Ald. Paul Skidmore, District 9, amended his proposed keg-registration ordinance last week so that a person looking to secure more than two kegs for a party will no longer need to provide a reason to the city clerk during the application process.

The previously drafted proposal required the applicant to specify the reason for needing more than two kegs. Examples of acceptable reasons, under the previously proposed law, would have been occasions such as religious or family celebrations like weddings or family reunions. The newly drafted proposal, however, requires no such reason or excuse to have extra kegs.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who opposes Skidmore's proposal, said despite the change to the language of the ordinance, the proposal remains unacceptable.

"The meat of the ordinance is unchanged," Verveer said. "It still has the city meddling in folks' daily lives. And basically, what was changed was only meant to prevent students from side stepping the ordinance."

Skidmore, however, said the proposal, if approved, would serve to promote responsible drinking by University of Wisconsin students.

"The thing is if you don't limit the number of kegs per household, you are basically allowing any house to become a bar," Skidmore said. "The proposal is not meant to be an anti-drinking ordinance, but a proposal aimed at keeping students safe."

Skidmore said the proposed ordinance has the potential to help the Madison Police Department deal with house parties on Halloween and for the Mifflin Street Block Party.

"There are house parties during those events with as many as 40 kegs," Skidmore said. "This ordinance would give police the tools to deal with those illegal house parties."

According to Verveer though, the MPD does not need any extra help when it comes to handling house parties.

"One of the main points that burns me up is that [Skidmore] has said it is extremely difficult for the police to give citations to house parties," Verveer said. "But I assure you that not a semester goes by that I am not contacted by several of my constituents who are students regarding house-party busts. The MPD has no trouble prosecuting house parties."

Verveer said the MPD Central District has Community Policing Teams whose major goal is dealing with alcohol violations.

"Much of the time the CPT's are dealing with house parties near campus," Verveer said. "The police already have plenty of tools and are quite successful at busting house parties."

Verveer said all police have to do to determine those responsible for hosting a house party would be to look at the names on the mailbox or contact the landlord. Little tags on kegs and registration forms at liquor stores are not necessary, he added.

Verveer said he hopes the negative response from the city government thus far will carry through to meet Skidmore's ordinance once it reaches common council.

"It's already been rejected by common council once," Verveer said. "The public safety board has already rejected it. I really hope and am optimistic the negative view of the proposal will continue."

The Alcohol License Review Committee will review the proposal Nov. 16 before it reaches common council for a final decision.