<p>A petition drive is under way in Vineyard Haven to allow the sale of hard liquor in restaurants that are now restricted to serving beer and wine.</p>
A petition drive is under way in Vineyard Haven to allow the sale of hard liquor in restaurants that are now restricted to serving beer and wine.
If a few procedural errors can be ironed out, the question will come before voters at the annual town meeting on April 12 as a first step in a process that involves petitioning the state legislature, and then returning for a second and final decision by voters in the ballot box.
The petition signed by 22 registered voters was submitted to town clerk Hillary Conklin on Jan. 12. It seeks to include an article on the annual town meeting warrant that would direct selectmen to file a home rule petition with the state legislature, as happened some six years ago when the town changed from dry to wet by voting to allow the sale of beer and wine in restaurants with 30 seats or more.
The selectmen can now issue up to 19 year-round licenses and an unlimited number of seasonal licenses for beer and wine sales with meals in qualifying restaurants. Currently there are seven year-round licenses and one seasonal license. The licenses provide revenue for the town, costing $2,500 annually on top of a $300 application fee.
Former Tisbury selectman and current finance committee member Jeff Kristal, who is a Vineyard Haven innkeeper, has been widely credited with starting the petition, although Mr. Kristal denied that this week when speaking to the Gazette.
“I’m just interested in seeing Vineyard Haven alive again,” he said.
Mr. Kristal said giving people a choice of what type of beverage they can enjoy with a meal makes sense for a tourist destination. He also said the addition of all alcoholic drinks would increase town revenue through meal taxes.
“People want to drink with dinner, they want a choice,” he said.
Other petitioners include a mix of business owners and residents and one selectman — Larry Gomez. “I didn’t support the beer and wine licenses the first time around, but there haven’t been problems and it brings more tax dollars into the town,” Mr. Gomez said this week.
The other two selectmen are split on the question.
Chairman Tristan Israel, who is running unopposed for reelection this spring, said he opposes the initiative.
Mr. Israel agreed that there have been no problems since the town began allowing beer and wine sales in restaurants, but said he worries that expanding to all alcohol sales in restaurants will open the door to package store sales, which he does not support.
“It’s working well now, and why tinker with something working well,” he said.
Selectman Melinda Loberg said she has no objection to the initiative. When the question of beer and wine was first debated, she was a member of the finance committee and was in favor of the change.
“I feel as if the concerns about [beer and wine] changing the community didn’t materialize,” Mrs. Loberg said. But she added: “I hope there is a pretty bright line between being able to have a drink of your choice at a meal and bars on Main street.”
Phillip McAndrews is a Tisbury resident and Oak Bluffs businessman who with his wife Colleen McAndrews owns the Offshore Ale Co., a popular brewery and eatery on Kennebec avenue. He said he signed the petition because he believed diversifying options for visitors is the best way to create a more stable business climate in a seasonal community.
“There’s always competition, that’s just the nature of the beast, but our real competition is drawing people to the Island on a year-round basis,” Mr. McAndrews said.
Before the article can go on the annual town meeting warrant, petitioners must correct a technical glitch. The petition mistakenly requested that the question be placed on the warrant for a special town meeting, which would have required 100 signatures. A petition to place an article on the annual warrant requires only 10 signatures, and petitioners said this was the intent. At their meeting Tuesday, the selectmen voted to allow the backers of the initiative to resubmit their petition with the correct language and at least 10 signatures by Friday at 4 p.m.
The beer and wine question in Tisbury sparked widespread debate the first time around, and townspeople were deeply divided on the question. The measure took two votes to pass after the first ballot vote ended in a historic tie.
A second vote saw approval.
“Last time we had a ballot question during the 2008 Obama election there was a record turnout in Tisbury,” Mrs. Loberg recalled. “And not necessarily for Obama but for beer and wine.”
Comments
Thanks, Tristan. We don't
Carol Lashnits VHThanks, Tristan. We don't need another Circuit Ave. on Main St., VH. Beer and wine - that's not choice?
As someone else stated, we're
RD VHAs someone else stated, we're all adults. While I wouldn't favor a bar/music/dance hall, and then we would have a Circuit Ave, a full choice of spirits, and yes a package store, brings us into the 21st century. Why should we waste precious fuel, and spend money in another town just to buy a bottle of wine? Keep the bars out of town, and Main Street will never be what some envision it will be simply by allowing a full bar and package store.
leave circuit ave. alone next
Richard oak bluffsleave circuit ave. alone next thing we know you'll be trying to build a carousel or game room or icream shops and taking all the families having such a great on circuit ave.
Florida has a ton of package
J Klingensmith Naples FloridaFlorida has a ton of package stores
It's about time!
thomas edgartownIt's about time!
We rarely dine out in VH any
RobinG East ChopWe rarely dine out in VH any longer because of the bizarre alcohol law. When we could bring our own, that was fine(and less expensive), but please treat adults as adults in their choice of which alcoholic beverages to consume. Be dry, or be wet, but don't be damp. That is dumb, insulting to customers, and bad for business. I don't vote on the Vineyard, but my pocket book sure does.
"Insulting to customers"?
Sarah Edgartown"Insulting to customers"? Really? That's what insults you? You must have a pretty spoiled life.
This article was so easy to
Thomas C. Vineyard HavenThis article was so easy to read; thanks for reporting the facts. Let's hope this passes.
So the Martini crowd wants to
Very Annoyed Vineyard HavenSo the Martini crowd wants to be Shaken or Stirred!!
I think this is a wonderful
Michael Cutler West TisburyI think this is a wonderful idea. Why can't the article on the town warrant allow hard liquor in restaurants but restrict package stores. Vineyard Haven can join the modern world without becoming Oak Bluffs.
Please think this through
Ben West TisburyPlease think this through carefully. First, the Vineyard, especially the year-round Vineyard, has an acute problem with alcohol and drugs. Second, this petition was signed by just 22 Vineyarders and was reputedly started by an innkeeper who's also a Tisbury finance committee member. Sounds like a conflict of interest. Third, making towns like Tisbury and Vineyard Haven wet doesn't really create choice as you can go just a few miles and choose all the hard liquor you want in restaurants and package stores. Fourth, why are votes for controversial petitions and referendums like these held in the off-season when our summer residents, who pay taxes all year long, have no say in the matter? How about creating that kind of choice? Yes, commerce and profit are important, but think about the real consequences and costs.
I don't have an opinion on
Resident MVI don't have an opinion on the issue and am a year round resident of another Island town. I can help explain the timing of these decisions. Towns across the state hold their annual meetings at this time of year. It is a good thing we do so here on the Vineyard, as these mostly unpaid elected officials tend to be quite busy earning a living during peak season. Further, it is very important to understand that paying property taxes does not buy you a vote. Only residents who claim this as their domicile may vote. Likewise, if you are a registered voter here, you can't vote in the elections of New York City, Greenwich, Newton, etc. It is a bitter pill to swallow for many powerful, wealthy "seasonal residents" who are accustomed to influencing everything in their lives. It may seem unfair. But imagine the alternative...if money bought you a vote, the locals would live at the mercy of the occaisional fair weather resident. No matter if you have a twenty million dollar estate or pop over on the ferry for a day, you are not a resident and you have no vote. Residents will listen to visitors to a point, but don't like the attitude of those from afar telling us how to govern. Vote with your dollars. Write letters like these. But don't complain about our elections not fitting your schedule. You have no legal role in them.
Excellent guidance Ben. I
Sarah EdgartownExcellent guidance Ben. I hope many others agree with you.
Is that some kind of sick
Joseph VHIs that some kind of sick joke?
Bring back BYOB it offered us
Mike Vineyard havenBring back BYOB it offered us all the choices we could ask for!
Is what kind of sick joke?
Pizza Maker VHIs what kind of sick joke?
This makes sense. The article is well written.
Adding alcohol to beer and wine is not a bad idea. That means no bars, no package stores and no circuit ave as Carol Lashnits states. It keep total control within the existing town guidelines and it only adds alcohol to the beer and wine.
Thank you Ben, and "resident"
Ellen Vineyard HavenThank you Ben, and "resident" for your comments. I hope we are all agreed on the question of preserving what vestiges of real democracy we have in this country for the benefit of those who actually live in a place. That being said, not only do we have a major problem with alcohol on this Island, we have a major problem with spousal abuse and drunk driving. As an alcoholic in recovery for 41 years, I was not in favor of beer and wine. In all fairness I have to admit that I have not noticed any real difference either in the quality of the town or the quality of the restaurants. I do not believe that adding hard liquor will make any difference to the restaurant scene, but any police officer can tell you that a higher level of alcohol in your body not only greatly increases your chance of having a motor vehicle accident, but is also a factor in many (if not most) incidents of physical abuse. How many people beat up their partner or their child when they are stone cold sober?? As an adult you can choose to go out of your way to put a mild poison into your body and distort your ability to think straight, or you can choose to stay sober. You can choose to waste money getting "wasted" or you can choose to put it to a more productive use, which would include almost anything else you might enjoy. Some of us are trying hard to live clean sober productive lives and actually moved to VH when it was dry thinking that was one good reason (among others) to want to live here. Since my taxes went up by almost half between the increase in the tax rate and the increase in property values, I am keenly aware of the need for more income for the town. But couldn't we look at the big picture and find another idea to promote to the tourists without compromising the quality of life for people who actually live here all year??
I was against the beer and
William VHI was against the beer and wine for the same reason that I am against this. If we are going to allow it, then allow package stores and pubs as well. These initiatives are only for the restaurants profit, not for the public's best interest. As a resident, I would like to walk into town and by a six pack or stop in for a pint without having to drop $20 on food just to do that.
Yes we diffently do not want
BS OBYes we diffently do not want another Circuit Ave. Let's roll up the sidewalks at 6 pm. We certainly wouldn't want our visitors to have FUN in our town, gosh no. We don't want families strolling up and down Main St having dinner, shopping, stopping for an ice cream cone. God forbid we offer visitors a cocktail while on vacation, perish the thought! Nope we're just fine in our West Cop manse guzzling Martini's far removed from the great unwashed.
Keep VH free of alcohol cause
Pizza Maker VHKeep VH free of alcohol cause you have had a problem in the past? Is that what I read? Really?
I have heard this argument
Not Provincial West TisburyI have heard this argument for over twenty years on the island. I love that everyone always reacts with fear, "Vineyard Haven will turn into Oak Bluffs" What a about Edgartown? Plenty of people drinking and serving booze, over there yet life goes on in Edgartown, and Oak Bluffs like it does in every town on this island.
People drink, its part of our culture, it is legal. Yes there are downsides, alcoholism is abundant, that is a different issue. Whether a town is wet or dry or partial, people that drink, will. Why do we continue to challenge business owners, our friends and neighbors trying to make a living in a very short season? Vineyard Haven, have faith in your town that it won't suddenly turn into terrible zombie land. Fear is never the answer.
It is about getting tourist
Mike VhIt is about getting tourist dollars and having feel good rules... Seems a bit too controlling to disallow reasonable freedoms but at least we are not talking about bathroom restrictions ☺️
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