Editor’s note: This public forum item was originally composed as a letter to the editor, but the author realized it would not be published before the Great Bend City Council voted on expanding the Common Consumption Area. This version is what she read at the Aug. 19 City Council meeting.

To the City Council:

Hello, I am Dee Anne Grummon, a citizen of Great Bend, here to express my opinion about your consideration of expanding open alcohol consumption in the streets of Great Bend.

Last week I was disappointed to see the most recent request to nearly triple the “Common Consumption Area” in downtown Great Bend. I was not really surprised because it seems like in recent years there has been a push to add alcohol to nearly every community activity, such as the Party in the Park and the shopping with Wine event. Someone wants to add a “beer garden” to everything. I understand that the committee wants to make sure the Brewery succeeds as well as the other bars, but I don’t think that holding public meetings like the new teachers’ meeting or legislative “coffees” in an alcohol business is appropriate. I wonder if serving alcohol on the street actually helps any of the other downtown businesses very much either. Do you know if it does? Is it impossible to draw a crowd with food, art and music/entertainment only, or is alcohol the magic ingredient for any event to be successful?

We have three Oxford Houses and the Dream Center in Great Bend (just a few blocks away) with people who are making the difficult effort to stay clean from addictive substances. It seems to me that adding alcohol, (the gateway drug for most people), to public activities does not show much support or sensitivity to be inclusive for everyone. Aren’t we giving out the message that “you can’t have fun without alcohol?” That seems to be what we are teaching our kids, and then we wonder why they abuse it because it seems “an adult beverage.”

I don’t enjoy being around alcohol or feel safe around activities where it is consumed, so I avoid attending them. More importantly, folks are not walking home from these events, so safety on the streets is another concern. What does the Great Bend Police think about more alcohol consumption in more places and events? Did you happen to ask them?

Personally, I don’t drink alcohol because it is not good for my body or my mind. Alcohol does have a benefit medicinally as a preservative or to kill germs. Everyone has the choice of what they do in their home or with family or friends, or at some restaurant. But I really think that community events can and should be successful, fun, family-friendly and alcohol-free.

As a citizen of Great Bend, I believe that I am free to express my opinion that expanding the “Common Consumption Area” is not a wise idea. The only people who will actually benefit from it are the people who sell the alcohol drug. Thank you.

Dee Anne Grummon

Great Bend