By Journal Staff
The Revere License Commission held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 19, in the City Council Chamber. On hand for the session were chair Robert Selevitch and fellow members Dan Occena and Liliana Monroy.
The first item on the agenda was a request from the city for a 1-day Malt/Wine License to be exercised at McMackin Memorial Park, 249 Broadway, on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m -3 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, April 27. The event is a Beautify Revere spring cleanup day, followed by a celebration barbecue for the volunteers. The expected attendance is 200.
Rose Burns, the event manager from the mayor’s office, presented the application.
Burns said that this is the second annual Beautify Revere event and that Murray’s Tavern will be responsible for managing the alcohol.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
Next up was another request for a 1-day Malt/Wine License by the Revere Public Library, 179 Beach Street, for Thursday, April 10, from 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. for a Books & Brews networking event for small businesses with an expected attendance of 30–40.
Don Martelli, who is on the board of both the library and the Chamber of Commerce, presented the application. He said the event will highlight the resources available to small businesses at the library. Murray’s Tavern will host the beer and wine aspect of the event.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
A third application for a 1-day license came from Let ‘er Rip, LLC, 649 Squire Road, Nicole Larson, event manager, seeking a 1-day Entertainment License to be exercised in the parking lot at 649 Squire Road, on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., with a rain date of Saturday, May 17, for a Bike Show Fundraiser with a DJ and a raffle to benefit a service animal non-profit with an expected attendance of 50–100.
Ms. Larson said that this is the second annual event and that it raised $2600 for the non-profit organization last year.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
Mario’s Mission, Inc., Marissa Todisco, event manager, came before the commission seeking a 1-day Common Victualler & Entertainment License to be exercised on the field at the Susan B. Anthony School on Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. for the second annual Sober Bash, which will offer resources for addiction treatment, with an expected attendance of 50–80.
Ms. Todisco told the commissioners that the event was held in Peabody last year and raised $5000 for charity. She noted that the group wishes to hold the event in Revere this year to be closer to those who live in the sober facility in the area. She noted that there will be tables to bring awareness of recovery resources and added that there will be a food truck and a DJ.
“I truly commend what you’re doing and I’m grateful that you are bringing this event to the city,” noted Occena.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
The Boston Wounded Vet Run, Steven Ashman, event manager, presented an application for a 1-day Malt/Wine, Common Victualler, & Entertainment License to be exercised at Fredericks Park on Sunday, May 18, from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., for the presentation and ceremony for the Boston Wounded Vet Motorcycle Run. The expected attendance is 2500.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
The city presented the sixth temporary license application of the session for a 1-day Entertainment License to be exercised at Waterfront Square on Sunday, June 29, from 1 p.m.–7 p.m. for DJ, dancing, and performances to cap the fourth annual Revere Beach Pride Celebration with an expected attendance of 2000.
Steven Morabito, the city’s DEI coordinator, presented the application.
“This event will mark the end of Pride Month,” noted Morabito. “This has been a successful event for the past four years and we hope to continue it this year.”
“This is a great event,” noted Selevitch.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
The next item on the agenda was an application from Preciado Brothers, LLC, d/b/a La Cantina 2024, 488 Broadway, Omar Preciado, manager, for a change of closing hour from 1 a.m.–2 a.m.
The owners said that other nearby establishments are open until 2:00 a.m. and they wish to be able to show the upcoming World Cup games.
“We’ve heard nothing but good things about your business,” said Occena.
“Last call will be at 1:30 and everyone has to be off the premises by 2:00 a.m. — this is a residential area,” Selevitch reminded the applicants.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
Sereypanha Chhoeurng, d/b/a 4 Season Boba Tea, 196 Shirley Ave., presented an application for a Change of Business Structure for a Common Victualler License from a partnership to a sole proprietorship.
Ms. Chhoeurng said that there will be changes to the current business, other than it will become a sole proprietorship.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
Vlladesi, Inc., d/b/a Bagel Bin Deli, 207 Shirley Ave., Hansi Vlladesi, manager, presented an application for Common Victualler and Entertainment Licenses with requested hours of operation from Sunday–Saturday 6 a.m.–10 p.m. The requested seating is 50 and the requested entertainment is for radio and TV.
Mr. Viladesi presented the application. He said the newly-resurrected Bagel Bin, a Shirley Ave. institution for decades that was much missed when it closed a few years ago, will offer breakfast, lunch, and pizza in the evening.
“We welcome you back,” noted Selevitch.
“We’re all excited to have you back,” added Occena.
There were no opponents and the commission approved the application.
The commission then conducted two hearings. The first pertained to Squire Revere, LLC, d/b/a Four Points by Sheraton Boston Logan Airport Revere, 407 Squire Road, regarding an alleged failure “to comply with mandated license requirements and inspection violations.”
Fire Lieut. Erin Leary, who serves as the Director of Fire Prevention for the Revere F.D., informed the commissioners of the issues that had held up the issuance of the required permits by the Fire Dept., which in turn led to the Licensing Commission refusing to issue the necessary licenses.
“This was an issue of life safety,” said Leary, who noted that fire detectors were found to be bagged and taped, among other issues, which led to the Fire Dept. issuing a cease-and-desist order for the hotel’s recent renovation project. She further explained that “there was incompetence across the board” in terms of the failure of management and its contractors to comply with required safety measures.
However, Leary told the commissioners that the establishment is now in compliance and agreed that the commission can issue the necessary licenses.
The commission voted to place the matter “on file,” subject to possible problems arising in the future.
The next hearing pertained to MFRP Corp., d/b/a The Squire, 604 Squire Rd, Peter DePesa, manager, into the alleged failure “to provide adequate security, resulting in multiple violent attacks on patrons.”
Peter and Robert DePesa appeared on behalf of the Squire.
“We’ve had some issues relative to the Squire, some fairly violent issues,” said Selevitch at the outset of the hearing.
Police Chief David Callahan then addressed the commissioners.
“This has been an issue that has been going on since January, when there were two incidents involving three victims who were critically injured when they were stabbed in the parking lot,” said Callahan.
“This is a public safety issue for the general public, the patrons, and first responders,” the chief continued. “If it hadn’t been for the advanced life support measures provided by the officers at the first incident, there might have been a fatality. In the second incident a few days later, there was another stabbing in which the victim was stabbed in the chest, also requiring significant first aid and care from the first responders.
“This has been an issue that has been going on for a long time and needs to be addressed,” said Callahan. “The owners have to be put on notice that we cannot tolerate this. Sometimes we’ve had to send every available officer there, which is not fair to the rest of the city, This is a challenging situation that needs to come to some sort of resolution.”
Callahan suggested that the commission either roll back the night club’s hours or require
a significant law enforcement presence. “Sooner or later, there will be a homicide there,” Callahan added.
“The chief’s suggestion that there has been something bad going on there for a long time is erroneous,” said Robert DePesa, who then described the circumstances of both incidents and presented a different version than what the chief had described. He also noted that there were three police officers (two of whom were on duty) on the premises at the time of the second incident.
“I’ve been doing this for 35 years and I find it an insult that I do not run an establishment properly. We’ve always done the right thing and always have cooperated with the police,” said Peter DePesa, who told the commissioners that a rollback in hours will put him out of business because of the substantial income the Squire earns in the late hours of the night.
“This is the first incident we’ve had in over two years. We cannot control people’s tempers,” he concluded.
“We have not had incidents inside the club,” added Robert DePesa. “We work well together with the police detail officers.”
“We need to come up with some kind of solution,” said Selevitch, who then asked Callahan about the deployment of the details.
“You need someone, maybe two, inside, and one outside,” said Callahan.
“I’ve read significant police reports that indicate that the level of violence is escalating,” said Occena, who noted that the business owes $18,000 in past-due detail bills. “It falls on the ownership, not the Revere P.D., to take measures to ensure the safety of your patrons. Your position about this is unacceptable. You need more officers.”
“We try to run a very safe environment,” responded Robert DePesa, who said that an issue has arisen with detail officers leaving early. “We’ve reached out to the police, but all we get back is, ‘You need more details’.”
“You need a security operation that gets out in front of these situations,” said Selevitch, who suggested that a detail officer be assigned to the parking lot in a marked cruiser and that the establishment also send its own security personnel into the parking lot (though the DePesas noted that the police had asked them not to do so previously).
After a brief recess, Callahan told the commissioners that after discussing the situation with the owners, the parties agreed that the police department will not provide detail officers in the future. The Squire will provide its own security on the premises, including the parking lot.
Selevitch asked the DePesas to provide the commission with a security plan and the name of the security company, with the matter to be taken up at the next meeting of the commission.
The commission received one communication during the month pertaining to the surrender of an All Alcohol Restaurant license from Seas The Day Restaurant, Inc. d/b/a Seas The Day Restaurant.
There was one license renewal, for a Parking Lot License for Rockwal Realty Trust, 1380 North Shore Road.
The next meeting of the commission is set for April 16.
