Craig Daily Press

Craig — Moffat County commissioners said they wanted a “reasonable compromise” with Loudy-Simpson Park concessions operators to limit alcohol sales during youth activities.

After a workshop Thursday, the commission felt it achieved its aim.

“I think we’re addressing the issue, and we have a good compromise,” Commissioner Tom Gray said. “We’re public servants. We’re not trying to pursue our own personal agenda but what the community wants, and I think we’re on our way.”

Trini Riley — who owns TnT Enterprises, the company contracting with Moffat County to run Loudy-Simpson concessions — and the commissioners agreed there was community interest in limiting alcohol sales during youth events.

As much as community interest also seemingly calls for officials to keep open alcohol sales during adult softball and baseball games.

Prior to Thursday, alcohol was served at all sporting events.

Riley and the Commission agreed to rein that in.

TnT Enterprises will only serve alcohol after 6 p.m. on days when youth sports occupy Loudy-Simpson’s ball fields — Monday and Wednesday — until the youth league season ends June 17.

There will be regular alcohol sales at all other times, including during Triple Crown Sports events now through August.

Youth games start at 4:45 p.m. and typically end by 6:30 p.m., Riley said.

She said she wanted to start alcohol sales at 6 p.m. because adults commonly show up then to drink a few beers with food before their games start and she doesn’t want to lose that business.

The Commission initially asked alcohol not be sold until 7 p.m. but agreed Riley’s suggestion was a working compromise.

“We’re not promoting prohibition here,” Commissioner Tom Gray said. “As a community, we’re recognizing in other ways that the youth have a drinking problem here, and we’re trying to set a better example.”

The Commission first heard of the situation after concerned resident Norm Yoast, a Craig Middle School science teacher, wrote a letter about drinking at the park.

He said inebriated parents berated teenage umpires and drank in the dugouts while they sat beside minors playing ball.

Yoast also wrote that he hears CMS students often talk about drinking and that maybe the activities at Loudy-Simpson fostered a culture for local youths that encouraged drinking.

Riley, her close friend Mary Lynn Deyo and Craig Softball Association President Dusty White said they had no problem going along with what the community wants.

Riley said she’s aware of what problems alcohol can cause and cuts people off from drinking excessively.

“I do not allow that,” she said. “It doesn’t help the games, and it’s something we’ve always watched closely.”

However, Riley and her associates said they would not want to stop alcohol sales or limit sales too drastically because it would hurt Riley’s business and livelihood.

“She doesn’t want to create a problem,” Deyo said. “If the community doesn’t want it, she doesn’t want it, either, but we don’t think that’s what people are asking for.”

The commissioners said their feedback from the community showed there was concern only for youth games.

They added residents showed a lot of support for continuing sales during adult games.

Riley said she wants to engage the community more in the future and meet with the Commission before the start of baseball and softball leagues in 2009.

“I would really like to take some surveys of the people who use the fields and see how they feel,” she said. “I’ll do two — one for selling during kids’ games and another for adult games.”

The contract between TnT Enterprises and Moffat County may need to be renegotiated when the two parties meet later.

The current one was based on a projected amount of revenue, and the commissioners were said they are sensitive to not put Riley in a situation that jeopardizes her business.