Bloomington gets favorable ruling from AG in liquor commission OMA dispute

Posted on March 4, 2017

Mayor Tari Renner said he wasn’t surprised by the ruling. (WJBC File Photo)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois’ attorney general has ruled in favor of the City of Bloomington after a citizen claimed the mayor was violating the Open Meetings Act when he met with one of his appointed liquor commissioners.

Mayor Tari Renner said it’s the ruling he expected, mainly because the city ordinance states the mayor is the sole liquor commissioner – the appointees are there to advice him.

“Jim Jordan and I would go out to lunch to try to discuss things and he said that that was violating the Open Meetings Act, because there were only three members,” said Renner. “There’s really the mayor plus two.”

While the issue was being settled, Renner had taken the liquor commission down to just himself, with no appointed members. However, his plan now is to go back to a three member liquor commission.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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