GONZALES — Last Thursday the Gonzales Youth Council hosted a public meeting regarding the much talked about Social Host Ordinance.
Over the past few years, several of the South County cities and even Monterey County talked about or have adopted Social Host Ordinances to prevent minors consuming alcoholic beverages.
The first Social Host Ordinance was adopted in 2010; there are roughly seven cities that have adopted these laws since.
Gonzales Youth Council is unique to the area as Gonzales is currently the only city in South County that has youth commissioners sitting in at each City Council meeting. The commissioner to the City Council is Anthony Avila, who was first to speak.
At the early February meeting, Avila brought forth a report on social hosting and how the Youth Council would like the City Council adopt a Social Host Ordinance for Gonzales.
“Statistics prove that the alcohol generally comes from within the home, a parent hosting or an older sibling, older friend hosting the party,” said Darlene Acosta of Sun Street Centers.
“It’s about saving lives,” said Maria Elena Morales of Sun Street Centers. “Alcohol (consumption) is one of our No. 1 problems in the community.”
The threat of alcohol is not just driving under the influence, but also the many instances of alcohol poisoning from youth having what they think at the time is a “good time.”
The Youth Council has met with members of Sun Street Centers, the Gonzales Chief of Police and the Gonzales Deputy Chief of Police to discuss the need for an ordinance. In gathering information they found that the cities of King City, Seaside, Pacific Grove, Salinas and the County of Monterey (rural area) have adopted Social Host Ordinances.
The intentions of the discussion were to gather information and public input to complete a working Social Host Ordinance for the City Council’s approval. With the upcoming high school prom and graduation season, it would be prudent to have the ordinance in place showing homeowners, parents or anyone that hosts a party where alcohol is served to minors what they should expect when caught not obeying the ordinance.
“We are going to go out and educate all the community,” said Morales. “Everybody is going to know about this so that not one person could say I didn’t know.”
The ordinance writers will use the other city ordinances as a guide to write out the Gonzales one, which will be customized for the city and its citizens.
“We need to remember that the whole purpose of the ordinance is to protect the public, that’s why we are here,” said Deputy Chief of Police Keith Wise. “The Police Department stands 100 percent behind the Social Host Ordinance.”
As with The Gonzales Way, the ordinance is to keep the citizens of Gonzales safe and to prevent the abuse of alcohol by the youth of the community.
The Youth Council has adopted four priorities: Prevent bullying and foster a positive school and community climate, increase opportunities for youth and eliminate youth alcohol and drug use.
