The Mayor and those City Council members who have not applied for, or do not hold a liquor license where the sale of alcoholic liquor is incidental to the selling of food, shall be the Local Liquor Control Commission for the City, and are charged with the administration of the applicable provisions of the Illinois Liquor Control Act, and ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations relating to alcoholic liquor as may be adopted by the Mayor and City Council. To prevent any conflict of interest, an elected official with a liquor license and the direct interest in manufacture, sale, or distribution of alcoholic liquor cannot participate in any meetings, hearings, or decisions on matters impacting the manufacture, sale, or distribution of alcoholic liquor before either the City Council or the Local Liquor Control Commission. The Local Liquor Control Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
A. Act On Applications: To receive applications, investigate applicants, and grant, renew, or deny liquor licenses.
B. On Site Inspection: To enter, or to authorize any law enforcing officer to enter, at any time, upon any premises licensed under this title in order to enforce the ordinances of the City, laws of the State, or the Illinois Liquor Control Act, or any rules or regulations adopted by the Local Liquor Control Commission to determine whether any such laws are being violated and at such time to examine the premises of the licensee in connection herewith.
C. Respond To Complaints: To receive complaints from any citizen of the City that any of the provisions of this title or any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, have been or are being violated and to act upon such complaints in the manner hereinafter provided.
D. Collect Fees: To receive local license fees and pay the same forthwith to the City Treasurer.
E. Examine All Pertinent Information: To examine, or cause to be examined, under oath, any applicant for a local license or for a renewal thereof, or any licensee under this title upon whom notice of suspension or revocation of license has been served; to examine, or cause to be examined, the books and records of any applicant or licensee under this title; to authorize any law enforcing officer to require any applicant or licensee to furnish said officer with a complete, current list of all employees of said applicant or licensee including the names and addresses of all employees; and to hear testimony and take proof for their information in the performance of their duties and for such purposes to issue subpoenas. For the purpose of obtaining any of the information desired by the Local Liquor Control Commission under this section, it may authorize its agent to act in its behalf.
F. Impose Penalties: To impose penalties as provided in chapter 5 of this title.
G. Hearing Officer: The Commission shall appoint an independent Hearing Officer to preside over liquor hearings.
H. Chairperson: The Mayor of the City of Carbondale shall serve as the Chairperson for the Local Liquor Control Commission. (Ord. 2018-18; Ord. 2021-22)