Riverton City Council advances alcohol demerit rule

RIVERTON — Riverton City Council members advanced an ordinance that would implement a demerit-style points system for liquor license holders under which licensees would incur points for infractions like serving already intoxicated patrons or minors. The system would include more well-defined consequences for repeat violations.

But the discussion didn't come without some pushback and questions from license holders, and ultimately, Council Member Mike Bailey voted against it. With two more readings and votes before the new regulations can be adopted, council members encouraged liquor licensees to study the proposed rules and bring back any questions.

The topic was first raised as part of conversations regarding public safety issues prompted by Council Member Karen Johnson, who has argued that alcohol violations are occurring in Riverton but often don't result in citations or consequences. 

She said the new system would allow for the council to make better decisions about liquor licenses and add accountability. 

"I've seen it myself," she said. "I've seen highly intoxicated people walking into an establishment and stagger out with a brown bag bottle. It happens. We all know it happens, and I don't think that making ourselves accountable is a bad thing."

But Bailey, the lone no vote, argued that the city's efforts against alcoholism should be targeted elsewhere, and that liquor license holders aren't the real problem.

"That's like saying I'm going to punish everyone on the west side of Riverton for Karen not scraping her sidewalk when it snows," he said. 

He said the city ought to just do a better job of tracking the number of times liquor establishments are cited and convicted of infractions, then consider not renewing their licenses when they come up for annual renewal if there is a problem. 

"It could be that simple, without creating this bureaucracy, for lack of a better term … All of these things are already against the law," he said.

The proposal

Under the proposal, license holders who violate city or state regulations and then are convicted for the offense would accrue points over a 12-month period. Various infractions include different point totals, with things like selling to an intoxicated person or being open after hours set at 25 points and selling to an underaged person at 50 points.

Upon a conviction for an alcohol offense, the city clerk would be notified and communicate to the license holder that they may request a hearing in front of a hearing examiner to challenge the accrual of points. The hearing examiner would then make a determination of whether to assign points against the license holder. The licensee may appeal the decision to the city council.

A license holder that accumulates 25 points over 12 months would be fined $250 plus the cost of the hearing if requested. Those who accumulate 50 points would be charged for the hearing plus a $500 fine. 

For 75 points, the license holder would have to pay for the hearing and would have their license suspended for no more than three days; with 100 points, that suspension would be up to five days. And finally, for a license holder who has their license suspended three times within a 12-month period, the city may authorize the city attorney to file a petition in district court to revoke the license.

The discussion

"I don't have any dog in this fight," shared former Riverton bar owner Pasqual Martinez. But he said he felt the issue needed to be studied further, and that approving the new ordinance would create a precedent. 

"I guess the real reason I'm nervous about it is because … once you put these things in place then they're difficult to repeal if you find things that are not working out … We already have laws that are in place,” he said. “The only thing I see on this is a way to keep track of violations. Other than that, I'm just pretty much against trying to fix things with passing ordinances, because the city already has the authority to refuse to redo anybody's license, so I'm just questioning why we have to have another law."

"I just don't think we have a problem," Discount Liquor owner Bob Woodward said of liquor establishments in Riverton. "And if we do, then it's time to go after it. But the way it is now, we don't have one."

Johnson thanked those who spoke on the ordinance but pushed back against the idea that the city was creating new laws.

"Regulations are already in place," she said. "You run a highly regulated business and you should know them."

This story was published on Dec. 6, 2025.