By Jason Freund 15

The Carbondale Liquor Commission voted Tuesday night to issue a $750 fine as well as a letter of reprimand to a local entertainment club for August ordinance violations.

Prior to the City Council meeting, the commission voted unanimously to penalize Smilin’ Jacks, 760 E. Grand Ave., after City Manager Jeff Doherty, who acted as the hearing officer for the case, presented his report.

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Doherty said that at the Sept. 23 hearing, the licensee consented to an arranged agreement after City Attorney Paige Smith proved the charges. The charges included one charge for failure to open for inspection and one charge for an entertainment violation.

Doherty said the first violation came after the front doors of the establishment were locked to keep an excess number of patrons out and failure to open the doors for a police officer for several minutes.

The second offense for entertainment was the violation of an ordinance stating that all dancers must wear pasties over their breasts and cover their lower genital areas.

The entertainment charges against the establishment were for allowing male dancers to perform with their buttocks exposed.

As a result of the agreement, Smith said a second, earlier entertainment violation was dropped. The earlier violation was the same type of entertainment violation that Smilin’ Jacks was fined for Tuesday.

The hearing officer recommends that penalties be imposed in the case, which will demonstrate to the community and to the licensee the seriousness of the offenses, Doherty said.

He said the establishment must pay the fine within 30 days of the liquor control commission report, or its liquor license will be suspended until the fine is paid.

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Doherty said this is the first offense for Smilin’ Jacks, which will remain on its record, and more penalties will be issued if there is a second offense.

Representatives of Smilin’ Jacks, were not available for comment.

In other business, Dave Vingren, Undergraduate Student Council president, presented councilmembers with a copy of a USG resolution drafted Oct. 1.

The resolution, which Vingren said will be given to the SIUC administration, dealt with First Cellular’s Main Street Pig Out that took place Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.

We want to show our appreciation and to encourage the administration to sponsor (Registered Student Organization) co-sponsorship of the event in the future, Vingren said.

The council also voted 3-2 not to regulate residential parking with permits. Mayor Neil Dillard and Councilman Mike Neill voted in favor of regulating parking.

Mark Terry, Graduate and Professional Student Council president, voiced student opposition to the ordinance prior to the vote.

This seems to be working against the tone that has improved in the city, he said. You’ll make it worse in selected areas, and I respectfully ask you to vote no.’

Vingren also spoke against the ordinance, saying the ordinance would create problems elsewhere.

If something must be passed, I would ask that it be done by not displacing anyone, he said.

The council also awarded a one-year towing contract to Davis Towing, Illinois Route 51 North.