Marion County Board Chair and Liquor Commissioner Debbie Smith now believes Salem Township should be considered ‘wet’ and will proceed with issuing at least one liquor license that has been requested.
Smith says new State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth issued the same opinion as outgoing State’s Attorney Bill Milner that Salem Township had to be considered ‘wet’ under state law because no record can be found of any vote to make the township dry. Exiting prohibition, all government units in Illinois were made wet unless voted otherwise.
There was a belief that there had been a vote to make Salem Township ‘dry’ but the records had been lost during a move of the township office. That has stopped the Marion County Liquor Commissioner from issuing licenses in the past, but both Milner and Hudspeth have indicated a review of the law says a ‘belief’ is not enough and without proof, the township has to be considered wet.
Smith had held up action based on counter-information from the Executive Director and CEO of the Township Officials of Illinois. However, upon questioning by WJBD-WSIQ News, Bryan Smith changed his opinion and now agrees under the circumstances Salem Township should be considered ‘wet’.
Smith had earlier given a letter to Salem Township and Marion County Board member Sharon Woodward which indicated townships were considered ‘dry’ unless there had been a referendum held. Smith now says that comment was incorrect. He had also based his comments on a list of townships he has in his possession that indicates Salem Township is ‘dry’. However, Smith admits he doesn’t know where that list came from and said it was not proof of a past ‘wet-dry’ vote.
The county liquor commissioner and the township official both agree that Salem Township residents do have the opportunity to circulate a petition seeking to have the Salem Township Board to put the ‘wet-dry’ issue up for a vote. However, state law does not allow a township board to put such an issue on the ballot themselves.
Smith says she will be calling a meeting of the county board’s liquor committee in the near future to consider the pending liquor license request from Roy and Beth Landers for the Iron Saddle at 3734 Cross Road just west of the I-57 overpass. The committee has already said they would issue the license if they determined it was legal to do so. That hurdle has now apparently been cleared.
Smith believes there could be as many as three others who might be interested in liquor licenses in Salem Township. The county currently has two open liquor licenses, but the number of licenses could be increased.
File photo: Marion County Board Chair and Liquor Commissioner Debbie Smith.
