Council members agree, however, that preventing possible recurrences will take more than a few ordinances and that legislatively, things must be done on a variety of fronts.
The council is holding a public hearing at 7 p.m. April 2 in the borough building for students, administrators and the State College community to discuss riot prevention ideas. Several options have already been introduced to the council, including moving the bus stop located near Acme Pizza, however, the council is looking to work closer with the university to think of solutions that are fair to residents and students.
Goreham said she wants the university to consider some kind of policy that would expel students depending on the number of times a student is arrested and found guilty. She said the idea is to weed out the few people causing the problems.
"Somehow, we need to disassociate the student body from those students who use a situation like this as an opportunity," Goreham said.
Welch said the consequences of behavior exhibited early Saturday morning should be routinely made known so there is a stronger sense of consequence.
Council member Tom Daubert agrees that consequences for riot-like actions should be harder hitting.
"It makes sense. If you don't learn the first two times, then they should get what's coming to them," Daubert said.
Goreham also said some apartment complexes are taking the initiative and starting to rewrite leases to make them include balcony violations. She said the new clauses include denying residents use of the balcony by sealing it off if violations begin to add up.
Goreham said A.W. & Sons, 309 E. Beaver Ave., rewrote its leases. Representatives from A.W. & Sons could not be reached for comment yesterday.
She said other realties might have also added the violation consequence to their leases, however, no other agency has come forward to the council to say that they have rewritten their leases.
"The balconies are contributing to a lot of problems," Goreham said. "They're dangerous."
Despite the ordinances and proposed legislation, council members do not deny the role alcohol played in the Saturday morning disturbance and said its part in the problem is harder to alleviate than other factors.
"I don't think any of it (legislation) will stop it," Daubert said. "Some people drink, and they just get out of hand."
Welch said that without question, alcohol played a significant part in this weekend's riot, comparing Saturday morning's disturbance to last Sunday's celebration.
"Looking at them side by side, last weekend was a victory celebration that went well -- there seemed to be little or no alcohol," Welch said.
While trying to find means of stemming the recent rash of problems in "Beaver Canyon," the council is asking students to come forward with ideas.
"We are trying to come up with policies that are fair to everyone and to get them done by the beginning of May, before students leave," Daubert said.
Gorham said more than police are needed to deal with the disturbances.
"We need a good policy, not scare tactics," she said.
Welch said, however, that when a town has people with an agenda to riot, policy could be difficult to enforce.
"If you have a group with a premeditation to riot, that's a tough nut to crack," Welch said.
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