To the Editor:
The Youth Task Force appreciates the position of reader Megan Klein, in her letter titled, “Bad timing,” published January 8. Although it does seem to be counterproductive to announce alcohol outlet compliance checks in our local area, we are working within the framework of Massachusetts state guidelines and the Alcohol Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) to facilitate effective compliance checks in our community. Within the guidelines, it clearly states that, “Notification that a compliance check will be taking place will be made in the media prior to the start date.”
The Martha’s Vineyard Times has been consistent in their coverage and support of promoting our initiatives, and we are grateful to them for their commitment to this issue. We know that this guideline may be thought of as a warning or a tip to establishments to be on guard, however this step is essential in prosecuting offenders of this law. We chose to publish a range of dates (two months) to have a broader time frame of deterrence, and we do look forward to publishing a follow-up article applauding the establishments that are in compliance in our community.
Thank you again for paying attention and commenting on our work.
Mike Joyce, Bill Jones, Cindy Doyle, Theresa Manning, and Jamie S. Spears
Youth Task Force Steering
Committee
