Hanover Park taxpayers covered a $1,324.90 meal at Smith & Wollensky for the village's 11-member entourage. The meal included charges for a $124 "shellfish tower," three $67 "Cajun Marinated USDA Prime Bone-In Rib Eye" steaks, and a $98 "Chateaubriand for 2."

"Finding a restaurant in downtown Chicago is a challenge late evening following receptions for a large group," Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig said. "The meal was expensive. Given it was a shared meal (it) seemed to make sense."

All told, taxpayers in 17 towns spent a combined $4,890.22 on food for the municipal officials attending the conference, according to the invoices.

Part of the cost was $77 spent on cocktails, including Mayor Richard Veenstra's $12 Seagrams 7 on ice, a $14 Lemondrop martini for Trustee Cathy Kluczny, a $15 Grey Goose vodka served "up" to Village Clerk Lucille Zucchero, and $36 for Deputy Mayor Tom Hundley's three Bacardis on the rocks.

"I don't think in America today there's a distinction between alcohol and food in meals, and in no way do I think it's excessive," Veenstra said when asked about the itemized bill obtained through a public records request. "We have done everything ethically and by approved policy."

Ultimately, Addison taxpayers spent $8,680.55 on registration, food, transportation and hotel rooms to send the six elected officials to a three-day conference 22 miles from the town's village hall.

Article is bull shit, failing newspaper trying to give the public the trash it thinks the public wants to eat.

The training provided would easily help avoid law suits or other problems that would cost a single town 10 times that 120k quoted bring spent by all participants.

Obviously eating a fancy dinner at an expensive restaurant is not the best use of tax payer money, but the conference as a whole is very beneficial, especially to New village officials

I've had a $1400 bill with four people before. Expense reports are a hell of a thing.

That's not a lot of money for a meal for 11 people.

No shit. What kind of cheap wine were they drinking? I'm embarrassed for them.