The Sycamore City Council voted in favor of increasing hours of outdoor liquor sales, although It may be weeks before it will take effect.

The ordinance amendment will allow bars and restaurants with outdoor seating and beer gardens to sell alcohol until one hour before closing. It would permit sales until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and until 11 p.m. during the week.

Previously, the ordinance required that outdoor sales cease at 10 p.m. on weekends and 8 p.m. on weekdays.

The change will allow more people to drink outdoors.

Members of the city council spoke to local bar owners and they agreed on the idea, Sycamore City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

Nicklas also announced to the council his plans to create a new position with the Sycamore Fire Department.

An assistant fire chief would compliment current Sycamore Fire Chief Bill Riddle and most likely would be chosen internally, Nicklas said.

The new position would increase the department’s staff, which would help in large emergencies such as last month’s fire at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nicklas said.

The council agreed to allow the position to be advertised starting today, with a goal of filling it by May 1.

The council also took steps toward filling out next year’s budget and discussed a contract extension with the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber of commerce members asked for an extension of their yearly $45,000 contract to continue work with tourism and economic development.

The $45,000, which Chamber Member Rose Treml said is put to good use, comes for the cities’ hotel/motel tax fund. The money traditionally goes toward advertising Sycamore in various print mediums, as well as marketing Sycamore events and economic development.

The discussion was tabled for the March 15 meeting.