Borough unlikely to decide on alcohol ordinance in near future

Princeton Borough officials continued to slow the momentum of a possible alcohol ordinance at a public safety committee meeting Friday morning by tabling a decision to recommend the ordinance to the Borough Council.

The possible ordinance is the product of a state law, which allows municipalities to adopt measures granting police permission to cite underage drinkers on private property. It was designed originally for shore towns, but now stands to greatly impact student life at the University.

Prompted by a recommendation from Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel Giaquinto in September, officials throughout the county began weighing the advantages their towns could reap from this ordinance and the implications of entering private property. Though several municipalities in the county are considering such measures, only Ewing Township — where The College of New Jersey is located — has adopted the ordinance.

But Borough officials seem less enthusiastic about pursuing a local ordinance. Public safety committee chair Mildred Trotman said yesterday that a decision has been tabled indefinitely and that there is no date set for the next meeting.

"I don't foresee us recommending either to support it or not for at least a few months," she said.

The committee is seeking input from organizations such as Corner House — a group that deals with teenage alcohol and drug abuse — and the Princeton Human Services Commission, which represents senior citizen, youth, welfare and civil rights groups.

Borough Mayor Marvin Reed plans to meet with Corner House on Wednesday morning, and the Human Services Commission will discuss the possible ordinance at its meeting that evening.

Reed said the committee will also consult the Princeton Township Committee to consider the ordinance jointly.

"I suggest that we should not consider proposal of the ordinance until we have talked with Princeton Township," Reed said. "It would be confusing to adopt such an ordinance unless it was being adopted in both municipalities."

Though the Princeton Township Committee will meet tonight, committee member Roz Denard, who attended the Borough's public safety committee meeting, said she does not expect the township committee to discuss the possible ordinance.

She said both the Township and the Borough now are waiting for a response from Corner House.

"That's what we all wait for," Denard said. "They are our experts on this."

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Though only three of the five committee members attended the public safety meeting, several University officials were present, including Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan, Director of Community and State Affairs Pam Hersh, Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson and Public Safety Director Jerrold Witsil.

Deignan questioned whether the ordinance would — by expanding police power — cause underage drinkers to fear seeking medical help if a friend became ill from excessive drinking at a private party.

Witsil said yesterday he has attended the past two public safety committee meetings because he is "curious" and "interested." He said he has not decided, however, whether he would support passage of an ordinance.

"I share concern that it could be perceived as a reason why students might not call Public Safety or the police or an ambulance for assistance for fear there would be charges," he said.

The public safety committee meeting comes after Ewing's passage of the state-approved ordinance Tuesday. And news of that decision now is beginning to rumble through the TCNJ campus.

The ordinance was passed unanimously 4-0 to the applause of a mixed audience that filled the town hall Tuesday night, said Ewing council vice president Doreitha Madden, who was presiding as chair in the absence of the council president.

"We wanted to address underage drinking, certainly related to concerns citizens had about young students from the college who lived off campus in township residences," Madden said. "Off-campus parties have been a problem."

Ewing's enactment of the ordinance has sparked a major backlash from TCNJ's student body, which numbers 6,000.

Samantha Rozycki, president of the college's student government association, said yesterday that students were unaware Ewing was going to pass the ordinance, and that the current sentiment around campus is "complete outrage."

"We feel that this came out of nowhere," she said. "The town has always had a good relationship with the college. So many of the students are involved in the township."

Rozycki said the student government created a task force at their on-campus retreat this past weekend. The task force conducted legal research in hopes of persuading Ewing to repeal the ordinance.

She added that the student government association drafted a bill last night — explaining the students' official position on the issue — and that she expects it to be passed Wednesday.

Though she said she hopes to reach a compromise with the council, Rozycki said if the initial efforts are not successful, the student government association will seek outside help from the American Civil Liberties Union and pursue legal action. She added that the student government association also has discussed a possible boycott of Ewing housing and businesses.

"We are serious and do not want to be taken lightly," Rozycki said.