OxfordPress.com

Despite a heated debate and a close vote, the potential ordinance to ban outdoor drinking games stalled for a third time in council, as a 4-3 vote tabled consideration until the March 20 meeting.

The second reading of the ordinance, first introduced in October of 2006, was tabled at Nov. 7 and Dec. 5 meetings, with large numbers of students packed into the courthouse.

Each time it was tabled at the request of the Student-Community Relations Committee, which wanted to hold forums and education efforts aimed at underlying problems of alcohol use and community respect among students.

Jen House, secretary for Off-Campus Affairs in Miami's Associated Student Government, presented ASG's report to council that suggested replacing the current proposed ordinance with one that prohibits drinking game tables from frontyards only during daytime hours.

Other recommendations include a new Student-led Alcohol Task Force, increases in enforcement and fines for "party trash" violations and refining the noise ordinance.

Mayor Jerome Conley and Councilmen Ken Bogard, Alan Kyger and Dave Prows voted to re-table the ordinance, while Prue Dana, Alysia Fischer and Doug Ross voted against tabling.

Conley said that the efforts of

the SCRC to work with the student drinking culture in Oxford deserve more time to progress.

However, Ross said he was doubtful another month of SCRC efforts would lead to any improvements.

"I don't think diddly's going to happen. I hope I'm proven wrong," Ross said. "It's dragged on for months and it's a relatively straightforward vote."

Dana said she supported the ordinance as is, but hopes SCRC's student-community bonding efforts continue.

"I'm not sure (the ASG report) will change my mind," but it's a good first step," Dana said.