HEC/News: Agencies pool resources to stop underage drinking (Austin American-Statesman)

HEC/News
Monday, February 2, 2009

Agencies pool resources to stop underage drinking
Austin American-Statesman (TX) January 30, 2009
By Patrick George

"PACE [(the Public Assembly Code Enforcement team)] was formed two years
ago in response to complaints about rampant parties across the city.
Since its inception in 2006, complaints and citations for underage
drinking are down in the West Campus neighborhood, officials say, and
safety and code compliance have improved citywide."

"'It's a way to enforce all the city's codes at once,' said Don Smith ,
an Austin Fire Department battalion chief. At parties, PACE has 'calmed
down a lot of that "we can do whatever we want" attitude,' Smith said."

"Smith said the PACE team meets once a month to discuss issues relating
to alcohol and code enforcement. The team does not receive any
additional funding from the city for what members do, but when they go
on PACE assignments, city fire and code enforcement officials get
overtime pay, Smith said, which runs about $6,000 a year -- about 2
percent of the overtime budgets for those departments . For the state
alcohol agents, it's part of their regular duty, Zuehlke said..."

Full article available at
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/31/0131under
age.html

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Received on Mon Feb 02 2009 - 09:37:54 EST