Tonight's meeting with Hearing Officer Attorney Sean Noonan with City Councilors at large Tom Brophy, Jass Stewart and City Councilor Thomas Monahan in attendance started at 7pm. 26 late night establishments were called before the hearing to present their safety policies, protocols, procedures and what safety equipment they have installed at their establishments like security cameras, plastic or even bullet proof partitions for protection of their employee's to lighting outside and even loitering signs and why they need to be open from 1am-5am. The business will have to pay a $100 dollar application fee and $300 annually for the permit which will go to the general fund.
The Ordinance which passed last year is aimed at locations that are open after 1am excluding bars and taverns and to curtail spots were people gather late at night and also cause disturbances. This is the first step in the process in which the businesses that were called tonight could speak in a public forum and make a case for there business. Hearing Officer Sean Noonan made it clear that the business did not need to make an appearance as long as they had their application in.
The ordinance would allow Brockton to curtail the hours of certain businesses that have repeated disturbances and allows the City to impose stricter enforcement like the hiring of Police details or even having an outside Security firm as Attorney Creedon pointed out for his client The Hess Gas chain as were Brockton doesn't have enough police as it is and highly doubts that Brockton would even be able to fill in the paid details by these businesses.
As Hearing Officer Sean Noonan called the first establishment, 7-Eleven with 2 locations, one located at Oak Street Extension a corporate owned store and the other at 662 Belmont Street a franchisee store. A representative from Southland Corporation spoke for both of the stores. He went into detail about the camera system and the lighting in the parking lot and about how they are security conscious. Mr. Noonan then presented the representative like he did with all the establishments that showed up the number of calls that the police department responded to those establishments particularly between the hours of 1-5am. At this point inquiries were ask as whether they would be opposed to a police detail being hired or their own security and the representative didn't oppose something like that. The incidents were primarily huge crowds gathering, fights in the parking lot.
Councilor-at-Large Tom Brophy at this time stood up and asked about employee protection and does the Belmont street store have a partition for the store. The representative said that the store doesn't have one and might present a hardship for the owner of that particular store. Mr. Brophy suggested that this is something that should be looked into for the safety of the employee's.
At this time Mr. Noonan asked if any citizens had any opposition to this store on Belmont being open and this store had the most response's. 3 people spoke out against the hours of this particular location because of the noise disturbance, the amount of traffic and racing that happens in the parking lot. The drinking in the lot and the amount of harassment that happens in that neighborhood. This more than any other establishment got the most opposition at the meeting. The night continued with Mr. Noonan calling the various establishments and they came represented by their lawyers or themselves. Several of the larger stores like CVS were represented by 4 people, the district manager and 3 other managers. The Hess Gas had Attorney Creedon representing them along with a representative from Hess.
Hess Gas has 4 locations in Brockton but has been associated with some of the more horrific crimes in the area including murder in or near the lots. The Hess Gas has taken tremendous steps to prevent this by having a lock down system for there stores and not allowing patrons in the stores after certain hours. When asked if they would be opposed to hiring details the Representative from Hess said not at all. Attorney Creedon pointed out that Brockton Police probably wouldn't even be able to fill the details because of the shortage of police.
Out of the 26 establishments with late night hours, some did not come in to represent themselves they had to just get the application in time and then they will be forwarded to the Mayor. One establishment that did not represent themselves were the Brockton Shell gas station on East Ashland. Mr.Noonan still had to call out the name and use the police reports given him. This particular gas station has numerous robberies,fights and disturbances and many in the audience were surprised when they didn't send a Representative. Mr. Noonan still had to ask who supported and who didn't support, in either case no one did.
All in all it was a night in which Mr. Noonan assured the businesses that this was not a witch hunt and that we are working to make it safer for everyone involved. Mr. Brophy also did a great job in asking questions to establishments about their safety measures and the main concern was getting these establishments that are open to be safe and if they do have trouble, the city now has an ordinance in which the city could impose a curtail of hours or even have additional measures added to that establishments such as police details. The next step is for the Mayor to take into consideration the hearing and recommendations and she is expected to give approval.
Late Night Establishments:
7-Eleven 65 Oak St. Ext
7-Eleven 662 Belmont St.
A.L. Prime Gas 570 N.Montello St.
Brockton Mobil 1012 Belmont St.
Brockton Shell 253 East Ashland St.
Burger king 606 Belmont St.
Cumberland Farms 1205 Belmont St.
CVS 316 N. Pearl St.
CVS 1933 Main St.
East Side Mkt. 364 Center St.
Dunkin Donuts 101 N. Main St.
Hess Gas 261 N. Main St.
Hess Gas 287 N.Pearl St.
Hess Gas 1234 Belmont St.
Hess Gas 1614 Main St.
Taco Bell Belmont West Plaza
Laundromax 528 Main St.
McDonalds 908 N. Montello St.
Dunkin Donuts 317 N. Pearl St.
Super Wash 626 Centre St.
Wash Hour 139 Pleasant St.
Wendys 1900 Main St.
Wendys 660 Oak St.
Westgate Mobil 303 N. Pearl St.
Westgate Shell 945 Belmont St.
Yasso Stop&Gas 81 Warren Ave
