Island Lake - taking on water?

I've been paying some attention to some of the issues in Island Lake, after an incident occurred earlier this year when a resident was arrested for pointing his .38 cal. finger at the Village Clerk and a Village Trustee. The disorderly conduct charges were dropped by the Lake County State's Attorney, after he got a high-powered attorney from Chicago.

Recently that same Village Clerk made the news by suing the Village for back pay - over $100,000 worth of back pay. Planning to do a little early Christmas shopping?

And now the Mayor finds himself in hot water up to his ears for allegedly doctoring a liquor license for a local business.

Hey, wait, folks. He was just saving the Village a little time and money and helping out a local business. Isn't this what you want a mayor to do? I mean, it couldn't have used all that much White-Out, could it? Was it Village-owned White-Out, or did he use his own? Was he in his Village office and on Village time, or did he just try to help out a local business to save the Village's valuable time and limited resources?

Apparently, a father and son couldn't get a deal done fast enough on the sale of the bowling alley and bar from the father to the son. That's not all that hard to do. They probably had an attorney draw up the papers for the sale of the business. Certain steps must follow in notifying Jesse White's office, but that's all just common, ordinary, follow-the-recipe, legal stuff.

Northwest Herald Tim Kane reported that the son told him that the Village had told him (confused yet?) that the liquor license on file was valid. Let's see; if the copy of the license "on file" is valid, but an invalid copy is on display where the liquor is being served, does that mean the bar can serve alcohol?

My suspicion is that a valid copy of the liquor license must be on display at the time and in the place that liquor is being served. If the Mayor altered the license, as is reported, then no valid license was on display. And then no liquor can be served until a valid license is displayed. Or did he alter the license "on file" with the Village?

Has the bar been in violation of liquor laws since May 5, when Mayor Thomas Hyde invalidated the license by altering it with White-Out, as is alleged by the Lake County State's Attorney?

Is it in violation right now by serving alcohol?

By ordinance, the Island Lake Mayor is the village liquor control commissioner, and there are to be two assistant liquor control commissioners, who are appointed by the Mayor. According to the ordinance, they are to assist the Mayor with "exercise of the powers" and "performance of his duties". Did one fetch the White-Out and the other hold the bottle? Or did the Mayor do all that on his own?

The ordinances of the Village of Island Lake state a fairly clear process for obtaining a liquor license. A quick read of them did not reveal any step in the process that said, "OK to white-out licensee's name and enter another name. No meeting necessary; do not collect $30.00."

When is the big tent party? Tonight? Can the Village liquor commission correct the problem? Probably not. The Open Meetings Act requires a certain period of notice for Special Meetings. Presumably, a Special Meeting will have to be called to consider the issue of whether the bar really even holds a valid liquor license and then to act, if it does not. The three liquor control commissioners (or two, if the Mayor cannot serve under this legal cloud) would have to act, and then their approval and recommendation would have to go to the Village Trustees, who would approve the license.

All this takes time. Or should take time. But Island Lake may decide that it's easier to get forgiveness than it is to get (give) permission. There is a reason that the Village Ordinances exist. The residents should demand that they be followed. Or they should elect people who will follow them.