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Executive Committee approves new Class D liquor license and lowers proposed fee to $900
Summary
The McLean County Executive Committee approved an amendment to County Code chapter 160 to add a limited-scope Class D alcoholic beverage license and voted to set the initial fee at $900 after discussion about parity with surrounding jurisdictions and whether "barter" falls under the liquor code.
The McLean County Executive Committee on Monday approved a request to amend County Code chapter 160 (alcoholic beverages) to add a new Class D license and adopted an amendment lowering the proposed license fee from $1,200 to $900.
The committee debated whether informal exchanges—such as one person moving another's couch in return for a case of beer—would trigger licensing rules. Member Reeves raised the example and asked if such barter would be a violation of the county ordinance. County staff and counsel noted the State Liquor Control Act defines "sale" to include transfer, exchange or barter, and that the county's code has been applied historically to commercial transactions or formal events rather than casual exchanges. As staff noted, "Sale means any transfer, exchange, or barter in any manner or by any mean whatsoever," reflecting the state definition included in the proposed ordinance.
Member Klein moved to amend the fee for the proposed Class D license from $1,200 to $900, citing regional benchmarks and saying a lower fee would preserve a hierarchy between license types while aligning the county with neighboring jurisdictions. The motion to amend was seconded by Member Reeves and adopted by voice vote. The ordinance, as amended, was then approved by the committee.
Committee members asked staff and legal to review and, where appropriate, clarify ordinance language to make clear the intended scope of the new license (commercial and formal events versus purely private exchanges). Member Klein, who serves on the county's liquor commission, said she would pursue additional refinement with the commission if state law or existing classifications required adjustment.
What happens next: staff will return refined ordinance language or guidance for the county board if needed; the committee approved the request and the amended fee.
Sources: Discussion and votes recorded on the McLean County Executive Committee agenda item to amend County Code chapter 160.
