Appelbaum Proposes Public Intoxication Committee in Dewey

New Group To Address Noisy Bar Crowds

The welcome signs bookending Dewey Beach read: “Dewey Beach: A Way of Life.” But Commissioner Marc Appelbaum said that way of life is changing. More people are living here year-round, and more people are complaining about public drunkenness.

To answer their complaints, Appelbaum is proposing a public intoxication committee.

“As things change, we need to constantly evaluate how it’s impacting the community,” Appelbaum said. “We need to be sensitive to the needs and wants of the citizens.”

Appelbaum said he’s received as many as 100 calls or emails complaining about boisterous revelers, noisy group houses and public urination. Appelbaum said some Dewey citizens have awakened to find a wayward partier passed out on their porch.

“I think ‘A Way of Life’ means different things to different people,” Appelbaum said. “We need to find a way to make things work for everybody.”

Appelbaum intends for the committee’s focus to be exploratory. In fact, he said, he would be happy if it found no problem at all. He said he hopes public participation will give the committee a good sense of public sentiment.

Dewey residents are quite tolerant of the summer crowds, Appelbaum said.

“The people come here because they know they can let loose and have a good time,” he said of Dewey’s summer population.

Appelbaum said public opinion and open discussion would dictate the committee’s course of action.

Appelbaum plans to nominate Dewey resident Rick Solloway, Nalu owner Regan Derrickson, Planning and Zoning Chairman Harry Wilson and Dewey Beach Police Lt. Billy Hocker to the committee.

Appelbaum said the candidates would bring a varied perspective to the committee. He said Wilson has the most comprehensive knowledge of Dewey’s zoning laws, while few people in Dewey have more direct experience with partygoers than Hocker.

Derrickson owns one of Dewey’s smaller bars, which Appelbaum said gives him a different view of the party life than larger bars like The Starboard or The Rusty Rudder. While Solloway is a fresh face at Dewey meetings, Appelbaum praised his vigor and intelligence.

At the July 10 town council meeting, the commissioners revised Resolution 84, which empowers the mayor to appoint committee members.

Appelbaum moved the power be extended to all commissioners, and the council unanimously agreed.

Ultimately, Appelbaum said, the committee has a shared expertise – as Dewey residents, they have all encountered the town’s active nightlife. He said he understands the allure of the bar scene well, having once participated.

“I bought a place in Dewey when I was single,” Appelbaum said. “I spent more than a little time in bars and restaurants.”
The formation of the public intoxication committee will be discussed and possibly voted on at the town council meeting Friday,

Aug. 14, in the Lifesaving Station on Dagsworthy Avenue.