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No booze in Talent parkland By TIM BOUSQUET Tidings Correspondent Life will get more strict in Talent city parks very soon. The Talent City Council decided at its meeting Wednesday night to ban dogs and alcohol in all city parks, and to confiscate the skateboards of youngsters using the skate park without helmets. City Manager Betty Wheeler had asked for council direction on the issues as she prepares an updated park ordinance to be adopted at the next council meeting, on Sept. 17. Wheeler explained that the existing park ordinance "says there is no dogs in the parks, which (is) not true in reality." There is much confusion around the issue, she said, because there has been no enforcement of the existing law, and because dogs are allowed in the Bear Creek Greenway, which is regulated by Jackson County. Wheeler had written a draft ordinance allowing dogs in the park, so long as they were on leashes, but the council decided to ban them altogether. "As a dog owner, I have mixed emotions," said Councilor Donald Steyskal. "I'd like to see the parks open to dogs, but because of the lack of control of vicious animals, and because people simply don't clean up after their dogs, we shouldn't allow them at all." "History has shown that people don't clean up after their dogs," agreed Councilor Darby Stricker, who said further that her daughter was attacked by two dogs in an Ashland park. Councilor Wendy Siporen dissented. "I'm both a parent and a very responsible dog owner," she said. "I walk with my kids and my dogs through the park, carrying my doggy bag." "It's a huge problem at Chuck Roberts park," Stricker countered. Without a vote, the council overrode Siporen's reluctance and approved a complete dog ban in all city parks. On the alcohol issue, Wheeler had asked for an absolute ban, saying that "there are other places for people to drink." After much discussion the council agreed to ban casual consumption of alcohol in the parks but left open the possibility of alcohol consumption with a permit from the city. Such permits would require the possession of a state liquor license. "Chuck Roberts Park is a problem," said Stricker. "People go there and drink and leave their beer bottles all over the place. But there are some opportunities for some good public events, allowing responsible alcohol use and helping some of our agricultural businesses. There are a lot of wineries in our area." Steyskal again offered the counterpoint. "I don't see why there's any need for drinking in a public space," said Steyskal, "but I'll compromise on this if we require a permit." At Mayor Merian Telerski's request, the council voted on the matter, approving the alcohol ban. Councilor Brian Wilson voted no, indicating that he was opposed to allowing any alcohol use at all, even with permits and liquor licenses. Discussing helmets, Wheeler noted that there have been two fatalities at skateboard parks in the Rogue Valley in recent years, and in both cases the deceased were not wearing helmets. "Unfortunately," she said, "the law wouldn't have helped in those cases, because the state helmet law doesn't apply to adults, and they were both adults." Talent's enforcement of the helmet law has been ineffective, Wheeler continued, because the fine for not wearing a helmet has been suspension of the offender's driving license. "Most of these kids are too young to have driving licenses," she said. "So we really have no fine at all." Wheeler and Police Chief Bob Rector met with Municipal Judge James Wickre to find a more effective answer to the helmetless skaters, and the trio decided that confiscating the skateboards of offenders pending trial would answer the need. For first offenses, boards will be returned to their owners after whatever sentence Wickre imposed is completed. After second offenses, however, the Judge may order the board "destroyed." The council adopted the new helmet policy without dissent. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -