Saugus restaurant hit with suspension

SAUGUS – Jin Restaurant wrapped up its show cause hearing in under an hour Wednesday when the owner agreed to accept Police Chief Domenic DiMella’s recommendation of a one-day liquor license suspension and a new security plan.The Board voted 2-1 to accept the recommendation with Selectman Stephen Horlick voting against it, calling the punishment nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Chairman Donald Wong, who holds a liquor license, stepped aside along with Stephen Castinetti because the Route 1 Asian entertainment complex is a client of his.The hearing stemmed from a New Year’s Eve incident where it was reported that nearly 1,000 patrons allegedly jammed into the first and second floor lobbies of the complex spilling over onto the staircase as they attempted to leave the building at closing. Several fights were reported but it is undisputed that it took police from six communities and a couple State Troopers nearly an hour to restore peace.Given the scope of the incident Horlick said he wanted to see a full scale show cause hearing with testimony from witnesses as well as the Police Department. DiMella, however, stood by his recommendation as did Selectmen Michael Kelleher and Peter Rossetti.The new security plan includes additional police details and security personnel, confining entertainment to specific areas and laying out a clearer departure plan for patrons and having it monitored. The cloakroom, where the fights allegedly broke out and staircase are also to be monitored by security cameras.DiMella said after conferring with the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control Commission he was comfortable the punishment fell within the ABCC’s guidelines. Town Counsel John Vasapolli suggested the security plan also be made a condition of the restaurant’s liquor license.Anthony Cogliano, who manages the entertainment at the hot spot, apologized for the incident saying the egg was squarely on his face. Given the snowfall on New Year’s Eve and the calls he’d received all day he said he didn’t expect the turnout he had and he was not prepared for it.”I’m sorry the incident happened and I will work with the chief to make sure it never happens again,” he said.Horlick was not satisfied and pressed Cogliano a capacity issue and pressed the chief on why he wasn’t more outraged over the incident.DiMella said he took the incident very seriously but the punishment wasn’t about the scope of the incident it was about the fact that it was a first offense and the ABCC recommends progressive discipline. DiMella said because of this incident if the club fouls up again the punishment would be progressively harsher.It is, DiMella pointed out later, not unlike Tabu, which is up for its show cause hearing Tuesday.”Tabu is on the record, we tried with a new security plan and it didn’t work for them,” he said. “They will be dealt with more harshly now. That’s the point of progressive punishment.”