CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
LIQUOR BOARD MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1996
AT 7:30 P.M
A MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:26 P.M.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL
COUNCILMAN FERRI
COUNCILMAN WEBER
COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN
HESTER'S PLACE
D/B/A HESTER'S PLACE
772 BROAD ST. C.F.
CONTINUED FROM NOVEMBER 1996 READ BY CLERK FOR RECORD.
RIGL 3-5-23; 10.3 11.2 CODE VIOLATION. 32.3 UNLAWFUL ACCUMULATION OF WASTE.
OCT. 23, 1996 RE: RENEWAL OF BV LIQUOR LICENSE..LETTER OF OBJECTION TO THE RENEWAL OF LICENSE. JAMES BRIDEN ESQ.
READ BY CLERK.
1. CURRENT AND OUTSTANDING MINIMUM HOUSING VIOLATIONS
2. MAINTAIN ALLEY WAY
3. REMOVAL OF LITTER
4. KEEP DUMPSTER COVERED
5. REASONABLE MEASURES TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOOD QUIET.
OCTOBER 30, 1996 PETITION OF AREA RESIDENTS REGARDING THE RENEWAL OF BV LIQUOR LICENSE.
JAMES BRIDEN FOR THE RECORD, CONTINUATION OF HEARING HELD ON NOV. 4, 1996, PRESENTED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE AREA AROUND THE CAFE. HE EXPLAINED THE CONDITIONS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT. HE STATED THAT HE WANTED THE OWNERS TO EXERCISE GREATER CONTROL OVER THEIR PROPERTY, KEEP THE ALLEY AND DUMPSTER NEAT AND CLEAN. THE DUMPSTER SHOULD BE KEPT BACK 15' FROM THE SIDEWALK. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE PROPERTY CLEAN FROM BROKEN GLASS. HE SPOKE OF THE NOISE WITH REFERENCE TO THE MUSIC.
SEVERAL AREA RESIDENTS SPOKE ABOUT THE NOISE AT HESTER'S AND THE UNTIDY CONDITIONS TO AREA RESIDENTS.
ANDRE LAMBERT ADDRESSED THE BOARD AND SPOKE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE PROPERTY AND WHAT REQUIREMENTS ARE NECESSARY. HE SAID THAT THE OWNER SHOULD TAKE SOME PRIDE IN HIS PROPERTY.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN QUESTIONED MR. LAMBERT ABOUT FINES TO THE MINIMUM HOUSING DEPARTMENT. HAS CODE ENFORCEMENT BEEN AGGRESSIVELY ISSUING TICKETS TO HESTER'S PLACE.
MR. LAMBERT REPLIED THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER TICKETS ISSUED. HE STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS FOR COMPLIANCE TO VIOLATIONS. BUT THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE OR NO RESPONSE TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM FROM MR. HESTER.
JAMES BRIDEN READ LETTERS FROM MR. JOHNSON OF LEDGE STREET WHICH DESCRIBED THE CONTINUING NOISE FROM THE MUSIC AT THE BAR. HE ALSO READ A LETTER FROM MR. RICHMOND WHICH ALSO DESCRIBED THE RAUCOUS NOISE FROM THE PATRONS AND MUSIC.
ATTORNEY GERARD LALIBERTE WAS PRESENT TO REPRESENT MR. HESTER. HE THEN QUESTIONED MR. HESTER ON THE REPAIRS MADE TO THE BUILDING. MR. HESTER EXPLAINED THAT THE DUMPSTER WAS OVERFILLED DUE TO REPAIRS MADE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE BAR. MR. LALIBERTE ASKED IF MR. HESTER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH ERECTING A FENCE TO PLACE IN FRONT OF THE DUMPSTER TO MAKE A BETTER APPEARANCE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
MR. HESTER ALSO EXPLAINED THE MEASURES HE HAS TAKEN TO ABATE THE NOISE ON THE LEDGE STREET SIDE OF HIS BUILDING WITH REGARDS TO THE OVERFLOW OF MUSIC COMING FROM CAFE.
MR. LALIBERTE ASKED IF MR. HESTER HAD RESTROOMS IN THE BAR, HE ALSO ASKED BY WHICH DOOR THE PATRONS LEAVE THE BUILDING.
MR. HESTER STATED THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY THAT PATRONS CAN LEAVE AND THAT IS BY THE BOARD STREET DOOR.
MR. HESTER ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD COOPERATE WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT DEBRIS IS PICKED UP FROM AROUND THE BUILDING. HE HAS AGREED THAT HE WILL MOVE THE DUMPSTER BACK TO ABOUT 15' FROM THE STREET. HE ALSO SAID HE WOULD MAKE REPAIRS TO THE BUILDING AND WILL COOPERATE WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE.
MR. LALIBERTE STATED THAT HIS CLIENT WILL COOPERATE IN ANY WAY WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, HIS NEIGHBORS AND WILL PLACE THE DUMPSTER ABOUT 15' FROM THE SIDEWALK. HE COMMENTED THAT THE POLICE REPORTS STATE THAT THERE ARE
NO REPORTS AS TO THE MUSIC AT THE ESTABLISHMENT.
DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONING CONTINUED BETWEEN MR. HESTER AND ATTORNEY LALIBERTE.
ATTORNEY LALIBERTE STATED THAT MR. HESTER WILL AGREE TO MOVE THE DUMPSTER AND POLICE THE AREA.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN DIDN'T HEAR THAT MR. HESTER WILL COVER THE DUMPSTER BY PLACING A FENCE ON THREE SIDES.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL STATED THAT MR. HESTER USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE WHEN HE DOES FUTURE REPAIRS.
CHAIRMAN AUNCHMAN SUGGESTED THAT MR. HESTER CONTACT MINIMUM HOUSING FOR DIRECTION.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT HE DOESN'T HEAR FROM MR. HESTER ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE WOULD PATROL AND GUIDE HIS PATRONS FROM MAKING LOUD NOISE AND NOT USING THE EXTERIOR AS A TOILET.
MR. LALIBERTE STATED THAT THE POLICE REPORTS DON'T REFLECT OR PROVE THAT THE PATRONS ARE COMING FROM HIS BAR AND URINATING ON LEDGE STREET.
COUNCIL MEMBERS CONTINUED TO QUESTION THE HESTER'S AND THEIR ATTORNEY ABOUT THE PROPERTY AND PATRON ACTIVITY.
COUNCILMAN FERRI QUESTIONED THE REAR DOOR, THE NOISE, AND THE TIPS TRAINING FOR THE BARTENDERS. HE ALSO QUESTIONED AS TO WHETHER THE ALLEY HAS A LIGHT.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL STATED THAT BECAUSE THE POLICE DID NOT WRITE UP A REPORT DOES NOT MEAN THAT AN INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR. HE STATED THAT THE ALLEY BE LIGHTED.
MR. BRIDEN COMMENTED AND CLARIFIED THE ISSUE OF THE CONDITION AT HESTER'S PLACE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS OF RECENT OCCURRENCE BUT RATHER HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE SHOWED SEVERAL PHOTOS WITH VARIOUS DATES TO MAKE THIS POINT.
CHAIRMAN AUNCHMAN ASKED FOR A MOTION.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL MOTION TO APPROVE FOR A PERIOD OF 90 DAYS THE LIQUOR LICENSE OF HESTER'S WITH THE CONDITIONS AS STIPULATED EARLIER IN THE EVENING. MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEBER.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT THE CAFE NEEDS TO UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF HIS NEIGHBORS.
CHAIRMAN AUNCHMAN ASKED THAT MR. HESTER JOIN THE LIST OF CAFE OWNERS WHO NEVER COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
JIM BRIDEN ASKED FOR A CLARIFICATION: KEEP ALLEYWAY CLEAN, MOVE DUMPSTER ETC. THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
MOTION CLARIFIED BY COUNCILMAN FARRELL, CLERK ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION:
COUNCILMAN FARRELL YES
COUNCILMAN FERRI YES
COUNCILMAN WEBER YES
COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL ASKED THAT BENJAMIN'S COME BEFORE THE BOARD AT 5:30 ON DEC. 9, 1997.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN CANAVAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEBER. ALL AGREED. SO VOTED. TIME: 8:15 P.M.
_________________________________________________
ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, CMC
ACTING CITY CLERK
INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AVAILABLE UPON 72 HOUR REQUEST MADE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.