F.L. Roberts officials were granted a license last night by the Westfield Licence Commission to sell beer and wine at their South Maple Street location. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The License Commission granted a liquor license to F.L. Roberts for the sale of beer and wine at its South Maple Street facility.
The commission approved the license with a split 2-1 vote after an extended debate about relaxing its own policy requiring a separate entry and sales counter. Commissioner Alice Dawicki cast the sole dissenting vote because of her concern that the vote last night will set a precedent.
Commission Chairman Christopher Mowatt and Commissioner Edward Diaz countered saying that the application of other convenience stores will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“I don’t want to open the floodgates to every gas station in the city,” Mowatt said. “F.L. Roberts is not inexperienced.”
“No doubt it’s on many people’s minds,” Diaz said.
State law in the past limited corporations to three liquor licenses statewide, but that regulation has been relaxed, opening the door to convenience stores and supermarkets to seek additional licenses.
Attorney Paul Mallek, with the Springfield firm of Doherty Wallace Pillsbury Murphy, said the F.L. Roberts currently has four other beer and wine licenses, two in Springfield, and one each in Wilbraham and Turner Falls.
“Every one gets carded, no exceptions,” Mallek said. “Employees serving alcohol are all TIPS-certified. My clients are on notice that stings are common in Westfield. Every employees signs a contract and could lose their job for violating Chapter 138 (of the Massachusetts General Law controlling alcohol licensing).”
“This location is ideal for the sale of wine and beer,” Mallek said. “Customers want that convenience. F.L. Roberts will ensure compliance with the law.”
Carl Vincent of South Maple Street and a Ward 2 city council candidate, spoke against approval of the license, stating that it will have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
Vincent described the area as a walking neighborhood where many residents, including children, use the convenience store.
“It’s a very marginal area where the problem is visibility,” Vincent said. “Foot traffic has to cross the street to get there. We, as residents, are concerned because this (license) will create more traffic, increase safety concerns. This is a bad idea.”
Mowatt added several conditions to the license, including electronic identification readers, no single can or bottle sales and that the store area dedicated to the sale of alcohol cannot be increased without modification of the license.
“If anybody can control this sort of thing it is (F.L.) Roberts,” Mowatt said, then made the motion to “relax the (Commission’s) current (separate entry, second sales counter) policy and allow the F.L. Roberts petition.”
