Second hearing on Lynn bars’ closing time set for tonight

LYNN – A second hearing to determine whether local bars will shut their doors one hour earlier is scheduled to take place tonight at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall.In October, a Salem Superior Court judge ordered the Licensing Board to hold the second hearing after the judge determined the Board had violated the state open meeting law when it held a closed-door executive session to discuss rolling back bar hours from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.Only new testimony will be accepted during tonight’s hearing, with the old testimony entered into the new hearing as part of the record.Attorney Frederick W. Riley, who is representing proprietors Rocco DiFillipo, George Chakoutis, Patricia Aldred and Rafael Echavarria, said he and his clients are pleased with both the court ruling and the opportunity for another chance to voice their side of the story.According to the proprietors, the board violated the law by holding a closed-door executive session to discuss the rollback and by not taking a recorded roll call vote to go into session.State law specifies eight reasons for holding executive sessions, including “complying with the provisions of any general or special law.”Riley said the city lawyers agreed with the open meeting law violation claim and, in turn, the proprietors agreed to drop the $1,000 fine that was attached to the claim.Aside from the second hearing, bar owners are also seeking a temporary restraining order to block the rollback.Licensing Board attorney Vincent Phelan has said the public meeting had been well publicized with a public notice and that the city would aggressively fight for the rollback, which was unanimously approved Oct. 2.Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. previously said that there is ample evidence from the police and fire departments supporting the rollback and the need for bars to close earlier.However, bar owners claim they will lose 365 hours of business each year if the rollback is approved and customers who frequent their bars now would most likely travel into Boston where the bars are open to 2 a.m.