UW-Eau Claire Student Senate supports city’s effort to decrease binge drinking

UW-Eau Claire Student Senate drafted their support for the Public Excessive Intoxication Ordinance that could bring awareness toward extreme alcohol abuse.

The proposal will offer an opportunity for those who receive citations to enroll in a diversion program, which would result in eliminated fees and ticket dismissals.

The original draft, called the public good ordinance, witnessed controversy during the city council’s initial proposal in March. College students felt a significant part of the blame was placed on them, despite only populating a small portion of the city.

If it had passed, the ordinance would have allowed police to “issue citations to people for yelling, disturbing or ‘otherwise annoying’ others in a public space.” This also includes being a threat to themselves or anyone else.

“I think it’s good that, as a community, we are saying there are certain behaviors that are unacceptable,” said Dale Peters, the Eau Claire city manager in the presentation to the student senate.

The consequences of binge drinking are felt not only by the students of Eau Claire but the economy. Excessive alcohol use costs nearly $1,624 a year per Eau Claire resident, according data found in 2013. This is about $400 more than the statewide rate.

Binge drinking has been a long term concern for the residents of Eau Claire, as USA Today announced they were the second drunkest city in America. And, although citizens on the task force disagree, there is a mutual drive to address the alcohol problem in the city.

“I’m really impressed with the community that they’ve had this hard discussion, despite opposing opinions at the start,” said Dr. Jennifer Eddy, the co-chair of the high-risk drinking action team for Eau Claire Healthy Communities. “This is almost more exciting, to me, than passing the ordinance.”

The council will make a final vote on the proposal in October.