Melrose's Evolving Attitude Toward Alcohol Draws Debate

MELROSE, MA — The short- and long-term direction of alcohol sales in the city was the central focus of a lengthy meeting this week, with some councilors tying the mayor's push to allow such sales on certain park properties to a broader agenda of loosening city liquor laws.

Technically the only thing at hand Monday night was Mayor Paul Brodeur's request to strike language banning liquor sales on space managed by the Park Commission. But the conversation couldn't escape the ripple effects of what doing so might mean for the city.

Brodeur's order would make it possible for organizations and businesses to sell alcohol — with appropriate permitting — at different spots across Melrose. It also would pave the way for Mount Hood to secure a long-sought-after beverage cart for golfers.

A city law restricts, among other things, the sale of alcohol on Park Commission-controlled land, such as Bowden Park and Mount Hood. It also contains unconstitutional provisions that limit free speech and religious expression, Brodeur's administration argued.

Brodeur's order would strike Section 173-2 from the books altogether. That would allow Mount Hood to pursue its beverage cart and other vendors to obtain certain liquor permits they can't currently apply for.

There was concern that Melrose, a city that had been dry not long ago, is going too far, too fast.

The mayor's effort comes months after the city lifted a ban on the sale of spirits and nips. It also aligns with one of several recommendations offered by an advisory group on expanded liquor sales put together last year by Brodeur — a group that operated out of sight of the public. The mayor's office told Patch last week the group did not keep formal records since it had advisory status and would not immediately release the identities of those in it, citing privacy. (Brodeur revealed who was in the group during Monday's meeting.)

Among other recommendations the group made was dropping the requirement that food must be purchased in order to buy alcohol at restaurants, but that's a regulatory matter that wouldn't need council support.

Some councilors wanted to know if they could expect more alcohol-related issues to come before them.

"I think it's important to look at these to have some sense of where we're going as a city," Councilor Shawn MacMaster said.

Councilor Robb Stewart, who earlier in the evening was the lone vote against Santa Fe Burrito's common victualler license application due to it aiming for a full bar and late hours, balked at Brodeur's request.

"My concern here ... is when does it end?" Stewart asked. "We introduced the nips last year. We're starting to bring in more restaurants that have full liquor licenses. Now we're opening up parks. To me it's watering down that sense of community that I think is attributed to the fact there were those tighter controls."

Brodeur, who had run on softening Melrose's restrictive liquor laws, said the city has been slow to evolve.

"The Turner's and the Buckalew's and the Beacon Hills that weren't around when I arrived have really improved the options that are available both to local residents and made for a thriving business community," he said. "Some of the goal here in some respects is to interest folks in coming to Melrose."

Brodeur said the city still has "very, very, very firm controls."

The administration tried to keep Mount Hood's recent request to operate a beverage cart from defining the order.

Mass Golf Management LLC, the company that operates the golf course, cannot get permission to run a cart with alcohol thanks to ordinance Brodeur is looking to do away with.

"This is much larger than Mount Hood Golf Course," City Solicitor Robert Van Campen said.

Still, the conversation kept drifting toward it.

Park Commissioner Bill Gardiner said Mass Golf Management has pushed for a beverage cart before, but it wouldn't have meant enough money to make a difference for the city. But after what he said was a $113,000 loss from 2019 to 2020 due to the pandemic and other issues, "every nickel counts."

The commission would stand to get up to about $7,000 from the addition of a beverage cart, according to revenue estimate from Mass Golf Management.

"Frankly, we need the money," Gardiner said.

City and golf course officials also argued that allowing the sale of booze on the course would mean less booze on the course in the form of discouraging golfers from sneaking their own on.

"I'm trying to understand how having [beverage] carts on the golf course would limit that," Councilor Maya Jamaleddine said.

Jamaleddine also echoed nearby residents who have voiced safety concerns. Mount Hood is nestled in a thickly populated residential area.

"I understand that this will bring revenue to our city but I would like to focus on the safety of our residents and on the comfort of them and making them feel more safe," she said.

The members of the Legal & Legislative Committee voted to refer the motion to the full board without recommendation.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.