ORDER-2017-167 : Communication from Massachusetts State Lottery Commission regarding KENO To Go License at Bob's Market, 163 West Wyoming Ave., Melrose, MA

Transcript (~6 min @ 37:38)

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▶ 37:31 Speaker 2: And then table the remainder of the order, please. Second the motion to table. Alderman Inferno moves to table the order. The motion is seconded by Alderman Mortimer. Motion to table is a non-debatable motion. All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Motion passes. The order is returned to the table.

▶ 37:49 Speaker 5: Order number 2017-167, communication from Massachusetts State Lottery Commission regarding Keno to-go license at Bob's Market, 163 West Wyoming Ave., Melrose, Mass.

▶ 38:02 Speaker 2: Alderman McAteer-Margolis.

▶ 38:08 Speaker 2: motion for immediate consideration Alden McAteer-Margolis is requesting immediate consideration of this order second is there an objection to immediate

▶ 38:18 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: consideration there is not mr. president we have been right sorry thank you mr.

▶ 38:22 Francis X. Wright Jr.: president we have a communication from the state lottery in which they indicate that bob's market on west wyoming at the corner of cleveland street uh has requested to install a keno to go um well they have keno to go there and they're asking to install a keno monitor which would allow players to watch the numbers as they're they're posted uh every four minutes um and um and therefore players could stand there and see the numbers as they come out We've had this issue come before us in the past as we all know there are right now 12 Establishments as I understand in the city that have Keynote to go with without a monitor which allows you to play and then you can check your numbers later But where we've been asked for monitors in the past we've written to the lottery as a board and requested that the um that the petition uh be denied and i would ask that while i um like the individuals who have maintained bob's market over the past several years reopening it after it was closed originally after many many decades in that location and they provide a valuable service to that neighborhood it is a residential neighborhood it is a very busy corner it is a freestanding establishment with no other establishments within probably 300 yards and i don't believe it's the proper site to have that type of activity going on if we're going to have people parked there we have parking issues already there's only room really for one vehicle in front of the store on west wyoming we've had issues with cars parked on cleveland street where they park too close to the corner of west wyoming and this is going to attract people to stop and linger in the store rather than grab what they need their bread their milk and and and go these people are going to linger and that's not the type of establishment that this was intended to be nor do i think it's It's a type of establishment that's conducive to the neighborhood in which it's located. So with due respect to the operators of Bob's Market, I would ask that this board send a communication to the Massachusetts State Lottery asking that they deny Bob's Market's request for a keynote to go tomorrow. Okay, before I entertain that motion, could somebody please make a motion to suspend the rules? So moved. Second. Alderman Mortimer moves to suspend the rules. Motion is seconded. Seconded by Alderman Forbes on the motion to suspend. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? I will second Alderman Wright motion. Alderman Wright has made a motion that this board direct the communication be sent to the state lottery commission, indicating that the city at the Board of Aldermen does not approve of the grant to the license. The motion is seconded by Alderman Mortimer. Alderman Mortimer on discussion. Thank you very much President Kahn.

▶ 41:38 Peter D. Mortimer: Firstly, I'd like to say, I'm getting a little tired of how the lottery sends these things to us at the last minute. And tries to slip it in and makes us respond. It's like one of those credit deals. We buy the first month for $9.95, and then if you don't cancel it, you keep getting the next one for $20 a month. And they keep doing this to us, and I wish there's a way, maybe we can reach out to a state delegation persuade them to cease and desist. This has happened, as Alderman Wright aptly pointed out, I've been an alderman for 16 years and this has probably happened 16 times and enough is enough. And in furtherance of Alderman Wright point, he pointed out the inappropriateness of the neighborhood and there's also a school in that neighborhood, and the church is not so far away either. Melrose is a small community. We don't need a gaming parlor within our neighborhoods. He's absolutely correct. Further up the road, just another 500 or 600 yards, there's Grimsby's. If people want to play from Melrose, want to play Keno, they can go to Grimsby's. Now, Grimsby's doesn't open until 1130, but if you need to sit in a gambling parlor about before 11.30 in the morning to play repeated rounds of Keno. Maybe you have a problem and you shouldn't be gambling at all. This isn't the type of thing that we want in our community. Alderman Wright is right on the nose with this, and I support his motion wholeheartedly. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. Anything further?

▶ 43:16 Speaker 2: All those in favor of the motion indicate by saying aye. Aye. Anyone opposed?