Saugus selectmen postpone club hearings

SAUGUS – The Board of Selectmen will take its time in deciding whether to hold a show cause hearing on Tabu Ultra Lounge and Nightclub and Oasis.The two clubs were the scenes of a pair of dust ups that included a fight and noise complaints at Tabu and a double shooting at Oasis.Selectman Michael Kelleher wanted to call for a show cause hearing on both establishments, but his colleagues disagreed.Instead, the board voted to go with Selectman Stephen Horlick’s substitute motion that put the hearings on hold, at least for now. Horlick’s motion asked for copies of all police reports written over the last 90 days in connection with Tabu and Oasis. Board members will review the incidents along with police personnel then decide what action should be taken, if any.To call a show cause hearing, Horlick said the board must have specific reason with backup data to support its case. Because the board has yet to receive incident reports or full police reports, he said it has no basis to call a hearing.Kelleher argued that waiting for the investigation to be completed could take months and, by that time, the incidents would have fallen off the radar.He also said he thought the report summaries they received were enough to call the hearings.”Plus calling a show cause hearing is a way to get their attention and a little action,” he added.Kelleher said the idea behind posting a hearing is more to get the establishment in question to sit up and take notice, to recognize there is an issue and it could become serious if changes aren’t made. More often than not, he said the problem would be resolved without a formal hearing.”My point is you call a show cause hearing to get a little action,” he said.Just before the board voted on Horlick’s motion, Selectman Stephen Castinetti asked to include police reports for Roller World and The Square One Mall as well.Roller World was the site of a fight on April 4 and, earlier that same night, a fast acting Sgt. Ronald Giorgetti defused another potential brawl at the mall.Lt. Michael Annese said the mall incident was gang related and it was lucky that Giorgetti was on duty at Best Buy when a man ran into the store to report a man with a gun.The suspects ran, but Giorgetti and backup officers snagged three males and charged two with disorderly conduct.The mall has never been called in for a show cause hearing before, but because it holds a common victualer’s license from the town, it’s possible.Kelleher, one time Square One manager, didn’t think it was necessary, however, because the mall is working with the Police Department to open a substation.”Why would you want to stop someone who is actually trying to do something?” he asked.