Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced his intention of appointing a student voting member to the Alcohol License Review Committee Monday.
According to Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, the announcement is a compromise from his original proposal to add a permanent student-voting member to the ALRC.
The new proposal would add a new voting citizen member appointed by the Mayor to serve a three-year term along with adding an additional alder. Cieslewicz plans to appoint a student to the citizen position.
""It's a win-win situation for students and for the mayor because he had some problems locking in a student voting position for eternity,"" Eagon said.
Cieslewicz said he is opposed to a designated student seat because it could lead to other city groups demanding their own seat on the ALRC. However, he said a student voice on the committee is very important.
""When UW students show an interest in civic issues, that interest should be encouraged,"" Cieslewicz said in a statement.
However, Eagon stressed the importance of a student presence at the Common Council meeting Tuesday. The Common Council must approve all mayoral appointments and could potentially vote against the appointment of a student to the ALRC.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, a long-time member of the ALRC, is a co-sponsor of Eagon's ordinance and supporter of adding a student-voting member to the ALRC.
According to Verveer, a non-voting student member was appointed by the mayor this past summer, bringing an important student voice and perspective to deliberations.
""The committee constantly has issues before it that relate to downtown establishments, so its good to have [a student] perspective,"" Verveer said.
Verveer added that he hoped someday to have a permanent student-voting member on the ALRC, but doesn't foresee that happening in the near future.
""In a perfect world I would prefer this would become the law of the land and that there forever has to be a student with voting privileges on the committee,"" he said. ""But this is a good next step.""
Common Council members will vote on the proposal at their meeting Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the City County Building.
