Algonquin Takes Aim at Underage Drinking Parties

The village of Algonquin is looking for ways to curb underage drinking parties. 

The Algonquin Village Board will vote Tuesday on an amendment to its social hosting ordinance that will broaden police officers’ enforcement power when dealing with the parties.

Algonquin Police Department Chief Russell Laine and Sgt. Robert Salazar explained proposed changes to the ordinance during Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting. 

“One of the main changes in the ordinance is that underage drinking parties could be enforced even if they're not held at a home,” Salazar said. “For instance, if there is an underage party at a hotel, in a vehicle or a park, the ordinance would apply to those places as well.”

The amendment would also make it possible for the village to recuperate funds resulting from any emergency medical and police services needed in association with an underage drinking party, Salazar said.

A third change to the local law would coincide with the police department’s newly developed Party Patrol Program.

Under the program, parents planning to leave town for a vacation or business could go to the police department headquarters to sign a permission form allowing officers entry into their home should police suspect an underage drinking party is underway.

The program, which kicks off this month, is the first of its kind in the area.

Parents would simply leave a key with a neighbor or trusted friend, which police would use to enter the house should they suspect teens are drinking and partying at the house.

“One of the changes to the social hosting ordinance would state that if the parents took reasonable steps to prevent an underage drinking party —  such as signing up for the Party Patrol Program — then we would be less likely to charge them (with a violation) should one occur,” Salazar said.

“We know that parents can’t be everywhere all the time and neither can the police," he said. 

Salazar said the social hosting ordinance amendments and installation of the new Party Patrol Program coincide with April's Alcohol Awareness month. 

Other Business at COW Meeting

Village trustees also discussed the following during the Tuesday night Committee of the Whole meeting:

• An intergovernmental agreement with McHenry County and the village of Lake in the Hills to add decorative plants in the median along Algonquin Road just west of Randall Road. Algonquin workers designed the landscaping layout for the plantings and LITH will pay for the installation and maintenance of the plants for the first 60 days, and Algonquin will handle maintenance of the median for the next three years. The agreement must go for final consideration before the Algonquin Village Board.

• A jurisdictional transfer agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation where Algonquin would take over maintenance of “Old Route 31,” or Main Street, once the construction of the Western Bypass is complete. Originally, IDOT wanted the village to pay about $500,000 to acquire the road. Village officials have since worked out a proposal where IDOT will pay Algonquin $1.7 million to assume maintenance of the road. Details of the proposed agreement need to be finalized before the Village Board votes on the matter.

• Village trustees considered two requests for charity run/walks for August — both will go to the Village board for final approval. In discussing the requests, village officials said they are seeing a growing number of requests for run/walking events and are considering formulating an ordinance that would stipulate start times, noise levels, and various other factors for future requests.