Saugus selectmen set date for Jin

SAUGUS – The Board of Selectmen set a date for Jin Entertainment Complex’s show cause hearing and voted to invite Hooters in as well.The Jin hearing will be held Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall auditorium but board members said they did not expect it to be a drawn out event.Police Chief Domenic DiMella called for the show cause hearing a week after 30 police officers from five communities were called in to help quell a New Year’s Eve brawl.It was reported that 1,000 patrons poured out of the Route 1 Asian restaurant complex and the nightclub Orchid that is housed within. Patrons allegedly jammed into the first- and second-floor lobbies and spilled over onto the staircase and numerous fights broke out on both levels. All told it took more than an hour to restore peace and clear the premises.Selectman Michael Kelleher called the incident a serious situation but said DiMella had indicated that club officials had been very cooperative. DiMella told the board Tuesday that he had recommendations for a security plan and other punitive actions, which he would discuss at the hearing.Board members indicated that Jin officials are not expected to oppose the recommendations.Along with Jin, Kelleher also made a motion to bring Hooters in for a discussion over an incident involving the restaurant best known for its hot wings and hot pants and an underage drinker.Kelleher called the motion an invite but made it clear that if restaurant officials decline he would make a motion to bring them in for a show cause hearing.Hooters is in hot water over a he said, she said incident regarding identification.Earlier this month an 18-year-old male was discovered drunk at the scene of an accident, he had not been driving. When police officers asked him where he had been drinking he allegedly said Hooters. Police reports show that while the male reported that the waitress never asked him for identification the waitress claims he showed a valid IDKelleher said however the case plays out he would like to hear Hooters’ take on incident.Selectman Stephen Horlick asked if the board had received a final police report on the incident because he was concerned if the investigation wasn’t over the board’s meeting could impede things.Kelleher said as far as he was concerned the days of waiting for police to close an investigation in order for the board to launch its own were gone.Horlick said he didn’t disagree with the notion of bringing them in, he just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t impact any investigation.The board voted 4-0 with chairman Donald Wong, who holds a liquor license, sitting out to bring Hooters in for a chat.”Just to discuss the ID issue,” Kelleher said. “If they don’t come in I will call for a show cause hearing but I would rather invite them first.”