NEWS

Council gives OK to temporary alcohol sales at park

Craig Shoup
Reporter
Richard Zilch Jr.

FREMONT - City council approved sales of alcohol at Rodger Young Park during a weekend fundraising event next month to support a scholarship fund honoring late city worker Mike Piero.

Piero, a longtime employee at the Fremont Rec Center, died July 22 at age 48.

The proposal to sell alcohol at the park passed 4 to 3 on its third reading Monday during a special meeting called by Fremont City Council. Tom Knisely, Denny Otte, Mike Koebel and Tony Taylor voted in favor of suspending the city's law prohibiting alcohol at the park.

Councilmembers Rick Zilch, Kathy Stout and Angie Ruiz voted against the measure.

"Once it passes, it's out there," Zilch said Tuesday. "I am disappointed for the people I am serving who did not want this to pass."

Zilch used social media to poll members of the community and spoke with many constituents about their thoughts on allowing alcohol at the parks.

"About 95 percent of the people I spoke to were against it," he said.

Passage of the legislation gives the fundraiser, set for 10 a.m. to midnight Sept. 10, the opportunity to raise additional money for a scholarship named after Piero. The weekend will feature several sporting events, Zilch said, including softball, basketball and other activities.

"Mike was always a guy that wanted to help when people came to him about not being able to afford fees for sports. He would always have a list of donors. The money raised will go toward helping pay for play," Zilch said.

Zilch said the alcohol sales were requested by a group seeking to raise enough money to start the scholarship.

"Council was told they need a certain level of money, about $25,000 for the scholarship. They said with (registrations) they were at about $12,000 or $13,000."

Although alcohol sales would be permitted at the weekend fundraiser, Zilch said they were told sales would not begin until after 4 p.m., and that one condition is that patrons are not overserved, something Zilch said can be easy to do.

"You can have two beers and get behind the wheel and be at a .08 (legal limit)," Zilch said. "Setting a precedent like this is a scary thing. Anytime alcohol is involved, I'm concerned because of impairment."

Fremont City Mayor Danny Sanchez said the decision was council's, but said it is encouraging to see a city resident, event organizer Joe Frazier, coming to council to seek change.

"I can argue both sides," Sanchez said. "I encourage all citizens to come and support Mike Piero."

Sanchez said the Sandusky County Area Foundation, which is partnering with Frazier on the event, informed Sanchez there will be additional security at the park that weekend.

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