Geneva to revisit whether aldermen can have liquor licenses
Geneva aldermen are going to revisit whether to allow people who have Geneva liquor licenses to sit on the city council.
They will discuss the matter at a special committee-of-the-whole meeting Nov. 7.
Alderman Jim Radecki requested it Monday night. He favors changing the city's law.
Geneva's code is based on a previous state law. But the state changed that law in 2009, to allow aldermen and trustees in towns of 50,000 people or fewer to have liquor licenses. Their business' primary focus must be food sales, and they are not allowed to discuss or vote on matters related to liquor licensing and enforcement.
The council last considered a change in November 2012. A committee of the whole voted 5-4 against changing the law. Mayor Kevin Burns also opposed changing it. Then-police Chief Steve Mexin said there was potential for conflict in asking police officers to enforce laws against their employers.
Geneva does not prohibit liquor-license holders from running for office. But if they were elected, they could not take office unless they gave up the license.
Radecki said no one has asked him to bring the issue forward. But he thinks it ought to be discussed soon enough that, if they change the law, someone would have time to circulate election petitions for the April 2017 election.
Candidates have to file their election petitions Dec. 12-19.
In 2013, the owner of a downtown pub wanted to run for alderman. He also ran in 2009, but lost.
Alderman Mike Bruno suggested postponing the discussion until after the petition-filing time, so it doesn't look like the council is doing it for the benefit of one person.
"That would just remove politics out of it," Bruno said.
Only four current aldermen were on the 2012 city council: Richard Marks, Dean Kilburg, Ron Singer and Craig Maladra. The minutes from the Nov. 12, 2012, committee meeting do not specify how they voted. At previous meetings, Maladra and Marks opposed the idea.
After Monday's meeting, Radecki said it didn't make sense to him to exclude liquor-license holders.
"They go through more background checks than an alderman," Radecki said.