Mon., June 11 Maple Theater to get Liquor License?

Hi All,
I have been busy.  So has the township in getting all the necessary changes made to allow liquor at the Maple Theater.  When I first questioned the proposal for liquor in an area/business that was not permitted, the township has since taken various actions to make sure the project was a go.

Unfortunately, one of the first steps the township took has never been finalized.  The township on Jan. 23, 2012 TABLED a change to their liquor license policy and have never taken up the issue again at a Board of Trustees meeting.  WHY? 

REVIEW OF MAY 29, 2012 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The minutes to this 5/29/12 meeting can be found in the Board Packet for June 11, 2012.

Dan Devine at the May 29, 2012 meeting suggested that the LIQUOR policy should be reviewed and determined before moving forward with any liquor issues.  Only Brian Kepes agreed with that position at the May 29, 2012 agenda item # 4.

However, before the vote...the rest of the board apparently did not agree that:  the liquor policy from the TABLED and thus not-discussed and finalized position of the township on liquor issues needed to be discussed.  I believe Dan Devine and Brian Kepes were correct in asking for that tabled issue to be discussed.  Our township attorney should have addressed that perhaps the township liquor policy be taken off the tabled list and dealt with before proceeding with any liquor issue.  The taxpayers pay for this attorney...and should protect the citizens.

The 5/29/12 minutes below are about changes to an ordinance...NOT the tabled item about liquor policy.  The below motion passed 5-2 in favor of changing the ordinance to allow a cinema in a B-2 business district to sell liquor....



The Board of Trustees then went immediately to the next agenda item to further put the process together to allow liquor at a theater....but it seems only this particular theater is involved.

 
The vote was 6-1 for the proposal with only Dan Devine still concerned that the Board should take up the TABLED liquor policy FIRST.


The MOST INTERESTING thing for YOU to SEE and HEAR is the actual audio/video archived copy of this May 29, 2012 Board of Trustees meeting.  The discussion for items #4 and #5  tell you MUCH MORE than the minutes.   I highly recommend it...even though it is long....and here is why:

• the hours of operation mentioned in the 5/29/12 minutes say noon to midnight....however the discussion is having the concession and lobby area open for breakfast ? as well...
• item #5 was a public hearing......were YOU notified?
• listen carefully to the reasons why the others voted FOR both proposals ...  "we are NOT voting to approve a liquor license in these items"....  WELL, excuse me....if items # 4-5 are NOT approved....there is NO WAY to get a liquor license at this cinema....so by approving #4-5.....the township almost must approve the liquor license IF there are no other issues.  The Board already knows the police will approve the license.   The police met with the petitioners on May 23.  The township supervisor and clerk signed an agreement with the petitioners on May 21.  Those documents can be found in the board packet for the June 11 agenda item #2. So it appears that everything done was for one purpose....approve the liquor license for the cinema.

 MONDAY, JUNE 11   BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

So, here it is:  AGENDA ITEM # 2    The actual APPROVAL process for a liquor license at the theater....all other pieces to the process have been successfully performed...without much public noticing.


STARTING ON PAGE 31 OUT OF 87 IN THE BOARD PACKET FOR JUNE 11 BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING IS THE BACKGROUND AND DETAIL FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.
The township does not make it simple to get to this board packet..so..once at the above link, click on board of trustees, then board packet, then 2012, then June 11, 2012.   


THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO COMMENT on a liquor license at a movie cinema, specifically, the Maple Theater near Telegraph on Maple Rd.  Three minutes to speak....but mostly likely too late...this is a predetermined outcome and the liquor license will be granted.  I would bet everything that I am correct.

Mark my words,  THIS "cinema"  WILL  BE MORE THAN SERVING LIQUOR DURING MOVIES.  Will the other businesses in the area be happy with the business plan for the liquor license and the concession stand?  Do they know all about it?  

Survey says:  Township residents trust the elected officials.  Read ALL my blogs.  You may change your mind.