Geneva considers raising underage drinking fine
In 1969, a 20-year-old Dean Kilburg was charged with underage drinking in Iowa. For that illicit sip of beer, he had to pay a $100 fine.
The fact Geneva’s fine for the same act 42 years later is $100 seems ridiculous to the alderman.
He favors raising the city fine for underage possession or consumption of alcohol to $250. Aldermen discussed the fine at a committee of the whole meeting Monday.
There was no vote, but aldermen agreed to have city workers examine raising the fine, and seeing whether the city could require offenders to attend alcohol-abuse education.
Resident Zachary Ploppert, 21, had asked the council Oct. 17 to raise the fine and to require public service for offenders. Ploppert — who ran for 1st Ward alderman in April — has contended that Geneva’s younger residents don’t take the $100 fine seriously, and neither do the parents who sometimes pay it for them. He believes a bigger fine would be a better deterrent.
Ticket for first
Geneva police can issue $100 city ordinance violation tickets for the offense or file a long-form complaint, with a choice of charging under city ordinance or the state criminal code. A long-form case is adjudicated in Kane County courts where a judge can levy a fine up to $2,500.
From Sept. 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2011, Geneva police brought charges 214 times, Chief Steve Mexin said.
Department policy is to give first-timers a ticket, Mexin said, unless there are complicating factors, such as if the accused is belligerent. Second offenses are usually charged on the long form, Mexin said, noting about 4 percent were repeat offenders.
“I’m not necessarily opposed to a fine increase. But the fact is I don’t see any identifiable reason at this point in time that would indicate to me that an increase is necessary,” Mexin said.
Education suggested
Alderman Dawn Vogelsberg said she would consider a change if it included the possibility of expunging the conviction from a person’s record if they completed alcohol-abuse education, which Kilburg had suggested.
She also said Geneva teens know plenty about alcohol and drugs, since there are abuse-prevention programs in the middle and high schools.
She disagreed with the proposal to require parents to attend alcohol education to head off a repeat offense. “The first offense is going to be the one to bring the hammer down” already in a household run by caring parents, she said.
Kilburg had suggested refunding part of the fee for successful completion of alcohol-abuse education.
Alderman Charles Brown said he consulted with his teenage grandson about the level of the fine, and that it was now his opinion “$100 doesn’t even make a dent in a typical teenager’s wallet.”
As for community service, city administrator Mary McKittrick said the city doesn’t offer it because of manpower and liability issues.
Chic Williams, the Geneva school district’s intervention specialist, supported the suggestion that parents be involved for those younger than 17. He thought a larger fine would be more likely to catch a parent’s attention. Mayor Kevin Burns asked Ploppert if he drank alcohol in high school. Ploppert said #147;no,#148; and the mayor asked why.#147;To be frank, my mother would run me out of town,#148; Ploppert said.