Government has an awful job these days, as do teachers. It is tasked with making people be good when all the moral fiber is gone. We see this in gun control issues, but it also appeared in recent conversations in Henderson County. A dude was found in a river after one beer fest, and then another beer fest got busted because servers were caught drinking beer. Another festival decided just to cancel for fear of not knowing what might be used to get organizers in trouble.
To solve the problem, which would be the cause of death in the first situation, the county is now considering rigid criteria, which require event organizers to, among other things:
- File a site plan that meets county requirements.
- Submit an “emergency action plan” for security, emergency medical services, evacuation plans and access for ambulances, fire trucks and law enforcement officers.
- Obtain a permit from the county’s Technical Review Committee, made up of planners, the county’s code enforcement officer, NCDOT engineers and health department officials for festivals and concerts drawing more than 499 people. For purposes of such a permit, the sheriff’s office would also review the application.
- Obtain alcohol permits from state regulators and food sales permits from the county Health Department.
In other words, the high moral ground today is avoiding lawsuits. A corollary is, “You can get away with anything as long as you can document it.”
