My name is Dennis Phares and I represent the Optimist Club of Kalona. The Optimist Club, in part, functions to support the families of our community as they raise their children in our quiet neighborhoods. We strive to set standards of conduct within our membership that will encourage and motivate our children as they grow into responsible and productive members of our city, with the morals that have guided the men and women that have preceded us. It is to this end that the Optimist Club wishes to address the question as to whether or not the city of Kalona should allow a beer tent to be operated within our city limits during the upcoming Kalona Days and subsequent events that promote our beloved town. If the Optimist Club were to allow this to happen in our community without taking a stand we would be negligent in our duties, and we would have failed our children, there are numerous reasons why a beer tent should not be allowed at our cherished Kalona Days, chief among them is the resultant impressions our young children would derive from witnessing events that would undoubtedly occur at an open air beer fest. In a perfect world, a person would have one or two drinks and enjoy themselves, but as we have seen at almost every occasion where alcohol is served, there are a number of people that cannot or will not control themselves. The Solon Beef Days is an example of what can occur when alcohol is sold, and consumed during a city celebration.
Should we subject our children to scenes of drunken celebrants stumbling through our streets, using language that would offend the vulgar, and seeking out those whom they could argue and fight with.
Would the beer tent also include a live band, and would this band play well into the night? Noise of this magnitude fares well inside a large convention hall attended by those who are not concerned about their hearing loss. But here in Kalona, do we really need our hills to be alive with music?
There is also the question about security? It has been stated that the beer tent operator might hire one or two off duty policemen to provide oversight at this event. This would be commendable, but rather short sighted. A beer tent would likely draw a number of citizens from surrounding communities. Possibly as far away as Cedar Rapids or further. As our news services have reported, an Iowa City free for all required several officers to stop a neighborhood brawl, and an officer, Tim Davis of Cedar Rapids is recovering at home from a beating he sustained during an arrest attempt, and these events didn't even include alcohol. Do we really want to take a chance that one or two officers could quell a drunken brawl.
Not to mention community goodwill. What about our neighbors, the Amish and others with various churches within our community. These good people do not need to put up with this type of event. It insults their beliefs and heritage. It could also put the lives of the Amish in danger as they travel in their horse drawn carriages on the roadways that will surely be traversed by those who have visited the beer tent. There are many more negatives with having a beer tent than can be explained in just five minutes, with very few positives.
Can the city council tell the citizens of Kalona how the sale and consumption of alcohol during Kalona Days will benefit our fair city, and how the addition of a beer tent will add to the enjoyment of all the citizens of Kalona? It would indeed add to the coffers of our merchants, but at what price? It is the opinion of the Optimist Club that the city of Kalona would be better served without the beer tent and it is our recommendation that the city council deny the request.
Dennis Phares