4 Businesses Have Equal Shot at Adams Liquor License
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.
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