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Page 2 <br />Alcohol on Public Property <br />Committee 5/13/92 <br />in which alcohol was consumed, and again, without a major objection, so <br />the City Council at that point chose to pass an ordinance. That <br />ordinance made exceptions for only the buildings on the Fairgrounds, it <br />did not address the Civic Center, it did not address outside the <br />Fairgrounds, on the Fairgrounds itself, it did not allow for the <br />consumption of alcohol during the fair, rodeo, or any other occasion, <br />in fact it was very restrictive, which was what the Council wanted, we <br />wanted an ordinance that reflected what we had been doing for fifty <br />years, and it was restrictive to that point, it allowed the consumption <br />of alcohol inside the building on the Fairgrounds after certain other <br />events had taken place, and that was permission through the State, and <br />that all other ordinance had been complied with. Once that Ordinance <br />was passed, there was a group of people that signed a petition that <br />under the Charter of the City of Paris required the following action to <br />be taken, the Council with the proper filing of this petition, the <br />Council had only two options, call a City Election on that ordinance, <br />or to rescind the ordinance. <br />Chairman Bell stated that the public hearing tonight will be not to <br />determine on any thing else other than that ordinance, and that would <br />be the consumption of alcohol on the Fairgrounds in those buildings, it <br />will be the Council's to determine if we should go through with that <br />election which would be a great expense to the City. <br />Chairman Bell emphasized the fact that the public hearing does not <br />address any other buildings, further sites, alcohol on the Fairgrounds <br />during the Fair, and these things should not be addressed by you the <br />public tonight, we need to decide this specific ordinance, that was <br />what was voted on, that would be what an election would be called on if <br />an election would be held, so that is the issue we would restrict you <br />remarks to tonight. Chairman Bell read the rules to the audience, and <br />a copy of which is attached hereto as exhibit A, and at this point, <br />Chairman Bell declared the public hearing open, stating that no one had <br />registered for the consumption of alcohol on the Fairgrounds. <br />Lane Park of the First Baptist Church, came forward stating that he <br />would like to address the fact that for the past fifty years this has <br />taken place without incident or particular concern. Mr. Park said that <br />many time we as citizens knowing that we are living in a County that <br />has been voted dry, have taken comfort in knowing that this was not <br />taking place, and so many times he felt that the public in general did <br />not know of this type of alcoholic consumption on the Fairgrounds. Mr. <br />Lane said that all of you as public servants running for office have <br />more than you can bear, and he fully respected that. Mr. Park said he <br />was speaking as an individual, not as a minister, he was not speaking <br />of the biblical teaching for or against the consumption of alcohol, <br />this is not a religious issue, this is an issue having to do with the <br />evils of alcohol. Mr. Parks said that we know that alcohol is <br />addictive, it is dangerous, we have more materials than we can say <br />grace over about the dangers of and evils of alcohol. If alcohol was <br />not so dangerous there would not be laws on the books such as driving <br />while intoxicated, and other related laws regarding consumption of <br />alcohol and activities following. Mr. Parks asked for the <br />consideration of this committee as they go back to the City Council <br />