The Columbia Substance Abuse Advisory Commission held its first comment session open to the public Thursday evening to discuss its proposed server training ordinance.
The commission previously held a meeting held for bar owners and alcohol vendors within the city of Columbia.
The proposed server training ordinance would require any business, and its employees, that serves or sells alcohol to undergo a training workshop. The training is designed to teach servers how to deal with fake identification or over-served and intoxicated patrons.
“The program was designed around the previous requests of local bar owners,” commission chairwoman Michelle Baumstark said.
This ordinance has been in the making since November 2011 and is designed to mimic the regulations seen in Blue Springs, St. Joseph and Branson in the state.
The commission is made up of 10 members from across the community, including health officials, law enforcement officers and educators.
Multiple board members described the parameters of the ordinance as straightforward and simple.
All employees of any site that serves or sells alcohol must complete the training prior to employment at the establishment or within 30 days of being hired. This training can be completed through a private training company or through the State of Missouri Alcohol Responsibility Training.
SMART program representative Jessica Schlosser said it is a free, online program that allows employees to perform training on their own time. An employee can simply log in with an employer’s number and the results are attached to the company’s liquor license.
The program has separate programs for service and package liquor sales. Both programs contain a vigorous session on checking identification with interactive, video and image components. There are then different ways to identify and deal with patrons who are already heavily intoxicated.
“The ability to give our employees more information about making the right decision is way overdue,” Mid-Missouri Restaurant Association President John LaRocca said.
At the end of the approximately one-hour program, there is a test given that requires a 100 percent to pass. This test may be taken as many times as needed. Upon completion, there is a printable certificate that can be authenticated at the Department of Health for $5.
The certificate can be attached to the endorsement of a Food Handlers Card and will be valid for three years.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety supports the program in hopes of cutting down on not only underage drinking, but also driving while intoxicated, property damage and assaults in the area.
Although there were not any concrete ideas for what the punishments would be, the board discussed that citations and punishments would be given to vendors and employees who repeatedly violated the ordinance.
If a worker was discovered to have not obtained the license within the allotted 30 days of employment, he or she would be required to obtain the certificate before returning to work.
SMART was originally created with the requests of many bar owners. The online program allows flexibility for a quick turnover of employees and prevents the requirement of an all-day training program in which the employers are required to pay employees for the time.
The program also benefits employers with all compliant employees in the lowering of liability insurance.
The next hearing of this bill will be with the City Council and a date has yet to be announced.