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Show Dance age restriction changed to 14 - By PALL CHALLIS News Editor ObuNTIFUL The City Council lfjered the legal age for attending public ffcs from 16 to 14 years of age Wednes-aljf Wednes-aljf as requested by two, young Bountiful entrepreneurs. Jeff and Jeremy Reynolds are in the process pro-cess of opening up a dancing establishment at Colonial Square in Bountiful and wanted the city to lower the legal age by two years to increase the size of the possible clientele for their business. BounUful's statute had required youths to be 16 years old to attend a public dance. School and church dances are not governed by the ordinance. "We are planning on hiring off-duty o "It seems like young people are getting older quicker these days." Bountiful Councilman Harold Shaffer police officers to act as chaperons for the establishment," es-tablishment," Jeff Reynolds said. The ordinance or-dinance calls for adult supervision at public dancing facilities. Bountiful Police Lt Bill Collard said that the Reynolds had contacted the police and I had worked on developing a plan that was acceptable to law enforcement "The ordinance doesn't require a Bountiful Boun-tiful uniformed police officer to be present. They said they would hire off-duty officers and we are happy to comply with that stipulation," Collard safd. . Reynolds also told the council that Salt Lake City's ordinance doesn't even have an age requirement "I was told by police officials in Salt Lake that they haven't had any problems with the ordinance or from youth in the 13-15 age group," he said. Council worn an Barbara Holt asked the brothers what the hours would be for their establishment? es-tablishment? SEE DANCE ON PG.2 1 l v Dance CONTINUED FROM PG.l Reynolds replied that the hours would be from 8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. City Attorney Layne Forbes said the hours were in compliance with the curfew of midnight in Bountiful City. "Any one under 18 has until midnight as long as school isn't in session on the following day and since its the weekend, it meets the ordinance," he said. Councilman Leslie Foy questioned if there was a need to lower the age for public dances. "I work with students of this age and I cannot see why it needs to be lowered," he added. "We think it will provide them with something do on the weekends and we need the younger kids there to help us survive financially," Reynolds said. Councilman Harold Shatter also expressed concerns about lowering the age limit. "I think we are pushing our kids to grow up a little too fast. It seems like young people are getting older quicker these days," Shatter said. "We're living in a fast world today. I don't like it." Mayor Bob Linnell said that he agreed with Foy and Shatter but added, "The reality is that they aren't going to sit at home and play Nintendo on Saturday nights." Linnell added that parents have to make the final decision of letting their children attend a public dance of this nature or to attend a late movie. Councilman John Cushing told the young entrepreneurs that the crowd coming to their establishment estab-lishment may not be easy to handle and could present "different problems' prob-lems' ' than that encountered at school dances. "It's a lot better than knocking off gas stations and things like that," Cushing said. "But I think you are going to face different problems prob-lems than you have considered." Holt made the motion to change the age from 16 to 14 saying that off-duty police officers would be on hand to help supervise the business and that it falls under the curfew ordinance or-dinance and is within the law. Cushing seconded it and the vote went 2-2 with Shatter and Foy against. Linnell broke the tie in favor of the lower age, passing the ordinance by a 3-2 vote. Coun-cil Coun-cil woman Renee Coon was absent from the meeting forcing the mayor to cast his vote. Sh after asked the police department depart-ment to monitor the business and report any problems due to the change in the age requirement "The council took 10 minutes to change the age from 16 to 14 but it could change it back in a minute if any problems occur," Linnell warned the Reynolds brothers. |