[media-credit name=’AJ MACLEAN/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The Madison City Council unanimously passed a glass-bottle ban for April 30 and May 7, the two potential dates for the Mifflin Street Block Party, at a meeting Tuesday night.

Glass-bottle bans are passed for events such as Halloween and the Mifflin Street Block Party and require the City Council to specify the date, time and geographic location of the bottle ban, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.

“I don’t think the council had any choice but to take as a matter of fact that [there will be] some party-goers on both April 30 and May 7,” Verveer said. “The police department did ultimately agree with my decision that we should have it both days.”

Verveer said the Madison Police Department was not in favor of a glass-bottle ban on both Saturdays for fear the ban could “signal” to some students the city is supporting the block party on April 30, as opposed to the traditional date in May when the police department scheduled many officers to supervise the party.

The police department realized it was in everyone’s best interest to ban glass bottles, Verveer added. The law, which is only two years old, was enacted for safety reasons and also for clean-up purposes after large events.

“It’s a relatively new law that’s worked very effectively,” Verveer said. “Both Halloween and Mifflin have seen a tremendous decrease in the amount of glass bottles that are used to hurt people intentionally or accidentally.”

The ban prevents alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottles from being carried on the streets or the sidewalks during the block party. Glass bottles are only allowed inside houses and apartments or on private property during the ban.

Other items on the City Council’s agenda did not pass as quickly and unanimously as the glass-bottle ban. After hour-long debates while trying to modify parts of a lobbying ordinance, the council approved a motion to refer further discussion to after the April elections.

The proposal would blur the line between business owners and lobbyists by requiring constituents to be registered as lobbyists when speaking with their alderpersons under certain conditions.

Before the motion to refer the proposal, Ald. Ken Golden, District 10, said whatever version of the ordinance was passed would be flawed because business owners were being asked to become lobbyists.

“We didn’t do a good job this time,” Golden said. “We need to do better.”

Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, said the referral is appropriate and more time is needed to debate the lobbying ordinance.

“I think everyone is confused at this point,” Konkel said. “I don’t think it was as bad as it was portrayed here tonight. I just think it needs further discussion.”

Ald. Paul Skidmore, District 9, introduced a proposal involving more paperwork and identification when buying a keg or having one delivered in Madison. The proposal was referred to the Alcohol License Review Committee and the Public Safety Review Board before it comes back before the City Council, which could take over two months, Verveer said.