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Board hears public protest to liquor license transfer for Kumar

Date: 6/29/2010

June 30, 2010.

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

SPRINGFIELD -- The next step in the re-opening of J and J Package Store was met by strong opposition, but in the end the return of the store appears imminent.

At issue at the Springfield Board of License Commissioners meeting on June 24 was the petition to transfer the liquor license of the currently defunct All Annual Package Store on 1121 State St. to Sevi and Anu, Inc. and its manager Satish Kumar.

J and J went out of business in 2009 while owned by the Windpath Corporation. According to Atty. Benjamin Coyle of Bacon and Wilson, PC, who represented Kumar, upon the closing of the store, Bank of America took possession of the license as security for Windpath's unpaid debt.

According to License Commission Chairman Peter Sygnator, the commission instructed Bank of America to transfer the license by August 2010 or it could be canceled. As a result, Bank of America put the license up for bid. Kumar subsequently won the bid and went before the commission for approval of the transfer from Bank of America to himself.

Kumar also owns Benton Park Package Store at 521 State St. and the transfer of the license to him was hotly contested by public officials and residents alike.

Several people of varying ages from the Mason Square Health Task Force held up cardboard signs with messages such as, "Save our children" and "No more liquor stores."

At issue was not whether or not the liquor store should be re-opened, because the location already has an existing liquor license. Rather, the question was whether or not Sevi and Anu, Inc. should be the next owner of the license.

Many who took the podium in opposition of the transfer made arguments against Kumar's character as a business owner and neighbor, citing incidents of loitering, littering, public drinking, drug use and other acts performed on the premises of Benton Park.

"[Benton Park has] been in our community for many, many years and those of us who have grown up traveling up and down that corridor, we've seen open container violations in the parking lot. We've seen illegal loitering in that parking lot and in front of that establishment," Ward 3 City Councilor and Stop Access organization representative Melvin Edwards said. "We have seen littering occurring up and down the area in front of and to either side of the establishment."

Others questioned Kumar's ability to adequately control the goings-on at one establishment, let alone two. Many indicated that in the past J and J Package Store had been a haven for the same kind of negative activities and feared the same would happen upon the re-opening of its doors with Kumar running the business.

"I don't think they've shown enough evidence that they can control Benton Park and we're going to give them another license?" former City Councilor Bud Williams said.

Coyle pointed out that no violations or complaints had come before the commission in regards to Kumar or Benton Park.

Sygnator added he was not aware of any past problems at either location.

"I have to say I have been on the board for seven years and I have never heard a complaints about J and J Package Store," Sygnator said. "So I'm shocked and taken aback that there's these many problems coming forward now."

Edwards suggested that the lack of complaints may be related to a perceived lack of response to past complaints.

"I don't know the history of complaints filed before your commission in regards to Benton Park, but it is a reality in the city of Springfield that in certain neighborhoods people have been ignored so long that [they have] just stopped complaining," Edwards said. "I am pretty confident that there are plenty of people in this neighborhood who have seen these violations on an ongoing basis and have the expectations that there was nobody there to call who would care enough to address them."

Commissioner Juan Rivera, who inspects Benton Park said he has not personally seen any of the alleged problems stated at the meeting, but did not dismiss them. Rather, he stressed the need for people to come forward with complaints.

"I'm not here to say it's not happening, but the fact is, as the chairman indicated, those complaints have not been heeded and it's unfortunate that it takes this forum to bring something out like this," Rivera said. "I have gone there the last two or three years to check on those conditions. Am I there 24-7? Absolutely not. That's where there needs to be a partnership between the commission, the community and the police. We can't be all eyes and all ears in every place. That's why we rely on people to report things."

Because of the lack of complaints or evidence in regards to Benton Park or Kumar, the commission voted to allow the transfer, but advised him to take heed of the issues raised at the meeting.

Commissioner Robert Casey advised that in the future those concerned about issues with either location should not hesitate to report them and assured those at the meeting those concerns would not go unheard.

"You think you're calling down a well when you're dealing with these problems, but I can guarantee you you are not," Casey said. "Recently we have reviewed the number of businesses we have shut down because of reported violations and they are numerous and they are in every neighborhood."