Adequate notice of vote?

On Wednesday the McHenry County Liquor and License Commission is expected to vote on a matter involving a new vineyard near Hebron called the Blue Star Vineyard. The owners have been chomping at the bit for seven months while the Committee mulled over how many grapes must be grown in McHenry County to justify permitting a new business.

When I examined the Agenda for this week's meeting, I didn't see Blue Star Vineyard on it and wondered how the Committee could vote on Wednesday without adequate notice to the public.

Here's the Agenda item that may allow it.

6.0 Old Business
6.05 Incident Reports
6.10 Update on Sting Operations
6.15 Ordinance to Amend the Liquor Control and Liquor Licensing Ordinance for the
County of McHenry, Illinois

Now that's pretty clear; right? Anyone, anywhere, reading the Agenda would know that the Committee is going to discuss, and hopefully vote, on the Blue Star Vineyard matter.

Isn't one of the purposes of the Illinois Open Meetings Act to make sure the public is informed in advance on matters coming before public bodies, so that the public can decide whether to show up and voice an opinion?

I don't know the folks at Blue Star Vineyard. Without knowing them or their business, I say, "Why not?" And who cares if all the grapes (or most of the grapes) come from McHenry County? We're not Napa Valley! I'm sure the owners will represent their wines properly.

So, before they run out of money from legal fees just trying to go into business, I say to the Committee: get out of the way!