Politics & Government

Selectmen Approve Beer and Wine License For Merrimack Valley Pavilion

Selectmen voted 3-1 in favor of awarding the license to Merrimack Valley Pavilion.


At their Tuesday meeting, Selectmen voted 3-1 in favor of approving a beer and wine license for Merrimack Valley Pavillion after hearing concerns from abutters.

MVP owner Gary Brown said the restaurant would like to serve beer and wine inside the sports cafe and on the upper outside patio for adults to enjoy, something many of the businesses' competitors offer.


"We're primarily a birthday party booking entertainment facility and most of our competitors have beer and wine," Brown said. "We've heard the requests for beer and wine from a lot of customers and we said we'd take it under consideration."

Several abutters to MVP voiced their concerns that beer and wine service was not appropriate for a family entertainment center. 

Margeurite McDonald said she had concerns that alcohol service was not the right fit for a family entertainment center such as MVP.

"I'm opposed to alcohol being sold at MVP, it's a family oriented place and I just don't think it's necessary," McDonald said. "I don't think it's appropriate for parents to bring children there and have drinks and then be driving under the influence."

Resident Steve Komenchuck said he felt beer and wine service would turn MVP away from being a family entertainment center.

"What was proposed last year was a family entertainment center," Komenchuck said. "To me proposing alcohol makes it not a family entertainment center."

Selectman Todd Johnson said he didn't doubt Brown and MVP would act appropriately if awarded the license, but acknowledged the concerns of the abutters and also that this was the last beer and wine license Selectmen had to award.

"This is a situation where we have one beer and wine liquor license left. If granted we have no other options moving forward," Johnson said. "I do have the utmost confidence that Mr. Brown would administer the license appropriately but have significant concerns about the Town's interests as well as some of the concerns we heard from the abutters as well."

Selectman Doug Sears noted that Selectmen would still have several liquor licenses to grant if MVP were awarded their license, just not beer and wine licenses.

Selectmen voted 3-1 in favor of granting the license to MVP, with Johnson voting against awarding the license. 

Selectman David Gay recused himself from the hearing and vote as he is an abutter to MVP.

Representatives from Trull Brook Golf Course also appeared before Selectmen, with an informal request to change the beginning of their alcohol service from 11 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Sears expressed concern over serving alcohol so early in the morning. 

Johnson said he couldn't recall an instance during his tenure on the Board of Selectmen when a business received approval for service time starting at 8 a.m.

Selectmen voted 5-0 in favor of tabling the discussion and holding a public hearing on extending hours of alcohol service at Trull Brook at their Oct. 8 meeting, allowing abutters an opportunity to express concerns.

Town Manager Richard Montuori asked the board to approve the establishment of three committees: Town Center Master Plan Committee, Economic Development Process Review Committee and Tewksbury Beautification Committee. 

The Town Center Master Plan Committee and Economic Development Committee will each include one member from the Board of Selectmen, one member from Planning Board appointed by Selectmen and five residents appointed by Selectmen.

Tewksbury Beautification Committee will include one member from Board of Selectmen and four residents appointed by Selectmen.

Establishment of each of these three committees received unanimous approval from the board.

Montuori also asked Selectmen to approve changes to the current Economic Development Committee with the addition of two at-large members appointed by Selectmen. 

These two at-large members would replace Montuori and Community Development Director Steve Sadwick, although Montuori said he or Sadwick would still attend all meetings of the committee.

Selectmen voted 5-0 in favor of the changes to Economic Development Committee. 

Stay tuned for more on the committees established by Selectmen on Tuesday.


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