4 Businesses Have Equal Shot at Adams Liquor License / iBerkshires.com - The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.

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The town will be sending letters to all four people who asked about an all-alcoholic permit to open a new business to inform them that one license has become available.

4 Businesses Have Equal Shot at Adams Liquor License

By Andy McKeever
iBerkshires Staff
10:27PM / Wednesday, February 01, 2012

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ADAMS, Mass. — The first business to belly up to the bar gets to pour — if the Selectmen give the OK.

Adams is limited to 14 all-alcoholic beverage licenses, one of which became available on Jan. 1. In the last year, four prospective business owners have asked about it, including a former selectman the board declined to identify.

The Board of Selectmen, nervous of appearing to favor a former member, is contacting all of those prospective businesses to let them know about the available license.

"As soon as one comes in, we have to take action on it," Chairman Arthur "Skip" Harrington said on Wednesday.

Once an application comes in, the board has 10 days to act on it. Board members want to make sure all had an equal shot at it. Otherwise, the businesses would need a special act of the Legislature to get a license.

The board would need good reason to deny the initial application, which could be appealed. So likely the first application would receive the license. None of the prospective owners have taken out applications yet.

"It's only fair. Anybody has a chance to get it," Selectman Scott Nichols said.

Those other three would still be able to go through the legislative process, which starts with board approval, a town meeting vote and then approval from the Legislature. While applying through the town only takes weeks, the Legislature would take months.

Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said beer and wine permits are available for those who do not get the all-alcoholic license and the town will help the prospective businesses through the special legislation process.

The number of licenses is determined by state law and based on the Census. Veterans' clubs and special legislative permits are not counted against the quota, officials said.

Selectwoman Paula Melville was a lone vote against sending out letters saying it gives those four an unfair advantage over anyone else applying.

Tags: liquor license,

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what happened to freedom in this country? Boggles my mind that government continues to put road blocks in front of businesses. Its borderline communism where the state decides who gets to be in business and picks winners and losers. How did we get here? I love how the state doesn't limit the amount of places you can buy state run lottery scratch tickets. Even though gambling is every bit morally corrupt. Atleast with hard alcohol you're guaranteed a good time.
from: huh?	on: 02-01-2012 11:37PM I Agree (17) - I Disagree (3)
Editor: Puritans.
I Agree (2) - I Disagree (1)

One must give Adams some credit for addressing the issue and trying, thats better then N.A. might just move to Adams.
from: Pro-stroker	on: 02-02-2012 11:51AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (0)

I know this isn't exactly life or death here but this is making me a little crazy... Whoever decided that first come first serve for a license is the way to go should have their head examined. This is MOST unfair and everyone DOES NOT have a shot at it. Why not post the available license and allow maybe 60 days for applications that are sealed until the due date. Then based on the merits of each and what is best for the town and its people award it appropriately? How was it communicated to the town it was available? How is it communicated to other communities? Maybe someone wants to open a business that will employ a bunch of townspeople but doesn't know about it because they live out of town. Maybe because they live out of town they can't win the race to apply. What if two are mailed in on the same day? What if they are having a foot race up the path to town hall? Does the fastest runner get a liquor license? This is just a crazy way to do business and it should be changed. I am not sure if this is up to the selectboard or not but I would hope they see how ridiculous this is. Paula is on to something this time.
from: Adams Guy	on: 02-02-2012 12:52PM I Agree (16) - I Disagree (24)

what licsense was turned?
from: local man	on: 02-02-2012 01:41PM I Agree (3) - I Disagree (0)

To AdamsGuy, If you had a competition on the merits, which is highly subjective, then everyone would just be on this board screaming about cronyism, it being "rigged" etc. At least this way, the one who is most prepared gets the license, regardless of who it is.
from: fair	on: 02-02-2012 04:24PM I Agree (9) - I Disagree (2)

Why doesn't iBerkshires focus more on how Melville is doing nothing but throwing stones at the other Selectmen? Her facts are always wrong and the body language of the others makes itt obvious that they don't like her. Maybe you should figure out why? I imagine it's the same reasons that the members of all the other boards she's ever been in didn't like her. She's a lying, negative, heartless obstacle to accomplishing anything.
from: Please quit	on: 02-02-2012 07:11PM I Agree (25) - I Disagree (3)
Editor: There has been tension between Selectwoman Melville and her colleagues almost since the start. They disagree on a lot, which we've covered over the past two years. However, we would hardly describe her as "lying, negative, heartless."
I Agree (5) - I Disagree (13)

In response to Adams Guy, Did you watch the meeting at all? It wasn't the selectboard who came up with this solution. The directive came from the state governing board. To try and blame the board on this issue is like blaming this board for the housing crisis in this country. Absolutely a ridiculous statement on your part.
from: R U KIDDING ME?	on: 02-03-2012 10:38AM I Agree (7) - I Disagree (3)

To address my critics on this point... I did not watch the meeting. I am simply commenting on the story I read here. To think the board of selectmen having to make decisions that may be critized is somehow a bad idea, is a very strange thought. They were elected to make decisions and choices. That's exactly what they are there for. To take a situation that could impact the town's taxes, tourism, quality of life, etc... and make it about who applies first is inadequate. I never indicated this was the chosen procedure by the Board of Selectmen. In fact for all I know they have had these rules forced upon them. It was my hope they would see how inadequate this procedure is and make the process as fair as possible within the rules. Sending a letter to four interested parties subjects them to a claim of favoritism much more than an open discussion about the merits of potential licensees. If everyone has an equal shot at this then not just those in the loop (including a former selectman) would know about the opportunity. I don't think I can be convinced a race is the way to go.
from: Adams Guy	on: 02-03-2012 12:03PM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (2)
Editor: Well, I believe there was some talk of whether the letters were fair, but as one selectman pointed out, the news about the license was going to be on iBerkshires in an hour or so. Between the broadcasting of the meeting and us, a lot more should know about the opportunity. If the four wait for snail mail, they're already out of the race.
I Agree (4) - I Disagree (1)

It doesn't matter how many apply the first one in gets the first pick and that was all done at Wed. meeting, its over people, I can tell you who will get the license and was first in on Thursday morning. D.S and do I need to say more, its still the old boy network,Please watch and see.
from: Insider	on: 02-07-2012 06:57PM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

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