Chamber, city close to deal on booze at Town Square

The city of Havre and the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce may be close to an agreement that will allow people to bring alcohol to Sounds on the Square, the weekly concert held at Town Square during the summer.

A proposal discussed at Wednesday night’s Ordinance Committee meeting calls for the Chamber to get a permit that would inform the city who is in charge of the event and what time the events are being held.

Controversy flared last year after city police charged an attendee at the event with violating the city’s open container law. He had reportedly been at a local tavern and came out to the park to listen to the music.

Town Square is not a city park. The Chamber leases it from Wells Fargo and Bear Paw Credit Union.

The city has a policy that allows people to serve alcohol at a city park. It requires there be a vendor to serve the alcohol and places restrictions on the event.

The Chamber does not want to sell alcohol, only wants to allow people to bring their own, said council member Andrew Brekke, Ordinance committee chair

And the Chamber does not want the park to be open to alcohol the rest of the week, he said. The Chamber doesn’t want people leaving neighboring taverns to have parties on the Square at any other time, Brekke said.

That’s the problem, Police Chief Gabe Matosich said. It’s hard to say that alcohol can be served some of the time but not others, he said.

By getting a permit, he said, the Chamber will be allowed to have alcohol in the park at a certain time but not others.

The Chamber will let attendees know that they can bring their own alcohol, but they can’t leave the park and walk down city sidewalks or stroll over to neighboring taverns with alcohol, the chief said.

Brekke said Chamber officials are reluctant to say that the city has authority over the park since it is privately owned, but the city feels it has some responsibility. No Chamber officials were at Wednesday’s meeting.

Mayor Tim Solomon said neighboring taverns are willing to monitor their establishments to prevent people from leaving the premises with open containers of alcohol. That’s to their advantage, he said, because their liquor licenses require that alcohol be consumed on premises.

Brekke said the proposed legislation could be drafted and adopted quickly.

It would also apply to Northern Montana Hospital Park, which is also privately owned, he said. The hospital sometimes allows alcohol at that park, he said.

The proposed legislation will be drafted and forward to City Council quickly, he said.