submit a letter of interest to Borough Clerk Elizabeth Sebrowski. At the council's Dec. 8 meeting, Mayor Bob Collins said the borough had received 11 letters from interested citizens, but that he wanted to limit the committee to only seven members.

President Margaret Zybrick was one of the residents who submitted a letter of interest, but Collins said he did not feel elected officials should be able to serve on the committee.

"I think the committee should have the opportunity to interview, but I think we should keep it a true citizens group," Collins said.

Before the council , which would on those found in possession of alcohol on private property in the borough, Zybrick spoke at the council's Sept. 15 meeting against the ordinance. Currently, underage drinkers can only be charged if they are found drinking on public property.

"As a parent and as a child advocate, my concern is that we do right by the kids and I do not think punitive action is always the best way to go," she said at the meeting.

But the mayor said Dec. 8 that his hope was to have residents on the committee who did not feel passionately either way about the ordinance.

"She didn't hesitate from what she thought about the ordinance." he said. "She opposes it and she was clear what she thought about it. I was trying to stay away from people who already have their minds made up. I was hoping that we'd be able to have people who go in open-minded."

Zybrick said Thursday morning that she would not be upset if she was not chosen for the committee, but hopes that the committee and council do what is best for the borough's youth.

"My commitment is about doing what I perceive to be the best for all children," she said. "I've taken stands that are not popuar and my philosophy has always been I will take a stand for what I believe in, even if I stand by myself."

Councilman Gary Moleta has also been vocal on the topic, but in favor of the ordinance. Also at the Dec. 8 meeting, Moleta said he feels that the council "bunted" the issue by not passing the ordinance earlier this year.

"We did not do our duties the way I felt we should have done it," he said. "Now we're stuck with this. Now we're stuck with a committee to make a recommendation, which we should have been doing."

Moleta said he hopes that he is able to be interviewed by the committee and that his experience as a retired law enforcement official could prove beneficial. Zybrick said if she were on the committee, she would have recommended educational programs take the place of an ordinance.

"I really just feel like we get to kids without shaking our finger at them," she said. "I think education has a huge, huge function."

Zybrick said she would like to see more programs on the and younger levels where former students come back and talk to current students about the dangers of drinking and drug use. She said she would also like to see Kinnelon parents become more educated about the issue.

Additionally, she would like to see more activities offered in the borough for children and teenagers.

"We need to find more reasonable activities for our kids to get involved with in this town. Collectively, perhaps we can come up with some team center where we can engage kids in something fun," she said.

The committee has not yet met, but once it does, a chairperson will be chosen and a recommendation will be made for the ordinance next year.