CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
LIQUOR BOARD MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1994
AT 7:30 P.M.
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS LIQUOR BOARD MET ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:30 P.M.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS
COUNCILMAN GOES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU
MAYOR LAZIEH
QUORUM PRESENT.
REGULAR MEETING MARCH 7, 1994.
CITY CLERK ISSA ASKED THAT THE MINUTES NOT BE ACCEPTED AS THEY ARE IN DRAFT FORM.
JAMES STANTON POST #5 AMERICAN LEGION
768 LONSDALE AVE.
CENTRAL FALLS, R.I.
THOMAS SHANANAN PRESENT COMMANDER OF JAMES STANTON POST WAS PRESENT.
CITY CLERK ISSA READ THE SUMMONS.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE ASKED THE CLERK TO READ THE OFFICERS LISTED ON THE LICENSE APPLICATION. SO READ.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE ASKED THE PRESIDENT TO ENTER A PLEA ON COUNT 1.
MR. SHANNAHAN ADMITTED TO COUNT 1.
MR. SHANNAHAN ALSO ADMITTED TO COUNT 2 AND COUNT 3 OF THE CHARGES.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE ASKED IF MR. SHANNAHAN WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
MR.SHANNAHAN COMMENTED ON THE CHARGES. HE STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT NON MEMBERS COULD NOT BE SERVED AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT. HE RELATED THAT THIS GENERATED BUSINESS AND THROUGH A GRADUAL PROCESS THINGS WENT BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE ALLOWED THE POLICE OFFICERS TO LEAVE AS THE BOARD HAD NO QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN QUESTIONED MR. SHANNAHAN.
MR. SHANNAHAN INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM TO POLICE CHIEF SASSO.
CHIEF SASSO SUGGESTED THAT THEY CLOSE DOWN FOR TWO WEEKS. THE MEMBERSHIP REJECTED THE IDEA.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU QUESTIONED THE FORMER COMMANDER RENE BOBOLA.
MR. BOBOLA RESPONDED TO THE BOARD'S QUESTIONS. HE STATED THAT HE ASKED FOR HELP RELATIVE TO THIS PROBLEM. HE ALSO SOUGHT A RESTRAINING ORDER AND HAD THE POOL TABLE CLOSED DOWN. HE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM ABATED
AND THEN RESUMED.
MR. BOBOLA RELATED THAT AND ID CARD SYSTEM WAS IMPLEMENTED BUT EVENTUALLY WAS BYPASSED.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED AND ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO PREVENTION OF REOCCURRENCE.
MR. SHANNAHAN AND MR. BOBOLA COMMENTED.
STATE AMERICAN LEGION VETERAN OFFICIALS WERE ALSO PRESENT AND WILL CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION RELATIVE TO THIS MATTER.
MAYOR LAZIEH QUESTIONED STATE VETERAN OFFICIALS.
THE STATE COMMANDER RELATED THAT HE WILL HAVE A HEARING AFTER THIS HEARING.
MR. SHANNAHAN COMMENTED ON VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS BY THE POST.
CITY CLERK ISSA ASKED IF THERE EVER WAS A PROBLEM WITH STANTON POST IN ITS HISTORY. THE FILE HE HAS WITH HIM REPRESENTS ONLY ONE YEAR BUT TO HIS RECOLLECTION THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEMS IN THE PAST.
RENE BOBOLA RELATED THAT THE POST WILL CELEBRATE ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY SOON.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED THE MR. BOBOLA AND MR. SHANNAHAN.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE QUESTIONED MR. SHANNAHAN AND MR. BOBOLA.
THEY RELATED THAT THE POST CLOSED VOLUNTARILY FOR TWO WEEKS, ADDITIONALLY THE BAR WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH REDUCED HOURS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.
CHIEF SASSO WAS QUESTIONED BY BOARD MEMBERS. THE CHIEF RELATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING AND LATER MOVED INTO POST. HE STATED THAT THE CITY HELPED BY PUTTING UP BLOCKS FOR THE PARKING LOT. THE CHIEF RELATED THAT THERE ARE WORSE SITUATIONS IN THE CITY.
CITY SOLICITOR GEORGE MUKSIAN WAS QUESTIONED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN CANAVAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU TO DELIBERATE ON MATTER.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS YES
COUNCILMAN GOES YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE YES
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU YES
MAYOR LAZIEH YES
MOTION CARRIED 6 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN COMMENTED.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS STATED THAT HE SEES NO REASON TO CLOSE THE POST.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN COMMENTED.
MAYOR LAZIEH REMARKED ON CONSISTENCY IN THE PENALTY.
RECESS WAS REQUESTED SO THAT THE CLERK COULD GET THE FILE ON LAST DRUG RAID AT BAR.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE COMMENTED THREE TO FIFTEEN DAYS IN PAST AS WELL AS FINES.
BOARD DID NOT RECESS.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED ON PENALTY. SHE SUGGESTED A PROBATIONARY PERIOD WITH MONTHLY UPDATES FROM CLUB. EACH CHARGE SEPARATE. DEDUCT 17 DAYS THEY WERE ALREADY CLOSED. SHE DOES NOT SUGGEST A FINE.
CHAIRMAN PAQUETTE STATED THAT THEY SHOULD BE ON PROBATION UNTIL DECEMBER WITH THE CHIEF MONITORING THE ESTABLISHMENT.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN QUESTIONED CLASS D LICENSE DEFINITION.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE READ.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS SUGGESTED DAYS CLOSED AND PROBATIONARY PERIOD TO DECEMBER.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN COMMENTED.
STATE VETERAN OFFICIAL SPOKE.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED.
MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU THAT THE POST WOULD SERVE A PROBATIONARY PERIOD FROM NOW UNTIL DECEMBER, WITH POST REPORTING TO THE LIQUOR BOARD. THAT THE POST BE GIVEN A 17 DAY SUSPENSION, WITH CREDIT FOR 17 DAYS CLOSED. EACH MONTH THE POST MUST HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE MEETING.
THE BOARD MUST PROVIDE A LIST OF THE POST'S MEMBERSHIP AND A COPY OF THE GUEST BOOK. MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN GOES.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS YES
COUNCILMAN GOES YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE YES
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU YES
MAYOR LAZIEH NO
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 1 NO 0 ABSENT.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED AND ASKED FOR A REPORT FROM THE VETERANS ASSOC. AS TO THEIR ACTIONS.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED ON POLICE DETAILS AT BARS. SHE RELATED THAT POLICE OFFICERS WERE OUTSIDE INSTEAD OF INSIDE THE BUILDING. SHE STATED THAT SHE IS TROUBLED THAT BENJAMIN DETAIL WAS CHANGED.
SHE RELATED THAT BENJAMIN'S BAR IS BUSIEST IN CITY. SHE STATED THAT THE CAPACITY IS ELBOW TO ELBOW WHICH IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SHE STATED THAT SHE HAS HEARD HORROR STORIES FROM THAT ONE BAR IN PARTICULAR. SHE WANTS AN EXPLANATION AND ASKED WHY THERE IS URINATING IN MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
CHIEF SASSO COMMENTED ON THE INTERLOCAL'S (THE CITY'S INSURER) RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS TYPE OF OPERATION. HE RELATED THAT THE LIABILITY TO CITY IS HIGH. TRAINING MUST BE DONE FOR THESE DETAILS. HE STATED THAT CASES IN CUMBERLAND AND LINCOLN ARE PENDING.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT THE CHIEF DOESN'T WANT AN OFFICER IN THE CLUB WITH 150 PEOPLE INSIDE THIS PLACES THE CITY AT A HIGH RISK AND AS PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR HE RELATED THAT HE BACKS THE CHIEF'S POSITION DUE TO THIS LIABILITY.
CHIEF SASSO CONFIRMED THE PROBLEMS AT BENJAMIN.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT HE HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS. HE ALSO STATED THAT SECURITY AT THE ESTABLISHMENT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER, NOT POLICE. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, BAR SHOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE
THE LIQUOR BOARD.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED ON THE RECENT HEAD INJURY THERE.
CHIEF SASSO STATED THAT HE HAS HEARD SOME COMPLAINTS.
MR. ALMEIDA SHOULD BE ASKED TO ATTEND A MEETING TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE CONCERNS.
MAYOR LAZIEH INDICATED THAT HE WILL BRING HIM INTO THE OFFICE TO SPEAK TO HIM FIRST. HE WILL WARN HIM WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WITH CHIEF.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ORISONTE LOUNGE AS WELL AS BENJAMIN TO THE NEXT LIQUOR BOARD MEETING.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS COMMENTED.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED.
MOTION TO SUMMONS ORISONTE LOUNGE FOR HEARING 5/31/94 WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN CANAVAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS YES
COUNCILMAN GOES YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE YES
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU YES
MAYOR LAZIEH YES
MOTION CARRIED 6 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
TIPS PROGRAM DISCUSSED
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN CANAVAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN GOES.
ALL AGREED. SO VOTED. TIME 9:33 P.M.
__________________________________
DANIEL J. ISSA, CITY CLERK
CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS