County bans alcohol at Beverly dunes

No citations issued in ban's first weekend in Moses Lake

EPHRATA — Possession of alcohol will now soon result in a ticket at the Beverly Sand Dunes as well.

The Grant County Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment Monday, adding the approximately 500-acre sand dunes area in Beverly to an ordinance already passed banning alcohol at the Moses Lake Sand Dunes. The change will go into effect May 16.

The commissioners approved the ban on alcohol at the Moses Lake Sand Dunes following a hearing April 18. The ban in Moses Lake went into effect May 1, and Monday's meeting followed the first full weekend that deputies could cite drinkers at the Moses Lake dunes.

The ban was originally proposed at the urging of the Grant County Sheriff's Office after concerns by area doctors about a number of alcohol-related off road vehicle accidents on holiday weekends such as Memorial Day. Representatives from both the GCSO and Samaritan Healthcare were on hand for Monday's hearing.

Attendance at Monday's hearing was sparse compared to one concerning the Moses Lake dunes just three weeks ago. Just three people, excluding law enforcement officers, spoke about the proposed changes.

Rich Archer, the director of the Sand Scorpions Off Road Vehicle Club, said his group has been discouraged by the passage of the alcohol ban, saying the county never brought his group into the discussion.

"It really irritates me that you guys can step over our heads," he said.

Rich Archer said the ban wouldn't stop kids from coming and drinking in Moses Lake, saying kids would go where it's easiest for them to go. He added that if the county wanted to make the dunes a more family-oriented place, it should start by fixing the trashed restrooms at the dunes. He and Peny Archer circulated photos of restrooms at the sand dunes to make their point.

"It disappoints me that you represent us and you don't event talk to us about this," he said.

Peny Archer echoed Rich Archer's comments, saying that the alcohol ban had been decided before people walked in the door for the April 18 meeting.

GCSO Chief Deputy Courtney Conklin responded to the Archers' comments following the meeting. He said the county would like to put additional restrooms in at the dunes. But he said there used to be additional restrooms at the dunes, and those restrooms were destroyed by locals.

Conklin cited the county's recent permit process a few years ago as one of the reasons to include the Beverly dunes in the ban. The county issued permits for ORV users at the Moses Lake Sand Dunes, but Conklin said that permit process sent partygoers to Beverly and other areas of the county. The GCSO feared the ban would spark similar problems if only enforceable at the Moses Lake sand dunes.

Commissioners did see support for the Beverly ban from Samaritan Healthcare, and emergency room director Jeff Evans. He called the commission's decision as one of its "finest." Of the people he's talked to, Evans said about 85 percent have been in support of a ban.

"This represents one of the best decisions that has been made by this county in a long time," Evans said.

The amendment passed unanimously by the commissioners, and Commissioner Deborah Moore said in voting for the amendment that it was the job of the county commissioners to protect the health safety and welfare of their constituents.

"By passing this resolution, we will be doing just that," Moore said.

Approval of an alcohol ban in Beverly came immediately following the first full weekend where drinkers could be cited for possession of alcohol in Moses Lake. GCSO ORV Deputy Jason Mitchell said no citations were issued this weekend, and many riders thanked the deputies for passing the ban. ORV deputies did have to remind one group who were not aware of the ban, but he said they were cooperative

"I think the majority of the users that are coming out there are supportive of this," Mitchell said of the ban.

Mitchell said he even had members of the Sand Scorpions come and tell him there was a need for the ban. When Mitchell does end up citing a rider, the first offense will cost that rider $100.

"There were a lot of families out there," Mitchell said, "and a lot of people that were very sympathetic of this alcohol ban."