Geneva to discuss if those with liquor license can hold office

Should someone who holds a city liquor license be allowed to serve in elected position to the Geneva City Council?

Geneva set a special Committee of the Whole meeting for 7 p.m. Monday to discuss that question and consider a draft amendment to the liquor control ordinance so that a liquor license holder cannot serve elected office.

In 2012, officials quashed the idea, instead, keeping the city ordinance not to allow a liquor license holder to be elected as mayor or alderperson.

At issue was conflict of interest, as the council votes to approve liquor licenses.

In 2016, the council resurrected the issue, ultimately voting 7-2 in favor of allowing liquor license holders to also hold elected office.

First Ward Alderperson Michael Bruno – who voted against it in 2016 – requested at the April 7 City Council meeting that it be reconsidered.

“I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a while,” Bruno said.

“Some years ago the ordinance was changed to allow liquor license holders to hold office. And it’s always bothered me with the conflict of interest,” Bruno said. “City Council people vote on liquor licenses. If there’s interest on the part of the council, I’d like to see an agenda item to just have that discussion anew.”

Mayor Kevin Burns said if there was no objection, they could invite City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins, Police Chief Eric Passarelli and the city attorney to do that.

State law changed in 2009 to allow holders of liquor licenses to be elected as aldermen, if they live in a town of fewer than 50,000 people, and if the license is for an establishment whose primary purpose is the serving of food on the premises.

Burns had said at the time, that the state law was amended because a small southern Illinois town did not have enough people to serve if they could not include those who held liquor licenses – not because it was a good idea for all other cities and villages to follow suit.