Keg parties in Carbondale may start running out of beer a little earlier than usual because of a city ordinance passed last week banning the sale of kegs in Carbondale between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Under the new regulations, transporting kegs into Carbondale during these hours will be a violation of city code. City manager Jeff Doherty said people caught sneaking a keg into Carbondale after 10 p.m. would be subject to a $50-$500 fine.

More keg regulations may soon follow. The council postponed voting on portions of the ordinance until students return to voice their concerns about keg regulation.

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We have not historically taken action (on issues concerning students) when student representatives are not present, Mayor Neil Dillard said.

If the remaining provisions of the ordinance are passed, liquor stores will be required to record a keg purchaser’s name, address and phone number.

The stores would also have to log the number of kegs sold to each customer, the size of the kegs, the location where the kegs are going to be stored or consumed and the date and time of every sale.

This information would then be available to the Carbondale Police Department upon request.

Councilman Michael Neill said he expects action to be taken on these provisions at the Aug. 29 city council meeting.

Doherty said the 10 p.m. deadline on keg sales is intended to end the pyramid effect at parties, that

see KEGS, page 9

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seeis, to keep party throwers from using early revenue from beer sales at parties to buy more barrels after the first ones run dry.

He also noted the provision is targeted at curbing underage drinking and for profit parties.

If someone wants to have some friends over and get a keg, there’s no problem as long as they keep the noise down, Doherty said.

He said the proposed listing of keg purchases is intended to supplement another keg measure the city council passed last week that makes the host of a party responsible for any underage drinking on the premises.

Some liquor store owners do not seem too concerned about the rule.

Doug Diggle, owner of Old Town Liquors, said the rule would not hurt his business.

We don’t sell many kegs so it doesn’t affect us very much, Diggle said.

Philip Hoffman, owner of ABC Liquor Mart, did not have much to say about the new rule.

I don’t have anything to say that someone else hasn’t already said, Hoffman said.