(A) Mayor designated Commissioner. The Mayor is hereby designated as the City Liquor Control Commissioner.
(B) Powers, functions and duties of Commissioner. The Commissioner shall have the following powers, functions and duties:
(1) To administer within the city all liquor laws;
(2) To appoint a person or persons to assist him or her in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties herein provided;
(3) To conduct hearings as provided in this chapter for the purpose of fulfilling any of the enumerated powers, functions and duties of the Commissioner; to hear testimony and take proof of information in the performance of his or her duties; and for such purposes to issue subpoenas effective in any part of the state;
(4) To examine or cause to be examined, under oath, any licensee and any applicant for a local liquor license or for a renewal thereof and to examine or cause to be examined the books and records of any such licensee or applicant;
(5) To receive fees for local liquor licenses and deliver the same forthwith to the City Director of Finance;
(6) (a) To require two sets of fingerprints of any applicant for a local liquor license or for a renewal thereof, one for the city files and one to deliver to the Illinois Department of State Police and, for purposes of obtaining such fingerprints and resulting background check, to require the applicant to pay such fee as may be required by the Illinois Department of State Police. If the applicant is a partnership, each partner shall submit fingerprints annually. If the applicant is a corporation, each officer thereof and every person owning or controlling more than 5% of the voting shares or the ownership interest of such corporation shall submit fingerprints annually. If the applicant is a limited liability company, each member and manager shall submit fingerprints annually. If the business for which a local liquor license is sought will be managed by a manager or agent, every such manager or agent shall submit fingerprints annually.
(b) The Local Liquor Control Commissioner shall have the right, at the Commissioner’s sole discretion, to waive this requirement for:
1. Any individual that is not involved in the daily management or operation of the premises; and
2. For any individual associated with a not-for-profit organization seeking a Class F-1, F-5 or F-6 license under this chapter.
(7) To grant or renew local liquor licenses in accordance with the provisions of the liquor laws;
(8) To deny any application for the issuance or renewal of a local liquor license to any applicant or premises that the Commissioner has determined to be ineligible therefor in accordance with the provisions of the liquor laws;
(9) To keep or cause to be kept a complete record of all local liquor licenses and to furnish the City Clerk with a copy thereof; and, on the issuance or renewal of any local liquor license, or the revocation or suspension of any existing local liquor license, to give notice of such action to the City Clerk within three days after such action;
(10) To lawfully enter, or to authorize any law enforcement officer to lawfully enter, at any time, any licensed premises to determine whether any of the provisions of the liquor laws have been or are being violated and at the time of such entry to examine such licensed premises in connection with such determination;
(11) To receive complaints from citizens that any of the provisions of the liquor laws have been or are being violated and to act on such complaints in the manner provided in this chapter and the other liquor laws;
(12) To examine any licensee on whom notice of revocation or suspension has been served;
(13) To suspend for cause for not more than 30 days any local liquor license, to revoke for cause any local liquor license, and to levy fines against any licensee, all in accordance with the liquor laws;
(14) To report whenever requested by the City Council all of his or her acts taken to enforce the liquor laws and all acts taken in regard to the collection of local liquor license fees;
(15) To notify the Secretary of State when a club incorporated under the State General Not-for-Profit Corporation Act or a foreign corporation functioning as a club in the state under a certificate of authority issued under that act has violated the Liquor Control Act by selling or offering for sale at retail alcoholic liquor without a retailer’s license;
(16) To extend the term of any local liquor license or group of local liquor licenses, to a date specific, when such an extension is necessary for staff convenience, to accommodate change in law or policy, or to conduct further inquiry into any renewal application;
(17) For any applicant for an F-1, F-5 or F-6 license, to waive the requirements under § 111.043(B)(1) to provide Social Security numbers or any individual to be identified as part of the license application process; and
(18) For any applicant for an F-1, F-5 or F-6 license, to waive the requirements under § 111.043(H)(1) of the license application process.
(C) Compensation. The Commissioner shall serve without compensation.
(Prior Code, § 4-7) (Ord. 2013-26, passed 5-20-2013; Ord. 2013-65, passed 10-7-2013; Ord. 2016-09, passed 2-16-2016)