The Carbondale Park District took the first step to allow the consumption of alcohol at next summer’s Sunset Concert Series Tuesday by voting to apply for City Fair Days designation for the concerts.

George Whitehead, director of the Park District, said the designation must now be approved by the Carbondale City Council before alcohol will officially be allowed at Sunset Concerts at Turley Park.

He said SIUC officials will decide if consumption will be allowed at the Sunset Concerts on the Shryock Auditorium steps. He added that if SIUC decides to ban consumption, the park district will probably rethink their position on the matter.

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The district voted 4-1 to apply for the designation after hearing citizens on both sides of the issue voice their opinions.

Rev. Jeff Scott, from the University Baptist Church, lashed out at the policy allowing the consumption of alcohol at the events.

What specific benefit does allowing alcohol give the community that we couldn’t get elsewhere? he asked.

It’s a treasure that’s being marred greatly by alcohol, he said of the concerts.

Scott argued that exposing children to public alcohol consumption sends them a mixed message about alcohol.

Scott also presented the board with a petition signed by 636 people who want the concerts to be alcohol-free.

Other people, including the President of the Jackson County Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also spoke out against allowing alcohol at the events.

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Dan Sitarz, a board member of the Carbondale New School, who also does work for the SIUC child development lab, spoke in favor of allowing alcohol at the functions.

Sitarz said the concerts have not had many problems with the exception of one last summer when reggae band, Reggae at Will, played to a large crowd. Residents near Turley Park complained of fights, underage drinking, parking on lawns and public urination.

I believe these problems could be looked at individually, he said. There’s been very, very few problems at concerts in the past save one concert this summer.

Sitarz said the problem concert was near the weekend of the Street Machine Nationals, a car competition, in Du Quoin which he said may have been partially responsible for the problems.

Park District member Sandy Bartelsmeyer said alcohol did not make the concerts too rowdy for children to attend.

It’s a wholesome environment to take children to a place where there’s old people and young people, whites, blacks and people of other races enjoying the concert, she said praising the concert crowd’s diversity. If we say no alcohol whatsoever, we’re saying we don’t want drinkers. I don’t perceive alcohol as evil.

Despite the vote, Scott said he will continue to fight the consumption policy.

I’m not surprised, he said. This is really only round one. We’ll be on the doorstep of the City Council.

Sitarz said he was pleased with the choice.

It’s not so much supporting alcohol consumption, he said. It’s basically leaving a successful event alone. When an event is so successful, there’s no reason to change it.

I think it’s a small vocal minority that’s against alcohol consumption on any occasion, trying to push their views on others.

Sitarz said he believes a no-alcohol rule would end the concerts after 17 successful years.

Whitehead said no alcohol was permitted at the concerts one summer during the mid-1980s and the event suffered an extremely low turnout. It was embarrassing, Whithead said.