Amendment Would Allow Outdoor Drinking at BYOBs

When Town Council approved on first reading Tuesday an ordinance amending current laws that say you cannot drink in the outdoor seating portions of Morristown's many BYOBs, Donald Kissel let out an audible "yes!"

The ordinance amendment, which is expected to be approved at the council's next meeting on Aug. 14, eliminates that restriction, one no one seems to know the origin of.

"We've been looking at it for some time," Business Administrator Michael Rogers said. "It's a contradiction to how we function, and we felt it was a sensible policy change. ... we have no idea what the purpose of it was."

Kissel, a town resident for nearly five decades, certainly thought so judging from his reaction. The wining and dining fan noted his dismay recently when he expected to open up a bottle of wine with his dinner outside and was stopped by the waiter. "He said he had gotten a ticket the week before," Kissel said. "This ordinance is probably older than I am."

Morristown resident Ken Isaacson, another proponent of the ordinance amendment, said "it didn't seem logical you couldn't drink outside [at a BYOB].

"There are places with liquor licenses that you can drink outside," he said. "It just doesn't make sense."

It also was not evenly enforced, Rogers noted. "Some allow it, some don't," he said. "We felt it was time to change it."

And who will be the most excited should the council vote to make the change on Aug. 14?

"I'll be the first one to go out and have a glass of wine," Kissel said. "Thank you."