Approval of an ordinance that would require all keg purchases to be registered with retailers may be pushed back to the fall as city and county officials dispute how much discussion is still needed.

In The (Ames) Tribune on Saturday, Story County Attorney Stephen Holmes said he wanted to wait until fall because students don’t want the ordinance to pass while they are away for summer.

Holmes could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Story County Supervisor Jane Halliburton said Holmes will be addressing the meth ordinance at the Board of Supervisors’ Tuesday meeting.

She said she won’t be surprised if he asks to put the keg ordinance on a future agenda so an official recommendation can be made.

“My guess is he wants to make adjustments to the ordinance, and I’m not sure how much that involves the board as he is the author of the ordinance,” she said.

This development comes after a public forum held March 24, where ISU students voiced concern that the ordinance was a regulatory reaction aimed at them and they have not had enough opportunities to discuss the regulation.

Students are not the only ones concerned about the lack of discussion.

Ames City Councilman Steve Goodhue said he’s concerned that the City Council was not involved in the discussion until almost two weeks ago, when a presentation by Ames Police Chief Loras Jaeger was given to the council. Goodhue said if the city is going to be enforcing the ordinance, it needs to be involved in the decision-making process.

“This is not the way I think the council would’ve liked to have seen this put together,” he said. “I understand what [the Board of Supervisors] is trying to do, and I appreciate it, but I think they need to pull back a little.”

Councilwoman Sharon Wirth said she agrees with Goodhue that the City Council has had, until recently, only limited “official interaction” with the board.

“When the city or county feels it is necessary to further discuss an issue, we take necessary steps to ensure a dialogue takes place,” said Story County Supervisor Wayne Clinton.

Clinton said he does not expect the two bodies to discuss the issue again any time soon.

Halliburton said that very few city staff and elected officials were at the forum held on campus last week.

“I don’t interpret that as a lack of interest on their part; they’ve asked their questions and received answers [from the community],” she said.

Halliburton also said the board hasn’t received any more questions from City Council members.

Wirth said she sees the board’s hesitation to act quickly on the issue as a positive aspect, one that reflects their concern about the county’s welfare.

“We’re still taking time to work through the process so there can be a long-range impact to improving the quality of life for the citizens of Story County,” Clinton said.

Councilman Matthew Goodman said the lack of interaction between the council and the board is typical of government bodies. He said the two not working closely is why Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco requested a presentation from Jaeger on March 22.

The three council members agree this issue has not put distance between the two bodies.

“This is simply good community debate,” Goodhue said.