To drink or not to drink?

On Whitefish Lake, this is a divisive question

Dont crack that six-pack open on Whitefish Lake just yet.

The Whitefish City Council is divided on a proposal to exempt Whitefish Lake from the citys open container law. A tie vote on Monday failed because Mayor Andy Feury wasnt there to break the deadlock.

The matter didnt die with the tie vote, though. The council decided to revisit the issue on Dec. 5, when the full council is expected to attend.

Waterfowl hunting on the lake, however, was OKd by the council.

The time-honored traditions of drinking and hunting came into question a couple of months ago when the council annexed the lake as a procedural detail needed to move forward with the citys new planning boundaries that extend zoning and subdivision jurisdiction roughly two miles from city limits.

The open-container discussion evolved into an argument over whether the city has a right to legislate morality on public property.

Council member Tom Muri said a memo circulated by the police chief indicated DUIs at local bars are up 100 percent in Whitefish. He also said he knows of three alcohol-related fatalities on the lake in recent years.

We have a chance to send a message that we wont tolerate [drinking] on Whitefish Lake, Muri said. Nobody has any business getting into a motorized [boat] if theyve been drinking. Were being hypocrites if this ordinance passes.

Council member Cris Coughlin said she doesnt believe alcohol use on the lake is a problem.

I personally dont like to see this council legislate morality, she said. If youre a golfer you can drink as much as you like on the city-owned golf course.

Council member Erik Garberg pointed out that through some process of acceptance, alcohol consumption is allowed at City Beach and other public facilities such as the ice rink.

Velvet Phillips-Sullivan said she just wants consistency when it comes to enforcing the open-container law.

Garberg, Coughlin and Mark Wagner favored the ordinance allowing consumption of alcohol on the lake; Muri, Phillips-Sullivan and Doug Adams opposed it.

Police Chief Bill Dial told the council earlier that he would like his department to team up with the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to patrol the lake, using state money available for compensating police officers who assist in patrolling state waters. A patrol boat would cost about $35,000, but the city could use asset-forfeiture funds or manufacturer programs to help pay for a patrol craft, according to Dial.

The state will continue to enforce fish and game regulations, but city police will enforce rules governing boat registration, life jacket use, operating a motorized boat under the influence, reckless operation of a boat and other related violations.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com