Council mulls alcohol bans

Something really needs to be done about this problem. I drive down broadway every day at 3 in the afternoon and from butler to lake i usually see at least 5 drunks, stumbling down the road or just hanging out on the benches with a brown paper sack. Everyone knows its beer, why is nothing done about it? I lived for a short time on the corner of lake and animas and it seemed like every night i had to escort intoxicated people out of my yard. I tried calling the cops but they just catch and release. I called the cops on one gentleman who i found in my storage shed and the very next night he was back. When they arrested him for trespassing the officer told me that the drunks had a constitutional right to wonder around drunk. In short,how about a TOTAL BAN on all liquor in the city of farmington? Bars,gas stations,restaurants, lets not sell anything at all. Cleary theres a problemin ourtown It makes me wonder how many of our recent guests in town, the rodeo and connie mack, have been pan handled. What kind of lasting impression will that leave on visitors?

David Anderson wrote:

In short,how about a TOTAL BAN on all liquor in the city of farmington? Bars,gas stations,restaurants, lets not sell anything at all.

That was tried once, it didn't work. The problem is not the alcohol,(most of us drink), the problem is not the sale of alcohol on Sundays/holidays (buy more on Saturday), the problem doesn't even lie in education (the drunks know damn good and well what they are doing).

The problem lies in the fact that the police cannot/will not enforce any drinking in public laws.
The problem is the court system being over worked in frivilous lawsuits and doesn't have time to deal with minor law violations.
The problem lies in the jails being overcrowded with felonies; therefore, no room for minor criminals.

The problem is, as I was informed by a member of Farmington's Finest, there is NO PUBLIC INTOX LAW.
If thats the case then the problem lies with the citizens of Farmington and its law makers.

I think this is the best idea this city has had in a long time. Being married to an alcoholic this would give the non drinkers a break.

David Anderson wrote:

Something really needs to be done about this problem. I drive down broadway every day at 3 in the afternoon and from butler to lake i usually see at least 5 drunks, stumbling down the road or just hanging out on the benches with a brown paper sack. Everyone knows its beer, why is nothing done about it? I lived for a short time on the corner of lake and animas and it seemed like every night i had to escort intoxicated people out of my yard. I tried calling the cops but they just catch and release. I called the cops on one gentleman who i found in my storage shed and the very next night he was back. When they arrested him for trespassing the officer told me that the drunks had a constitutional right to wonder around drunk. In short,how about a TOTAL BAN on all liquor in the city of farmington? Bars,gas stations,restaurants, lets not sell anything at all. Cleary theres a problemin ourtown It makes me wonder how many of our recent guests in town, the rodeo and connie mack, have been pan handled. What kind of lasting impression will that leave on visitors?

total ban? How about holding people responible for their own actions...

Concerned wrote:

I think this is the best idea this city has had in a long time. Being married to an alcoholic this would give the non drinkers a break.

They had a ban on Sunday sales at one time and Saturday sales just shot up.Anyone that wants to drink is going to find a way to do that.If your worried about gutter drunks punish them not everyone else.If you do not remember the past you are bound to relive it.A ban on Sunday sales is not the answer.

yeah, ban the alcohol sales. alcoholic will run to a nearby Con. store and get a hairspray anything that has alcohol to get drunk. and then we still have problem. although, they get thrown in for trespassing, or get taken to detox. they still will come back. we only have to face the problem these people need help and the only way they will get help is they have to want to get sober. there is so much we can do to try to stop drunks. but notthing will resolve the issue. closing all liqior store for good might help. just shut down everything. since the city had been selling for many years where does the tax from that go to. we need a fine facility with some staff that have been there, done that stuff.
as far as the SJC Police & Farmington Police they will only do what there jobs require take them in and forget it. and they get released and back on the street. this is a huge problem we are going to face it whether we like it or not.

Total ban will not fly out here! This town does need more laws on public intoxication!! Good story this needs a follow to see what was decided!!

Unfortunately, I read in past issues that the City of Farmington or any surrounding communities cannot pass laws against public intoxication, because of New Mexico state laws. If you really want something done, get in contact with your state senators, representatives and the governor. Total prohibition does not work, read your history books.

Here's another story about "THE MAN" trying to stick it us trying to tell us what we can and cant do! Go figure, whats next?

Does anyone remember when the drive thru liquor windows closed?? Obviously THAT didn't stop the drunk problem in SJC!! So what makes people think that banning Sunday sales or anything else is going to help the problem? Again, I say people need to be held responsible for their own actions. Don't punish me (a responsible alcohol drinker) by banning alcohol all together. That won't solve anything, they will still buy hair spray and mouthwash at the grocery stores. Don't we have a public nuisance law or SOMETHING that would allow the athorities deal with the drunks without infringing on the rights of the law abiding alcohol consumers?? Mary Fisher has the right idea, we need another solution. The other Council Members just want to exude their athority and pass more laws, taking away more freedoms.

Concerned wrote:

I think this is the best idea this city has had in a long time. Being married to an alcoholic this would give the non drinkers a break.

Go to Alanon and deal with it!

give them a place to booze and wonder in circles.. Let them drink themselves into the ground ...

old man wrote:

The problem is, as I was informed by a member of Farmington's Finest, there is NO PUBLIC INTOX LAW.
If thats the case then the problem lies with the citizens of Farmington and its law makers.

Actually, it is a State Law, not a local Farmington law that decriminalized public drunkedness. The state legislature is the only legal body that can change it.

alcohol was not sold on sundays years ago and that was the era of the bootlegger. I guess that boot legging "the illegal sales of liquor" will one again thrive in san juan county. good job law makers lets get more illegal activity down town and have people making large profits off illegal alcohol sales in san juan county

I Dont Know wrote:

Here's another story about "THE MAN" trying to stick it us trying to tell us what we can and cant do! Go figure, whats next?

Totally agree with you. Weekends are made to relax and rest. Having a couple beers sounds like a good way to relax. they should open liquor stores at seven on sunday morning instead of twelve

It is true that Saturday sales would shoot up, mouthwash and apparently hairspray would become the new Sunday drink of choice. You can't outlaw something because one person (or a small percentage for that matter) thinks it's a bad idea. As for it being legal in bars and restaurants people just get drunk there and leave to wander (not wonder) around. I suppose if nobody likes it either petition against it, open up a place to keep all the public drunks, or move. This isn't Pleasantville, USA, it's a part of this place some of us so fondly call home. So call the cops, have them removed from your lawn, garden, porch etc, and move on. Nobody should be punished for the one bad apple.

Allow drinking on the rez and the homeless would have homes. Tax the heck out of rez sales, keep Joe Shirley from the money, and use the cash for programs. Street deaths from exposer, DWI and voilence would drop. The Mormons have tried honorably to fix this problem. They need to try a plan B, along with the 12 steppers and other moralists.

this has been a problem for years...now u see even younger drunks on the streets...IS THERE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? I DONT KNOW IF THERE IS...i guess for now we can just talk about it...i think banning alcohol well not solve anything...its just going to create more problems...yeah they need to start selling earlier on sundays...lol

David Anderson wrote:

Something really needs to be done about this problem. I drive down broadway every day at 3 in the afternoon and from butler to lake i usually see at least 5 drunks, stumbling down the road or just hanging out on the benches with a brown paper sack. Everyone knows its beer, why is nothing done about it? I lived for a short time on the corner of lake and animas and it seemed like every night i had to escort intoxicated people out of my yard. I tried calling the cops but they just catch and release. I called the cops on one gentleman who i found in my storage shed and the very next night he was back. When they arrested him for trespassing the officer told me that the drunks had a constitutional right to wonder around drunk. In short,how about a TOTAL BAN on all liquor in the city of farmington? Bars,gas stations,restaurants, lets not sell anything at all. Cleary theres a problemin ourtown It makes me wonder how many of our recent guests in town, the rodeo and connie mack, have been pan handled. What kind of lasting impression will that leave on visitors?

[When they arrested him for trespassing the officer told me that the drunks had a constitutional right to wonder around drunk.]
Gee i only smoke and don't have that constitutional right??? Not Downtown I'm arrested if i can't pay fine??? I'm sober!!!