Alcohol in the News; Dissolution of Champaign's liquor advisory panel possible

From the News-Gazette

Dissolution of champaign's liquor advisory panel possible

Mayor Jerry Schweighart, the city's liquor commissioner, said the liquor advisory commission has been irrelevant for some time, and its agendas historically have been insubstantial, according to city documents.

The group "really doesn't serve a purpose," Schweighart said.

Who, or what is it?

The commission was created in 1993 by city ordinance and comprises representatives from different parts of the local alcohol industry and the University of Illinois. Tuesday's city council decision will be whether to repeal the ordinance that created the group.

They are supposed to meet monthly, but apparently, most meetings are canceled.

The commission was created in a way that makes its recommendations non-binding, which means the decision-making authority lies with Schweighart and the rest of the city council. Schweighart said the city council often finds the commission's recommendations not helpful.

"We're not being asked for a lot of advice on things, and business kind of dried up," McCauley said.

So their recommendations don't matter, and the things they recommend, Schweighart dismisses anyway.