CENTERBURG — Centerburg resident Kevin Bell said creating a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) for the downtown area is a “waste of money.”
Village council members held a public hearing on former mayor Tom Stewart’s request to create a DORA at their meeting on Monday.
Bell was the sole person to speak at the hearing.
“There are things in our village that need addressed well beyond having to put out special cups, put out emergency police presence, extra trash cans, and all that,” he said.
“Second, the people that benefit from this the most are two, count them, two vendors that sell alcohol. That’s it.”
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Bell also cited a safety factor with people carrying alcohol around the village where children are, and the trash associated with people carrying cups around.
“Those cups are going to end up in bushes in side lots and everything, and not in the trash can. It’s going to happen,” he said.
However, the most significant reason Bell opposes a DORA is that it sends the wrong message.
“We are a wonderful, quiet, safe community, and we’re telling people, come to Centerburg, you’ll love it. And you can drink on our streets,” he said.
“You don’t need alcohol to enjoy our village, folks. I think out of all of those reasons, that’s the biggest one for me.”
centerburg resident kevin bell
Bell said that, of the approximately 24 businesses in the DORA area, all are public spaces and will not benefit.
“Two of them are churches, which I don’t think they want people carrying alcohol into their church services. Two of them are banks. I’m hoping the banks don’t want people carrying alcohol in there,” he said.
Bell noted the business listing does not indicate how many actively want the council to create a DORA.
“I think this is an ill-advised application, and I would vote against it,” he told the council members.
Proposed DORA regulations
In their legislative session, council members gave a first reading to an ordinance creating a DORA.
The DORA boundaries would extend from Preston Street to Clayton Street and from Houck Street to Church Street.
Proposed hours of operation are 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The village will place signs marking the DORA boundaries and provide participating establishments with 100 plastic cups featuring the Heart of Ohio DORA logo. Establishments will thereafter buy the cups from the village.
Village Administrator Richard Dzik said the council can amend the DORA application by the final reading if there are changes it would like to see based on public input.
