If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t make a difference or I can’t affect change,” then think again. It doesn’t always take a village – just a small group of dedicated people.

Two of those dedicated people include Kristin Brooks, Drug-Free Communities grant coordinator, and Kelley Edwards, Partnership For Success grant coordinator who helped change the application process at the State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, specifically the Liquor Control Commission.

Both are members of The First Selectman’s Task Force on Substance Abuse.

What they did, in effect, is bring to light the action of “place-holding” by those applying for a state liquor license. How it works is that an applicant would apply for a liquor permit for a retail store without having a signed lease for the store space or having proof of ownership of the store.

They had an incomplete application.

“Place-holding” made for a circuitous route to the granting of an application, made it unfair for those with completed paperwork in hand who were one-step behind the first applicant, and made it confusing for the members of the Liquor Control Commission as to an applicants’ status.

This wasn’t the only issue with a recent application: there seemed to be one too many liquor stores in town.

According to state statute, towns are allowed a finite number of liquor stores based on their population. There is one retail liquor store permit for every 2,500 residents, making a total of five the maximum in Clinton (based on 13,260 residents per the 2010 census).

Recently, Brooks and Edwards addressed the Liquor Control Commission regarding an application by Yogesh Patel for a retail permit for Yogi’s Wine & Liquor, 7 Glenwood Road, citing several concerns.

In a statement to the commission, Brooks made it clear that she and her group were not against this business coming to town, but against its location. Only 165 feet separated the future liquor store from the student parking lot at the Morgan School.

“We welcome and accept local business,” said Brooks. “However, we must speak up in this case because the location of Yogi’s Wine & Liquor has the potential to be detrimental to the health and well-being of young people.”

Mr. Patel was unable to be reached for comment on this article.

If one is familiar with the Petco Plaza, it hosts a Dunkin Donuts, Cold Stone Creamery (ice cream store), and AT&T store – all popular with youth.

“We had 80 signatures on file from residents in Clinton who opposed the location of this liquor store,” said Brooks.

In essence, the “extremely close proximity to the proposed package store and the high school increases the potential for sales of alcohol to minors” said Brooks.

Brooks noted that both the Chief of Police, Todd Lawrie, and Superintendent of Schools, Jack Cross, wrote letters expressing this sentiment.

According to the commission, Patel had originally applied for a permit for 114-116 East Main Street without a right or proof to occupy; later it was for the 7 Glenwood Road location; and a third time for 341 East Main Street -- all, according to the commission, without proof of right to occupy.

In the end, the members of the Liquor Control Commission denied Patel’s application, stating that due to the presence of five operating liquor stores in Clinton, there was not an open permit available.

Brooks and Edwards found that you could make a difference on many levels.

From now on, those wishing to apply for an open liquor store permit in the state of Connecticut must submit a completed application – no place-holding, no “we are waiting on the lease,” etc.

"We are part of the political process,” they said proudly.