By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington mayor Tari Renner is bringing back the city’s liquor commission, six months after the city disbanded the group over an alleged open meetings violation.

Renner has tabbed local businessman Jack Bataoel and Lindsay Powell, a marketing and communications manager at Growmark to serve on the commission.

The mayor is also a liquor commissioner. Renner has been acting alone since he removed Jim Jordan and Sue Feldkamp from the commission in October while the city awaited a ruling from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office on a claim that Renner was violating the state’s Open Meetings Act by consulting with a liquor commissioner outside of a public meeting.

The AG’s Public Access Bureau recently ruled the city did not break any rules.

“I did not want to not be in compliance if there was any question,” Renner said.

Renner added having a three person commission seems to work best.

“That’s the way things had gone for many years and it seemed to work fairly smoothly,” said Renner. “You get some different perspectives, different set of eyes, different sets of questions.”

According to a news release, Bataoel is a 20-year veteran of entrepreneurship in Bloomington-Normal and has been an active realtor for 11 years. He spent 16 years in the bar and restaurant business with 10 years as an owner operator.

Powell has a marketing degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is an active member of Sunrise Rotary, a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a member of the Baby Fold’s Festival of Trees steering committee.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].