Neenah considers bartender drinking ban

The president of the state tavern league is responding to a proposal in Neenah that requires bartenders to be sober, and bans them from drinking on the job.

Terry Harvath owns the Wishing Well in Appleton, and he leads the statewide group. He says Neenah police chief Kevin Wilkinson is pushing for the proposal, after an officer was punched in the face by a drunk bartender, last September. Harvath says it was an isolated incident, and they shouldn't punish everybody else because of it.

He says most bars have their own policies, and some require absolute sobriety.

He says the rules could cause problems, if bartenders couldn't sample new products, when sales reps bring them in. And he says if bartenders are having a couple of drinks after their shift, and a large group comes in, unannounced, they wouldn't be able to jump behind the bar, to help.

Harvath says he asked the leader of the Winnebago County Tavern League to invite the police chief to one of their monthly meetings, so they can talk about the issue.

A Neenah committee took up the proposal for the first time, last night.