Elmhurst City Council Passes Ordinance to Extend Some Liquor Sales Hours

Under new ordinances that were approved last week, Elmhurst's mayor will have the power to extend liquor sales hours as he sees fit for special events.

The majority of the city council voted in favor of the motion Tuesday, although two aldermen opposed the move, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"I feel it's too much power consolidated in one spot," Ald. Mark Mulliner told the Tribune. He said that when he ran for mayor in 2013, one of his initiatives was to abolish the position of liquor commissioner, which is connected to the position of mayor, and create a liquor commission.

Ald. Michael Bram also voted against the motion.

Council chairman Chris Healy said that he, Ald. Norm Leader and Dannee Polomksy originally recommended the shift in power, according to the Tribune. He said the council had been getting several requests from bar and restaurant owners who were wanting to sell alcohol outside of normal sales hours for special events like the World Cup and other big sporting events.

Elmhurst city code dictates that liquor cannot be sold between 12:45 a.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday, between 1:45 a.m. and 6 a.m. Saturdays and between 12:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays.

Under the new ordinances, bar and restaurant owners will be able to apply for special temporary licenses to sell alcohol outside of those hours.

Bram argued that the rarity of special events leaves plenty of time for full city council deliberations, so there isn't necessarily a need to give the mayor any extra power.

"It's not like these are emergency cases," he told the Tribune. "The World Cup is once every four years. Why wouldn't we have a formal process, a formal policy? It's a slippery slope."

Four aldermen were absent for the vote Tuesday, but with the two no's and eight votes in favor of the initiative, it passed.

Special licenses will cost $50 and will have to be publicly displayed.

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