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Glendale Heights board selects Alka Inc to host Oktoberfest amid dispute with Schnitzel Platts owner
Summary
The Village Board granted the Cameron Park rental for this year's Oktoberfest to Alka Inc after discussion about collaboration and past conflicts between competing local applicants. Representatives from both organizations spoke to the board before a roll-call vote to approve Alka Inc.
The Village of Glendale Heights on Thursday approved a park rental to Alka Inc to host the village’s Oktoberfest at Cameron Park, after a public exchange between representatives of two local restaurants that both sought the event.
Mayor Giannelli and trustees urged the two applicants — Alka Inc, which has hosted the festival previously, and Schnitzel Platts, a local restaurant — to consider collaborating or splitting event dates. Both applicants told the board they had attempted to work together in the past and declined to do so this year, citing prior conflicts.
Chuck Wozdak, who said he is the current owner of Schnitzel Platts, told the board that municipal rules require a brick-and-mortar Glendale Heights liquor license to sell alcohol at park events and argued the village must enforce that requirement. “It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale at retail in the village any alcoholic liquor without having a retail liquor dealer’s license,” Wozdak said, citing the village’s licensing rule and asking the board to enforce it for the event. A village attorney responded that special-event license processes exist but confirmed a valid liquor license is a prerequisite to obtain event permissions.
Detard Beyer, representing Elka Inc (the applicant the board ultimately approved), recounted his family’s long involvement with the festival and said Elka Inc has applied for and held the festival license in prior years. Board members asked whether the two organizations could split dates or collaborate; both applicants declined that option at the meeting.
Action taken: Trustee Light moved to grant the rental to Elka Inc (Alka Inc). Trustee Siddiqui seconded; roll call recorded unanimous yes votes, and the motion passed. There was no executive session and no formal legal challenge recorded at the meeting.
Context: the decision followed public remarks from applicants and trustees about fairness, past disputes and the village’s expectation that events be run in the public interest.
