NEWS
Mayor speaks of campus issues
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Also by Darryl Schnell:
- Crowley to ALRC: drop drink specials (October 20, 2005)
- Mayor veto on Overture possible (October 20, 2005)
- Building commission rejects 9-story proposal (October 20, 2005)
- In-Depth: Changing the face of Badger fans (September 4, 2006)
- 'Sconnie Nation' a big hit at UW (September 7, 2006)
Related Stories:
- Council finalizes block party date (March 8, 2006)
- Alderman wants to bill ASM (April 27, 2005)
- Mayor enjoys cookies, milk with students (November 10, 2005)
- Mifflin party issues on tap (May 2, 2007)
- ASM representatives talk to mayor regarding party (April 18, 2005)
by Darryl Schnell
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz spoke to University of Wisconsin students about age segregation at bars with live music, Halloween and the Mifflin Street Block Party at “The Students’ State of the City” meeting Wednesday night at Science Hall.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Ald. Austin King, District 8, also spoke at the event, sponsored by Associated Students of Madison and the Wisconsin Union Directorate. Many of the issues raised stem from drinking.
“Whether you think it’s important or not … drinking is the No. 1 issue students ask me about,” Verveer said.
Verveer and Cieslewicz both expressed desire to lower the age requirement at bars to 18 years when the bar is hosting a live performance.
“We’re trying to foster live music,” Verveer said.
Cieslewicz said diverse art and music venues make the city great. Current art and music venues need more customers to encourage the rise of new venues. Allowing 18-year-olds into bars with live music would increase attendance at these venues, creating a much more diverse music scene, Cieslewicz added.
Madison City Council has set into motion a bill that, as a part of their liquor license, would allow bars with live music to open their doors to 18-year-olds, King said. He added that he hopes the bill is passed in time for the annual renewal of bars’ liquor licenses this summer.
Cieslewicz and Verveer also addressed a need for change at Halloween.
“The last three years this event has ended in chaos,” Verveer said. “This is not acceptable.”
According to Cieslewicz, the main problem is the consumption of alcohol.
“Too many people [on Halloween] are just way too drunk,” Cieslewicz said. “The majority of the [458] citations from Halloween were mostly for alcohol.”
Cieslewicz said the amount of alcohol at house parties must decrease and the hours bars remain open must be changed. Cieslewicz added he believes necessary steps for improvement of the event may include charging people for access to State Street on Halloween and the use of barricades.
A committee is in place to work with the Madison Police Department to ensure safety on Halloween, according to Verveer. This committee will begin planning this year’s Halloween event when Madison police complete the after-action-report from Halloween 2004.
Cieslewicz contrasted the Mifflin Street Block Party with Halloween. He applauded last year’s success of the Mifflin Street Block Party and said he felt the success was because of the community that is a part of the block party.
Although last year’s block party was successful, Cieslewicz expressed some concern for this year’s celebration, specifically the timing of the block party, which falls on the official Final Exams Study Day. Cieslewicz said he is worried students may try to hold the party Apr. 30 because of the adjustments made to UW academic calendar this semester.
The Madison Police Department has already prepared for the Mifflin Street Block Party on May 7, and a change in the date of the party would be very costly for the police. Cieslewicz said he would promote as much communication as possible between police and Mifflin Street residents to avoid such scheduling problems.
“It’s tradition,” Cieslewicz said lightheartedly. “It’s always on the first Saturday in May.”
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 8:50am):
"Very Costly?" Where's the cost of telling police that they have to work the weekend before, rather than on the 7th? Why can't they name the cost?
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 9:07am):
"Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle advocates lowering the drinking age uniformly across the nation to 19. He says that the idea that we can somehow keep those between 19 and 21 from drinking is false."
http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol-info/InTheNews/UnderageDrinking/1040075672.html
This could be a good first step toward that.
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 10:50am):
The Mayor's insistence that resources for the Block Party be allocated for May 7th is another example of why he is...well...for lack of a better word, an idiot. His worries that the party will instead be held April 30th are well placed. Exams and study schedules do predict that many will celebrate on that date. But what does he do to alleviate those concerns? Nil. Being a spend and spend "mommy knows best" liberal, he is used to just dictating, allocating, and watching his failure take place on his time table. This situation is not predicated by his time table.
This reminds me of the confusion a few years back on when will Halloween be celebrated. All you had to do is ask a dozen or so students and to know it was going to be immediately FOLLOWING Halloween.
But I'm sure "Mayor Dave" is to busy building swimming pools, recycling computer monitors, and being an all around dufus to ask.
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 11:29am):
The Madison Police Dept union contract has a clause that says no vacation may be taken the first weekend in May - to have enough officers for the Mifflin party. If the party occurs at another time, there will be a ton of overtime pay. That's where the extra expense will come.
