Most Council board members will tell you exactly the opposite.  We are, by MOA Charter and function strictly advisory and have no regulatory nor legal "power".  We function as a conduit for citizen concerns, do the local legwork for requests, provide resources to address issues.  Many officers serve because no one else cares enough to show up much less run for a position.  But that's the way it is and we do what we can to make the community a better place.