Underage drinking, marijuana targeted in Waterford

From the Modesto Bee. The City Council is poised to push adult-aided underage drinking and medicinal marijuana out of town.

At a meeting Thursday night, council members accepted an ordinance putting in place a fine of up to $1,500 for adults who let minors drink at private parties.

"I think we have to create a safe environment for our children in this community. You want carrots and sticks, and this is a stick," said Mayor William Broderick-Villa.

Adults guilty of allowing minors to drink at parties will pay $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second and $1,500 for the third if the infractions fall within a 12-month period.

The point is to encourage adults to supervise minors who may be drinking, and deter adults from tolerating or encouraging it, City Attorney Corbett Browning said in a report to council members.

Inspired by the death of his sister following a party nearly 25 years ago during which adults provided the alcohol, community activist Robert Stanford of Modesto has been urging cities to pass similar ordinances.

"I just wish it had more teeth and no clock," he told council members.

The ordinance will come back to the council for approval May 17. If adopted, it will take effect June 16.

At the May 17 meeting, council members also will consider an ordinance prohibiting medicinal marijuana dispensaries.

Modesto, Ceres and Patterson have banned them, and most cities in the county have moratoriums on dispensaries.

Council members were supposed to hear the ordinance Thursday, but Browning asked them to hold off so he could broaden its language.

Even without the ordinance, medical marijuana dispensaries are temporarily banned in Waterford. The temporary ban expires in July.

While people occasionally call the city asking about how to open a dispensary, no one has tried to do so, City Administrator Charles Deschenes said during an interview in March.