Phil Beckman
Daily Egyptian
The Carbondale Liquor Control Commission hit four Carbondale liquor stores with $500 fines Tuesday for selling alcohol to a minor during a recent Illinois State Police undercover operation. ABC Liquor Mart, 109 N. Washington St., and Pick's Liquors, 700 E. Grand Ave. #110, were both cited on May 10, and Old Town Liquors, 514 S. Illinois Ave., and Pinch Penny Liquors, 700 E. Grand Ave., were cited on May 11 when Illinois State Police officers targeted their establishments for a compliance check.
No representatives from the stores attended the commission's meeting.
All four stores were fined $250 by the commission on Dec. 18 for selling alcohol to minors.
The city follows a policy of progressive discipline when determining fines, said Carbondale City Manager Jeff Doherty. Fines usually start at $250 and are increased for each succeeding violation. The commission also takes the seriousness of the offense into consideration when levying fines.
"It's a fair method of addressing the issue, giving the business an opportunity to correct [the problem]," Doherty said.
Illinois State Police Sgt. Mike Hooks said he is satisfied with the City of Carbondale's handling of the punishments.
The State Police Department has been writing citations for violations of city ordinance rather than of state law, which allows the city to fine the holder of the liquor license as well as the individual who sold the alcohol to the minor.
After the citations are issued, the cases are turned over to the city attorney's office where formal charges are prepared against the liquor license holder. A hearing is then held with the city manager as the hearing officer. The license holder is given an opportunity to plead guilty. If the license holder pleads guilty, then the evidence that would have been presented to prove guilt is presented as a finding of fact. The hearing officer then prepares a recommendation to be presented to the commission.
Carbondale bars and liquor stores have been hit with $10,250 in fines since December for selling alcohol to minors.
The compliance checks are part of an ongoing operation by the Illinois State Police to enforce state liquor laws and are aimed at reducing the sale, consumption and possession of alcohol to minors. The Alcohol Countermeasures Enforcement (ACE) program targets retail liquor stores, and bars are targeted through Operation Campus Tap. Each program is funded separately by a federal grant that is distributed to the State Police by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
A minor, working with the State Police, enters the store or bar and attempts to purchase alcohol. A State Police officer is also sent in to witness any purchases. If the minor is successful in purchasing alcohol, the seller is given a citation.
The compliance checks will continue. Hooks said that 4,700 hours were recently awarded by IDOT for use by the State Police in undercover ACE operations. Hooks said the State Police will begin conducting compliance checks before the end of July in District 13.
"Success would be not having violations," Doherty said, "and we are still having violations."
Reporter Phil Beckman can be reached at
pbeckman@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
