Following in the footsteps of many other municipalities, the Clarkston City Council passed first reading of two new ordinances to help in ‘cost recovery? and toughen enforcement of underage possession of alcohol.
The first ordinance, if it passes second reading, would formalize a system assessing an offender with actual expenses for city police officers and prosecutors.
City attorney Thomas Ryan said former 52-2 District Judge Robert Batchik assessed such fees on an informal basis, but new Judge Kelley Kostin requested that be made a formal ordinance.
‘It would be some income to the city for some of these extraordinary expenses,? Ryan said, and he has a standard worksheet to compute such expenses.
The second ordinance closes what some believe to be a loophole in the ‘minor in possession? ordinance, which allows prosecution of those under age 21 in possession of alcoholic beverages. Prosecutors have found some difficulty in cases involving teenagers who show evidence of alcohol consumption without the presence of alcohol containers.
The new ordinance, if adopted, will allow citations for ‘possession? when it can be proved the suspect has consumed alcohol.