DeKALB | DeKalb is redefining its liquor code with hopes of preventing minors from drinking alcohol.

On Tuesday, the DeKalb Liquor Commission voted to change the age requirement for bar employees to 19. Currently, 18-year-olds are allowed to work as servers in bars, as long as they are not behind the actual bar.

Members of the liquor commission felt this age was too young.

“It should be at least 19 for servers,” said liquor commission member Michael Embrey.

The general consensus was that 18-year-olds are too young to be working in a bar environment. However, not all commission members felt this way.

“I don’t see anything wrong with the way it is, at 18,” said liquor commission member Gerald Phillips. “It is best to have the age at 18. That way, freshmen coming [to DeKalb] can get a job and start working,”

City attorney Norma Guess said most underage students are not aware of this rule.

“Most freshmen don’t even know that they could work in a bar,” she said.

After deliberation, the liquor commission unanimously passed the ordinance.

Another agenda topic was usage of fake IDs. The perceived increase of fake IDs was brought to the commission’s attention. The commission undividedly felt the best way to ensure that minors do not use fake IDs is to ask everyone to show their IDs, regardless of age.

“I feel everyone should be carded,” Embrey said. “I don’t care if you’re 21 or 51.”

Since DeKalb is a college town with a large young adult population, the commission thought asking everyone to present proper identification is the most effective way to guarantee minors are not consuming alcohol.

The motion was unanimously passed.

The liquor commission currently meets on the second Tuesday of every month. Some members felt that date was a poor choice because it conflicted with the city council meetings. The commission decided to change the meeting date to the third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting will be Dec. 12.