The Carbondale Liquor Advisory Board recently was in danger of elimination as a result of a proposal by Councilman John Mills. The board was founded about 20 years ago to consult with the Carbondale mayor and the city Liquor Control Commission, a body made up of the city council members.

Mills claimed that the services of the board were not need-ed because the commission performs most of the same duties, such as approving liquor licenses for establishments. Members of the board argued that the group is one of the few outlets through which students and other concerned citizens can affect town liquor regulations.

Because the Liquor Advisory board was

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created to give the advice of students and townspeople to the city council concerning liquor issues, that should be the body’s only focus. By taking on other duties which are already performed by the commission, the board has expan-ded its focus to the point of counterproductivity. The board’s focus was recently criticized by city officials after the group asked a police officer to be present at a meeting to answer questions about the enforcement of an underage alcohol-con-sumption law. The board was directly involving itself in a matter that the city council could have handled with the board’s advice. After all, the community hires the council to ensure town concerns are addressed and protected.

There is strong potential in having a group of Carbondale citizens who can advise the city on liquor issues, and it cer-tainly cannot be denied that these issues have a major impact on the people of the town. Past Halloween celebrations on South Illinois Avenue involving massive consumption of alcohol have taught us that. But this board will not serve an effective purpose unless it functions purely as an advisory body.

Across the nation, time and energy are wasted because countless numbers of special-interest groups and governmental organizations will not focus on their simi-larities and team up to make a difference in society.

As the city council and the Liquor Advisory Board begin to draft the board’s new function, both bodies would do well to look around at the turmoil in other cities, states and in the country as a whole. This turmoil is created by organizations which have similar goals but will not unify with the other groups. This is like having several soldiers fighting for the same territory, none of whom are willing to join the army because of their own need for self-gratification.

The only way the board can be an asset to the city of Carbondale is to serve as a supplement to exist-ing governing bodies, rather than competing with them. The continuance the board has been granted to redefine its func-tions will prove to be a wise decision only if the board’s voice is taken seriously by the council. If it is not taken seriously, and does not function as a source of sound advice to the city council, then new legislation will be needed to eliminate the board.