GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commissioners are looking at tougher penalties for alcohol vendors who sell to minors; the Commission reviewed code amendments Monday morning.
Commissioner Ashley Bell proposed those amendments; Business License Director Susan Rector said it would take a lot longer to get a suspended alcohol sales license back for a second offense committed within three years.
"He wants a mandatory 90 days," Rector said
Right now there's a 30-day suspension period; offenders would also pay a $350 reinstatement fee, which Rector said was already in effect.
"We've actually been doing it but we wanted to put it in the code," Rector added.
Ninety days is the minimum the Commission could penalize an offending vendor; Rector pointed out they have the option of revoking an alcohol permit permanently.
CENSUS WANTS HELP
Commissioners heard that local cooperation with the 2010 census count is vital.
Census representative Jerson Vasquez said local government could help raise awareness of how important an accurate census count is.
"What I would like them to do is join with us in forming a complete count committee that deals with a cross section of the local community," Vasquez said.
Vasquez added the census count determines congressional district boundaries and the amount of federal funding local governments receive based on population.
"Ultimately the goal is to increase the response to the Census questionnaire which will be in people's mail boxes in March, 2010."
FREEING JAIL BEDS
Commissioners reviewed a request for a Justice Department grant that could lead to freeing up beds at the county jail.
County Commissioner Steve Gailey said the grant would help determine who needs to be in jail and who needs mental health treatment.
The $200,000 grant funding under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program would pay for a full time social worker at the jail to screen jail inductees.
Friday
October 18th, 2024
6:15PM
