Adams Looks to Allow Sunday Morning Alcohol Serving
ADAMS, Mass. — The next town meeting will vote on adopting a state law that would allow restaurants to serve alcohol earlier on Sundays.
The Selectmen last week placed adoption of MGL 138, Section 33B, on the town meeting warrant at the request of a local tavern owner. The law allows restaurants to serve from 10 to noon on Sundays and certain holidays.
Adams Ale House co-owner Nathan Girard brought the law to Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco's attention because he felt it could help restaurants in town who serve brunch.
"It is good that that law is out there because I don't think I am the only business in town that would gain from this," Girard told the Selectmen at Wednesday's meeting.
The Selectmen, as the licensing board, cannot just adopt the measure; town meeting must approve it. Mazzucco suggested putting the item on a special town meeting to quicken the process.
"We could potentially delay business from taking advantage of it as we are looking at a June 15-ish town meeting," Mazzucco said. "Any time we can shave off would be helpful."
He noted that even with a special town meeting, restaurants would still miss the opportunity to serve alcohol at Easter brunch and perhaps other special occasions. He suggested giving out temporary permits that would allow restaurants to serve earlier on specific days in the interim.
Girard said this would be helpful because has already received more than 100 calls from residents interested in Easter brunch.
Selectman Jeffrey Snoonian said the amendment is a "no-brainer."
"The laws regarding liquor licenses in Massachusetts are arcane, puritanical and ridiculous," he said. "I know our governor is working hard on trying to give the power back to towns ... I think it is ridiculous that they would know better than we do how to control our liquor licenses."
Selectman John Duval said he would support anything that would help businesses in town.
"We need to be more business friendly in this community, and if we can help in any way as soon as we can," Duval said. "It keeps us competitive with communities that have adopted this and it means bringing in more money for our businesses."
If town meeting passes the amendment, restaurants must still apply with the licensing board to serve alcohol earlier.
In other business, the board made several appointments and heard a presentation.
• Donald Torrico was appointed as the new building commissioner. Torrico was an alternate commissioner while the town was without a permanent commissioner.
"He comes to us with over 15 years of experience," Mazzucco said. "He was recently the inspector in Lee and came highly recommended from the Lee town manager and the state inspector."
Mazzucco said Torrico will be paid $60,000 annually and will start the job immediately.
The town has struggled to hold onto a building commissioner so the Selectmen decided to increase the salary in hopes of attracting a reliable person who complements Adams' building needs.
"I just have to say that it is a very important position," Nowak said. "I hope that this gentleman stays with us a while and not bail on us because it sure puts us in spot."
• Jean Rice was the community development specialist. The grant-funded position will mostly work with the housing rehab program.
"She comes with some background in small project management and office management, which is essential in this position," Mazzucco said. "This is really the go-to person for housing rehab."
Mazzucco added that Rice was bought on as temporary staff when there were personnel shortages in the department
• Glen and Kelly Field were appointed to the Agricultural Commission. Both of these individuals are responsible for running the Farmers Market this summer after the town backed out.
"It is a valuable position, and I am glad to see that people are stepping forwards and resurrecting it," Selectman Joseph Nowak said.
• Thomas Matusko, of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, asked the Selectmen to send a letter to support legislation that would designate the forested area in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts in the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership.
Matusko gave the same presentation to Cheshire a few weeks ago about the BRPC-driven project has been in development for two years and would provide 21 municipalities in Berkshire and Franklin counties with financial and technical resources to increase economic development through sustainable forestry practices.
Tags: alcohol license, state laws, town meeting 2016,