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Date: 7/5/2023
MONSON — In a narrative written by the Monson Police Department, the department shared with the Select Board there were underaged individuals served at the Polish Club.
Though the Polish Club wasn’t scheduled for a hearing, the board received a narrative from the Monson Police Department that on June 2, underage teenagers were served alcohol at the facility. The board asked how this happened and if the club has done anything since to address the issue.
At the June 27 Select Board meeting, the owner of the club assured the board that he has addressed their concerns. He was told by patrons within the club that the three teenagers who showed ID’s were underage. His new bartender confronted them, which led to a conflict between the bartender and the teens that signaled to the bartender they were underage.
The owner directed his bartenders if anything is not right to immediately call the police. The bartender called the police and the underage teenagers went outside. The bartender took the license plate number of their vehicle and gave it to the police, who then pulled them over. The driver was of age at 21 years old, but the other three were underage. They had one beer in the club.
The owner said he does not know the whereabouts of the fake ID’s, but he has taken corrective action since then to be able to monitor fake IDs. His bartenders now have an app on their phone that they can wave over any ID and it will tell the bartender if it is fake or real. The club is also looking into getting a gun shop ID scanner. In addition, the bartender that the incident occurred with no longer works at the club. The club has a strict ID requirement now on Friday and Saturday nights. Those purchasing alcohol must have a wristband to be able to buy a drink. The board issued a warning to the club and will not be going forward in scheduling a hearing.
Post-election reorganization
Newly elected member Peter Warren was congratulated at the Monson Select Board’s meeting.
“It’s been a wild two weeks since the town election,” Warren replied. “I just want to say thanks to everyone that helped me along the way whether it was just advice, holding up signs or telling me don’t slow down just keep going and all the Monson voters thank you very much for everything you did for me. It was very humbling and I’m ready.”
The meeting began with the reorganization of the board and made a motion to vote Patricia A. Oney as chair, John R. Morrell as vice chair and Peter Warren as the clerk.
Sign policy
The Select Board moved to discuss old business of the signs on public property policy. The reason they were back to the sign policy because of the signs that were out around Dave Grieve Park. One of the complaints the board received was from the town employees who take care of the property having to remove signs to do the maintenance and lawn mowing work. The board explained the employees were not complaining about moving the signs, but that some of those signs are flimsy and when they are moved, they were afraid that they were destroying the signs.
Oney said they may be missing a few aspects in the sign policy, one of them being the term that they would allow signs to be on public property.
Oney explained, “Our sign policy doesn’t have any time limits to it.”
One of the other aspects to the policy Oney said the board did not address strongly enough was regarding removal and disposal of signs. Oney said the town has no liability if — in compliance with this policy — they remove a sign from public property.
Oney came up with a draft of additional language addressing the issues which the board will discuss at their next meeting.
Council on Aging building project
The Council On Aging applied for a grant through the Monson Home For the Ages through Community Preservation to install a handicap ramp. The COA is looking for the ramp to be on the front of the structure to offer access for people into the business office. The graint has been obtained.
In the grant, when the COA asked for the prices from the vendors, building permits were not put into effect in the grant total, as in 100 years they have not paid due to its status as a senior center. The COA was told because it is a private property, it is now being charged $200.
The Monson Home for the Aging owns the building and pays for all maintenance — not the town. However, the town does pay for the heat, hot water and sewer, and through the Council on Aging funds the senior director and the people that work there. Monson Home For the Aging does not charge the town for rent, and the town has the benefit of the building for the past 100 years at no cost to them for the maintenance.
At the meeting, the COA requested that the town waive all permit fees for the building as they have for the past 100 years. The board then decided to waive the $200 fee for the handicapped ramp at the Monson Senior Center. They noted if there is a second permit fee with regard to the push pad, they will authorize the building inspector to waive that fee as well.