License Commission

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Jun 16 2022 9:55 am BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS City Hall, 718 Main Street Fitchburg MA 01420 (978) 829-1820 Daniel Sarefield, Chairman Richard Boscardin John Zarrella MINUTES OF MEETING A regular meeting of the Board of License Commissioners was held on April 20, 2022 over the Zoom meeting platform, and called to order by Commissioner Sarefield at 6:04 PM. Commissioners Boscardin and Zarrella were also present at the meeting. FPD Liaison Lieutenant Howe, City Clerk Joanna Bilotta- Simeone and Assistant City Clerk Amanda Alford were present. I. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PRIOR MEETING(S) Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 4, 2022 and the Special Meeting of April 12, 2022 were approved by unanimous consent 3/0. II. NEW APPLICATIONS Solicitor Applications 1. Shawyn Hebert – Power Home Remodeling Mr. Shawyn Hebert was present at the meeting. Commissioner Sarefield asked Mr. Hebert about his experience with soliciting. Mr. Hebert stated that he had been working with the company since October 2021. Commissioner Sarefield reminded the applicant to contact Dispatch each day that he worked in Fitchburg, wear the approved license, and also wear identifying clothing for the business. He also noted the days and hours that they were permitted to solicit. Application approved by unanimous roll call vote 3/0. 2. Evan Sage – Power Home Remodeling As applicant was not present a motion to continue the matter to the May 2, 2022 meeting was approved by a unanimous roll call vote 3/0. Page 1 III. CONTINUED MATTERS Special One Day License Beers for Good, for a Special One Day Wine and Malt Beverages License for Brewers Festival on June 25, 2022 from 1:00PM to 6:00PM for 1,000 people at Riverfront Park. Mr. David Streb was present at the meeting. He noted this is the event’s twelfth year and they expect 25-30 breweries will participate, and as with previous years, there will be a tent set up on the grass with tables for patrons to sit and food trucks will be present. He noted that they expect between 800- 1,000 people to attend during the course of the day. Commissioner Sarefield asked if there were any changes planned with respect to the procedures regarding alcohol sales. Mr. Streb noted that they will ensure all pourers are either TIPS or Serve Safe certified and that they will only allow patrons 21 years and older to enter. He also noted that due to COVID they are making some modifications to ensure safety of the pourers and patrons. The modifications include higher admission price and expanding the area of service to two 20x40 tents instead of one. Lt. Howe stated that he had no concerns with the application and that comments from the FPD have been noted in the public assembly application that was filed. Application approved by unanimous roll call vote 3/0. Lodging House Susan A. Wilkinson, 94 Highland Avenue (OpenGov Permit #79735) Ms. Tania DiDuca, Chief of Staff of SMOC, Ms. Susan Wilkinson, property manager, and Liz Murphy, Director of Housing & Development were present at the meeting. Ms. Murphy explained that it was not the fault of SMOC that this application was just now coming before the Board for approval but that there was an issue with how the online permitting system was built out and that the License Commission approval step was missing. She noted that before the pandemic, the lodging house application had been revised to merge the Board of Health and License Commission applications into one to streamline the process for the applicant. The online application that was developed during the pandemic mirrored the old Board of Health application. Commissioner Sarefield asked if all the necessary approvals have been obtained. Ms. Murphy stated that all the necessary inspections had been completed. Ms. Tania DiDuca noted that 94 Highland Ave has undergone a complete rehab and part of the focus was to create a property with curb appeal which would add value to the neighborhood. She noted that it is ADA-compliant and contains 14 new single room occupancy with a shared kitchen and living room. She noted that the property manager, Ms. Susan Wilkinson, is heavily rooted in SMOC’s other properties that are located in Fitchburg so she is familiar with the area and the expectations of her role. Ms. Wilkinson stated that she runs the other two locations in Fitchburg which houses low income and disadvantaged residents and that she sees a lot of success with the program. She noted that all houses have a live in house manager to ensure the residents follow the rules of the house. Commissioner Boscardin asked if there was a curfew imposed on the residents and whether the fire system was installed and approved. Ms. Wilkinson stated there was not a curfew and that the building has a full sprinkler system and it was inspected and signed off on by the Fire Department. Lt. Howe requested that once the house is occupied that Ms. Wilkinson provide emergency dispatch with contact information. Application approved by unanimous roll call vote 3/0. Page 2 IV. NEW BUSINESS Lt. Howe noted that an employee of Tryst Lounge went to the FPD station shortly after she was terminated from her position and alleged that Tryst Lounge was serving underage patrons. He stated that one of his Officers spoke to the manager on record and noted that the manager was fully cooperative and had mentioned that he was aware the complaint would be forthcoming. Lt. Howe noted that he discussed the matter with the Officer and doesn’t believe there was any violation of the licensee. Commissioner Boscardin noted that he spoke with the Mayor about advertising the fact that the City has liquor licenses available. Discussion ensued about the possible avenues to accommodate this type of notice and the importance of getting this information out to the public especially with the expected interest in the Main Street and downtown areas in the near future. Assistant City Clerk noted that she would reach out to the Community Development Office and possibility other departments to see if there could be a coordinated message with their efforts in attracting attention of developers and business owners to the City. The meeting adjourned at 6:50 PM Respectfully submitted, Amanda K. Alford, Assistant City Clerk Approved: __________________ ___________________ ___________________ Daniel Sarefield Richard Boscardin John Zarrella Page 3