Underage Drinking Committee Needs More Members

The is still seeking community members to serve on a citizen committee to consider the the council tabled last month. If enacted, the ordinance would have imposed a penalty on underage drinkers and those possessing alcohol underage on private property.

At Thursday's council meeting, Mayor Bob Collins said only three or four residents had shown interest in serving on the committee by submitting a letter of interest, and that he wanted to establish a concrete number of people who would serve on the committee. While the mayor felt ten people would be appropriate, Councilman Andy SanFilippo recommended between six and seven.

Councilman Gary Moleta said he reached out to a representative of , the borough's municipal drug alliance, to see if any members would be interested in being involved. But Collins said he is hoping for some committee members who are neither strongly for nor strongly against the ordinance to be able to bring impartial input to the committee.

The ordinance, which was indefinitely tabled at the Sept. 16 meeting, would have imposed fines beginning at $250 on an underage drinker and, on subsequent offenses, may have resulted in the loss of the person's license. The council  after  spoke about how he felt the penalties could deter underage drinkers. Currently, Kinnelon police are only able to penalize underage drinkers or those who are underage and found to be in possession of alcohol on public property.

To gain more public input, the council  in the  auditorium. About 35 people attended, a low turnout according to the mayor, but many councilmembers said this could have been due to the timing of the special meeting, in July, when many residents were away on summer vacation.

The council then  on the ordinance until the council's regular September meeting when it was once again tabled for the committee to be formed to provide recommendations on behalf of the citizens to the council.

Moleta said he thinks the committee needs more time to be formed.

"I'd like to ask for at least one, if not two members, from the [to serve]," San Filippo said.

San Filippo, the council's liaison to the Public Safety Committee, told the council that at the Morris County Chief's meeting last month, other chiefs were astonished that Kinnelon experienced public resistance on the ordinance.

"Our town didn't embrace it. In our town, our residents are totally against it," San Filippo said.

Councilman Jim Freda recommended Councilman Stephen Cobell, who is still unsure of whether he is for or against the ordinance that was originally proposed, sit on the committee as a council representative. But Cobell recommended that a councilmember serve as a non-voting chairperson to move the meetings along and keep them productive.

Also at Thursday's meeting, Moleta, who is in favor of an underage drinking ordinance, shared a statute being considered by the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly that involves an educational component to the penalty for underage drinking.

"In lieu of the fine and license suspension imposed pursuant to subsection A. of this section, a person may exercise the option to complete six hours of alcohol education in a formal classroom setting," the statute reads.

Cobell recommended the committee further review the statute to see if it could be worthwhile for Kinnelon, but Collins said due to the fact that the full committee has not yet been formed, he does not see the council taking action on an underage drinking ordinance this year.

If you are interested in serving on the committee, mail a letter of interest to Borough Clerk, Kinnelon Borough, 130 Kinnelon Rd. Kinnelon, NJ 07405 Re: Ord. 7-11.