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Hernando Today

Alcohol To Be Served At Festival

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: March 25, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Today's hard economy may drive some people to drink.

But in an action Tuesday, county commissioners are banking that people's taste for alcohol may actually stimulate the flow of money around here.

To test the waters, board members voted 4-1 to allow the sale of beer and wine at April 25's Reggae Fest at Linda Pedersen Park in Hernando Beach. Commissioners will gauge that event to see if the sale of alcohol brings more money into county coffers and whether park officials can keep drunks from hitting the road.

If it works out, commissioners said they would be amenable to expanding alcohol sales at the upcoming Fall Music Festival and an as-yet scheduled third park event.

This is the first time the county has allowed the use of alcohol at county events and Parks and Recreation Director Pat Fagan admits he thought long and hard before bringing it to the board.

But other counties and jurisdictions - including the Hernando County Fair Association and the City of New Port Richey - permit beer and wine sales at certain events and it is a proven revenue-generator, Fagan said.

Parks and recreation, like other county departments, has lost money during these bad economic times.

The plan for all three events would cost the county about $1,482 extra in liability insurance, Fagan said. Off-duty sheriff deputies would provide security.

Commissioner Jeff Stabins said he wants to make sure the sale of alcohol is large enough to offset those expenses.

Fagan said the plan is to build the insurance cost into the price of the event ticket to pay for the added cost.

Fagan spelled out two options for the board.

The first is to hire a licensed caterer to provide and sell alcohol. However, after paying a vendor fee, the county would not realize much of a profit.

The second option is the one commissioners approved: The county would apply for a temporary permit from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and county staffers would be trained how to handle the sale of alcohol.

Fagan stressed no one would be allowed to leave the event with beer or wine. He couldn't estimate how much money the sale of beer and wine would be brought into parks and recreation coffers.

Several audience members said they had misgivings about the idea.

Irma Carr said training employees to handle alcohol was a bad idea.

Michael Burmann said the county faces a possible lawsuit if someone leaves a county event and is above the legal drinking limit.

"To me, it seems the risk is far heavier than what the advantages are," Burmann said.

Resident Dick Ross suggested deputies test people's breath for alcohol before they leave the event.

Assistant County Attorney Erica Moore said the county would purchase an alcohol liability policy that would safeguard against a personal injury lawsuit.

Moore said there may be legal problems in the mandatory use of a breathalyzer.

Commissioner Dave Russell voted against the idea.

"For me, it was a healthy balance of concern about liability and philosophical beliefs," Russell said. "How do you keep track of (drinking) without violating people's Constitutional rights and who's going to police it?"

County Commissioner Rose Rocco said as long as these events are controlled, she sees no problem.

One possibility would be to stamp a person's hand as to how many alcoholic drinks they consume, she said.

Commissioner Jim Adkins favored the trial run at Reggae Fest.

"This is brand new to the county, even though other areas have it," Adkins said.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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