Raising the bar

Proposed ordinance would require training alcohol servers, sellers to just say no

By Steven Mihailovich

Sting operations run by the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) department, which licenses businesses, showed that 21 percent of San Marcos bars and restaurants sold to underage drinkers, and 12 percent of adults bought alcohol for underage drinkers when asked.

Celeste Young, a NICPP prevention specialist who made the presentation before the commission, said responsible beverage sales and service training would lessen those problems by teaching servers how to detect false IDs and how to refuse service to aggressive or intoxicated drinkers.

Young argued that alcoholic beverage servers shouldn’t be treated any differently than hairdressers, manicurists and food handlers, who must be certified for health and safety reasons.

“If you get a bad haircut, it grows out,” Young said. “However, if you’re involved in a drunk-driving incident, the consequences are serious and long-term.”

Similar ordinances requiring certification training for alcohol servers were passed in Poway in 2002 and in Solana Beach in July.

In Poway, the number of local businesses mentioned in last-drink-before-arrest surveys fell from 61 to five in just one year following passage of the ordinance.

During the July meeting, the Student and Neighborhood Relations Commission directed staff to see whether a San Marcos ordinance was feasible. Lydia Romero, deputy city manager, said that the city attorney and code compliance department would have to weigh in and that input would be needed from stakeholders and the public before a decision could be reached.

The staff report is tentatively scheduled for the commission’s Oct. 13 meeting, Romero said, but she added that some other issues loom larger on the agenda.

“It’s not their No. 1 priority,” Romero said. “It’s hard to tell how fast this will move. But they are moving forward on it.”

ABC offers free responsible beverage sales and service certification training. Classes last three to four hours, said ABC spokesman John Carr. Last year, the department trained almost 18,000 alcohol servers in the state.

The owners and managers of three Restaurant Row businesses — San Marcos Brewery & Grill, Acapulco Mexican Restaurant y Cantina and 55 Yardline Sports Bar and Grill — said they already require ABC training and certification.

Jim Hadley, one of three partners in 55 Yardline, said the ordinance would put no additional burden on his business because he’s been sending his servers for training since the bar opened three years ago.

NICPP’s Young said those already voluntarily training their workers should be pushing for the ordinance to protect their reputations and the interests of an industry.

“They shouldn’t have any problem supporting the bill then,” Young said.

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