Members of the Alcohol License Review Committee will meet next week to discuss the addition of a UW-Madison official to the board.
ALRC member Jeff Boyd said the committee will debate the addition of UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley and designee University Health Services Director of Prevention Services Susan Crowley to represent UW-Madison students.
Thomas Powell, an ALRC member, said the addition of a UW-Madison representative would be advantageous because it would be a good idea to have a large part of the drinking culture represented.
However, the UW-Madison representative would hold a non-voting seat which would not officially vote on the committee, but would voice an opinion and provide significant input.
\The non-voting seats are extremely important because non-voting members speak up and influence the outcomes of decisions,"" Powell said.
In addition to the seven seats appointed by the mayor, the Tavern League, chief of police, city clerk and city attorney all currently hold non-voting seats.
Kenneth Kamp, an ALRC member, said this new addition would provide significant input.
Ald. Warren Onken, District 3, an ALRC member, proposed the addition and said it would improve a lot of the issues discussed as well as improve the dialogue and communication between members. Onken said he proposed the idea due to the large number of issues relating to alcohol consumption and UW-Madison students.
""I think it's a fairly good idea and should have a reasonable listening at the committee. If it makes some sense, we can give it a try. If it doesn't work, we can always change it,"" Onken said.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said Wiley and Crowley have been attending the ALRC meetings for several years.
""I don't see any harm in having someone from UW-Madison at the table. There is nothing wrong with dialogue and there is certainly nothing wrong with UW-Madison having accurate information,"" Verveer said.
Onken anticipates the March 17 ALRC vote to include a UW-Madison representative will pass unanimously. The city council would then consider the proposal on March 31.
