Saugus selectman seeks liquor licenses

SAUGUS – Selectman Stephen Castinetti is on the hunt – again – for dormant liquor licenses.Despite a lot of concern swirling around some of the active licenses due to issues with area nightclubs, Castinetti said his concern is focused on inactive ones and the local businesses that could be suffering because if it.Castinetti said the owners of La Vita Mia are leaving their spot on Main Street next to J. Pace’s and moving to Hamilton Street into the old Tonino’s Cucina Italiana. The problem, Castinetti said, is that the owners would like a full liquor license, but the license in effect at the location is only for beer and wine. The town has no full liquor licenses available, but Castinetti said he believes there are several that are sitting inactive in someone’s pocket.”I would like to start proceedings to get places to either move on the licenses or to get the licenses back, to revoke them,” he said.Castinetti said he knows of at least one restaurant that closed last May.”We don’t have the time to sit back and let the licenses become pocket licenses,” he said. “Businesses that have proven themselves in this town have a right to want a liquor license.”Selectman Michael Kelleher said the only part of Castinetti’s request he has a problem with is the word “revoke.””I think you have to call a show cause hearing to do that,” he said. “I don’t know what’s happening with the liquor licenses or if (the owners) have plans to use them.”Kelleher said he would be more comfortable if the board’s clerk Wendy Reed conducted an informal poll first to see exactly how many licenses are inactive, who owns them and if there are any plans to utilize them in the near future.Selectman Stephen Horlick said he would support the request, but he also reminded Castinetti that the board just renewed the liquor licenses in December. Kelleher also reminded Castinetti that even if a license does come back to the town, it’s likely that restaurants other than La Vita Mia would be interested in the license.”It doesn’t mean they will get it,” he said.Castinetti said he understood that, which is why he would like to put a list together to see just how many licenses there are floating about.”And I’d like to do it expeditiously,” he said.Reed said she could have the list by the board’s next regular meeting on Feb. 24.