POLL: Later Liquor Sales in Evergreen Park

The effect of the slumping economy has undoubtedly touched many areas of the town, and local bars and restaurants are not exempt.

In an effort to “boost business during these tough economic times,” the Evergreen Park village Board of Trustees voted 5-1 last week to allow local bars to stay open one hour later and bring in a little extra cash.

For seven days this spring and summer, including the village's annual Independence Day Parade on July 3 and Labor Day, businesses that hold a Class A liquor license will be able to sell alcohol until 3 a.m. instead of 2 a.m.

"I think it might be worth the opportunity to try for a few days," Mayor James Sexton said, adding that the village has no intentions of making 3 a.m. the permanent liquor sales stop time.

Trustee Carol Kyle voted "no," saying that "since we went back to the 2 o'clock, the problems disappeared." Evergreen Park changed the alcohol sales stop time from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. three years ago, because police spent more time on bar-patrol than "catching bad guys on the street," Sexton said. The problems were "controllable," according to Kyle, and "it wasn't so much the DUI's, as much as it was...loud, and we're a community."

Michael Harte requested the extension on behalf of  (his business), and .

If any problems arise because of the extension in any of the possibly eight locations, Sexton says the time will return to 2 a.m. for all locations with a Class A liquor license.

What do you think? Do you agree with the village's decision to extend liquor sales by one hour? Take our poll.