Station owner change a priority

The Mundelein board decided Monday it wanted new owners for a Clark gas station more than it wanted to financially cripple the old one after a series of sexual harassment and assault complaints.

Board members voted 3-2 to suspend for 15 days the business license of Family Fuel Inc., which runs the Clark gas station at 4 E. Hawley St., and fine the owner $5,000.

"What happened here was something that may not be able to be repaired," village prosecutor Charles Smith said at the village board meeting. Revoking the license would stop a planned Dec. 10 sale of the business, he said. "(The) damage is done and it's best that we have new ownership."

In August, an employee at the gas station was accused of physically accosting a female customer, according to police. The man was arrested and charged with battery. But in incidents going as far back as March 2005, four other female customers have said they were solicited for sex at the station. And, according to village documents, the business was repeatedly cited for selling tobacco to minors.

Taking into consideration the history of complaints, two trustees argued for a complete revocation of the business license.

"Women should not be afraid to go into a gas station in Mundelein," Trustee Terri Voss said, adding that "by not revoking the license the village was doing our residents a disservice."

Trustee Jay Schedler, who along with Voss cast the only "no" votes, said he didn't buy the declarations of remorse.

"I struggle to believe that, based upon years of not doing anything ... a month before (the owner) sells it, now he's seen the light," Schedler said. "It's reprehensible."

But other trustees argued the owner could appeal a license revocation, cost the village more legal fees and not sell the business or serve any kind of suspension.

"We think that this individual business should move on," Trustee Steven Cancelli said. "I want the most expeditious way to get this business out of this town."

Cyriac K. Chandy, the Skokie resident who owns the gas station, already has put an apology into local newspapers, promised employee training on proper workplace behavior, installed a surveillance camera and donated $1,000 to a domestic violence charity, among other actions.

The village also has the right to rescind Chandy's business license without a hearing if there are any future violations of Mundelein ordinances and the business is not sold.

Trustee Ray Semple was absent for the vote. Trustees Ed Sullivan, James Nutschnig and Cancelli voted to approve the punishment.

Sullivan called the measures "harsh, and justly so," also saying, "This is a smash in the face to a business."

But Voss said the village should make an example out of the Clark station.

"I am not of a mind to think that this is sufficient consequence for this behavior," she said. "Let's face it, we've had a few other gas stations have problems."

Last month, an employee at a different Mundelein gas station was arrested and charged with solicitation of a sexual act and disorderly conduct after police said he told a female customer who had just bought a lottery ticket at the Marathon station she could win $40 by sleeping with him. And a Mundelein Shell station attendant was charged with felony unauthorized video recording after police said he hid a video camera in the restroom.