(Spirit Lake)– Dickinson county supervisors are considering an ordinance that would require any beer kegs that are purchased in unincorporated areas to be registered. It’s an attempt to crack down on underage drinking.
Supervisor Paul Johnson requested the supervisors look into the matter, after learning several Iowa counties have already adopted similar ordinances and others are considering them. The ordinance being considered in Dickinson county is similar to one recently adopted by the Palo Alto county board of supervisors.
Under the ordinance, anyone purchasing a keg containing two gallons or more would have to provide a photo I-D. The retailer would afix a tag to the keg containing a specific number assigned to the purchaser. The tag must remain intact on the keg. A person who violates requirements and or restrictions imposed by the ordinance would be subject to a fine not exceed five hundred dollars or a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.
The supervisors took no action on the proposed ordinance Tuesday. They directed Saunders to send copies of the proposed ordinance to the cities to see if they may be willing to adopt it as well. Saunders says it would make it much easier to enforce if the cities also had a similar ordinance on the books.
