Wausau’s city council voted Tuesday night to override Mayor Jim Tipple’s veto of an alcohol server’s ordinance. That does not mean the issue is resolved. Many city council members support the ordinance to restrict bartenders and servers to .04 blood alcohol levels, so they can effectively do their jobs, monitor crowds, and prevent intoxicated people from being over served and trying to drive a vehicle. Some council members and Mayor Jim Tipple say there should have been more public involvement before the vote earlier this month.
On an 8-2 vote, Mayor Tipple’s veto was overridden. Tipple says he would have preferred not putting the ordinance on the books until more discussion was held. “The unfortunate part of it, it should have been stay the veto and then continue the discussions and come back with an ordinance. Now, we have an ordinance with no public input, but I’m trusting the process, that they will come back with any changes that they want or agreement that what they have out there is what the majority wants.”
The ordinance cannot come back before the full city council in the next 30 days, but it can go before committees before that. It is likely to be discussed at the Public Health and Safety Committee first.
WSAU