RSS Feed
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Countywide task force on underage drinking established Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern (D-Huntington) 16th LD announced that a County-Wide Underage Drinking Task Force to study the problem of underage drinking in Suffolk County has been established. The task force consists of 10 members including representatives from the Suffolk County Police Department, the County Probation Department, the County Department of Health Services, the County's STOP-DWI Program as well as a representative from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), bringing together representatives from many diverse groups to work towards creating a meaningful plan of action to address the complex issues surrounding underage drinking and its often catastrophic results. Legislator Stern's legislation has created a working task force that will study issues facing adolescents such as exposure to alcohol, peer pressure, the risk of carrying out or being a victim of physical or sexual assault or even death from injuries as a result of underage drinking. "Several municipalities in New York State have undertaken aggressive campaigns to curb underage drinking and Suffolk County needs to do the same. Suffolk County must develop an effective strategy to combat underage drinking which, at a minimum, should include law enforcement and educational components. Too many families and too many communities continue to experience the pain of loss and injuries to loved ones as a consequence of underage drinking,". Legislator Stern said. The task force will hold its first public hearing on Thursday, October 4 at the Suffolk County Legislature, William H. Rogers Building in Hauppauge from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. followed by the second hearing scheduled for Wednesday, November 14th to be held at the Half Hollow Hills High School East Lecture Hall, located at 50 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the final hearing to be scheduled in December. All hearings will be held to assemble data and information necessary to complete the valuation, study and required report to gather and obtain public comment and input from residents.
The task force will expire January, 2008 at which time it will submit a written report of its findings and determinations and its recommendations for action to the County Legislature and the County Executive. All Suffolk County residents are encouraged to participate. For more information, please contact Legislator Stern's office at 631-854-5100.
|
for larger version       |
|||||||||||||||||
