Joseph Deedy, who will be running food services at Blandford ski area, Dick McCann, general manager of Ski Butternut and Ron Crozier, GM of Ski Blandford at Blandford Board of Selectmen Monday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
BLANDFORD – Ron Crozier, general manager of the Blandford Ski Area on Nye Brook Road, and representing attorney Jesse Cook-Dubin appeared before the Board of Selectman on Monday for an alcohol license for the ski area. Cook-Dubin said the license would be for on premises, all alcohol, seven days a week to be served in the two base lodges and on the patios, which he said are mountain side and roped off.
In introducing himself, Crozier said he is responsible for the overall day to day operations and for financial management of the ski area. He said he has worked in the ski industry for 34 years, and had previously worked for Butternut Basin owner Jeff Murdock before moving out of state. When Butternut bought Blandford, Murdock contacted him about coming back.
Crozier said currently Ski Blandford is open six days a week until ski season, when it will open seven days a week. He said he lives nearby in East Otis, and will be responsible for the alcohol sales as manager on record, adding that he has been TIPS certified. He said the alcohol will be served in the restaurant, and no outside alcohol will be allowed.
Selectman Eric McVey mentioned this will be a first year transition from the practice of the Springfield Ski Club, which previously owned the ski area, to allow skiers to bring their own alcohol. Crozier said the transition will be from a club to a private ski area.
McVey asked if food service is going to be open the same hours as alcohol service, and Crozier said it would be. He also said the alcohol, which they are thinking of limiting to beer and wine the first year, will be served with food, and there will be no bar area.
Resident T. J. Cousineau asked what kind of liability insurance they would have to monitor people who drink and then go up the slopes, or drive away.
Crozier said they will be covered on the ski area’s liability insurance. He also said lift operators and ski patrollers would have the ability to contact the general manager if they had concerns about someone.
Selectman Cara Letendre said she believed the situation will be easier to manage when they are selling the alcohol, as opposed to when people brought their own. “Moving in this direction is an attempt to manage it,” she said.
A Nye Brook Road resident commented that the sales would increase traffic, and said the road should be posted with a speed limit.
Crozier responded that the restaurant will be operating the same hours as before, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. “We don’t see the liquor license bringing in more traffic,” he said.
McVey asked what the speed limit is when there are no signs, and was told it is 35 mph. He said the Highway Department could put up the signs. Letendre said Police Chief Dan Ilnicky could also establish a police presence on the road.
“We would love to have a police presence,” Crozier said.
The same resident said the road has been paved, but not widened, and is narrow for buses. He asked if there would be buses for ski schools coming in and out. Crozier said they hope to have school groups coming in this year. He said when they didn’t open last year, Otis Ridge, which is also owned by Butternut Basin, was able to accommodate them.
“I’m not anti-ski area. I’m impressed by Butternut’s management,” the resident said. “I’m also concerned about access to the ski area, with one way in and one way out. If there is an accident, then what,” he said, referring to ambulances and fire trucks getting through. “If the town could somehow think about fixing the other road,” he added.
Letendre said that Highway Superintendent Brad Curry is looking at a grant to repair the Nye Brook Bridge, but acknowledged that the Second Division road, which leads out of the ski area in the opposite direction, is not passable and would have to be rebuilt. She also said that there are no residents on that road, and with limited funds, they have to prioritize road work in the town.
Returning to the license, Letendre said the town has received the $200 fee from the ski area. In response to another question as to whether the license would be available to rent for off-season functions, Cook-Dubin said the license is year-round. He also said outside functions with a caterer would have their own insurance and a caterer’s liquor license, which allows them to serve anywhere.
“If we did a summer event, I would be there. At this point in time, we have no plans for summer operations,” Crozier said, adding that they had a couple of people interested in racing dirt bikes, but they had said no. “We feel the work that we have to do is to get the ski area back,” he added.
Crozier said that Joseph Deedy, owner of Moolicious in Southwick will be running the food service at the ski area, and could answer more questions. Deedy said it will be a full liquor license, but they will be serving canned beer and single pour wine, and would require identification for purchases.
“Please understand, I’m not going to over pour or over serve. I’m not that guy,” Deedy said. He added that previously people were bringing in their own kegs, and that he thought closing for a year “was a blessing.”
Following the positive vote to move forward with the license which now goes to the state for approval, Crozier said they plan to open Ski Blandford for the holidays, weather permitting. He said Broadway and Glade chair lifts will be open, along with two service lifts. They have also repaired and replaced snowmaking, and are going through the pipes on the mountain. He said a lot of work has been done, but they still have “a tremendous amount of work” to do.
Crozier said the goal for next summer is to get the North chair lift online and complete the snow making repairs. “I look fifteen days out and then take it day by day,” he said.
