Mundelein liquor board keeps licenses, levies $1,000 fines in two underage-sale cases

The Mundelein Liquor Control Commission on Jan. 26 approved settlements in two underage-sale cases that allow the establishments to keep their liquor licenses in exchange for $1,000 fines each.

Attorney Elin Shoback, representing the Marathon location at 1080 West Maple Avenue, told the commission that the parties had ‘‘reach[ed] a negotiation’’ under which ‘‘their liquor license would not be suspended, and they would pay [a] 1000 dollar fine.’’ Shireg Sony attended on the licensee’s behalf, Shoback said, and the commission recorded that the employee involved has already paid a fine through the administrative hearing officer.

At the second case, involving P.E.N.I., Inc., doing business as Teddy O’Brien’s at 320 East Holly Street, attorney Shoback again confirmed a negotiated settlement: the business will pay a $1,000 fine and retain its license. Brian Carmen, appearing on behalf of the establishment, described the incident, saying staff had asked for IDs but the employee ‘‘just wasn’t very good at math’’ in checking a vertical-format ID. Carmen said the server has retaken responsible-server training.

A commission member urged licensees to adopt a strict policy against accepting vertical-format IDs, saying ‘‘Never should you take a vertical ID’’ even when the birth date appears to indicate legal age. Commissioners framed the settlements as compliance measures and training opportunities rather than license suspensions.

The commission’s actions concluded the Liquor Control Commission’s business for the evening; the board approved the settlements by unanimous consent with no further sanctions recorded.

Next steps: the commission noted training and policy adoption as corrective measures; no new suspensions or license revocations were imposed.