Watertown Licensing Board
Thursday July 17, 2025
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
DONNA15.38 DOUCETTE15.38 -15.38 LICENSING15.38 BOARD15.38 CHAIR15.38 -15.38 Good15.38 evening,16.57 actually,17.21 late17.21 afternoon.17.45 This18.89 hearing19.14 of19.54 the19.7 Watertown19.77 licensing20.34 board21.05 is21.38 in21.54 session.21.7 It22.18 is22.34 Thursday,22.65 07/17/2025,23.21 6:0025.61 PM.26.79 I'm26.79 Donna27.03 Doucette27.51 and27.91 will28.07 be28.23 presiding28.39 over28.87 the29.11 hearing29.19 this29.59 evening.29.75 Assisting30.71 me31.11 are31.43 board31.67 members32.07 Sandra32.71 Kasabian33.19 Hoffman33.83 and34.55 Jamie34.79 Jimmy35.19 Tsekrekas.37.11 Assisting37.11 us37.75 are38.07 board38.39 attorney39.33 David39.8 Doneski,40.2 assistant41.16 Citi41.8 Burke,42.36 Emily42.84 Martin,43.33 and43.8 Watertown43.97 police44.52 detective44.92 Sergeant45.41 Mark45.88 Lewis.46.2 The46.92 first47.09 item47.41 on47.73 the47.88 agenda48.05 is48.52 the48.77 approval48.92 of49.64 the49.88 June50.05 minutes.50.6 Sandra51.64 and52.05 Jenny,52.28 are52.68 there52.84 any53.16 additions,53.64 corrections,54.28 or55.14 changes55.38 to56.1 the56.58 minutes56.82 that57.78 you57.94 have58.18 read,58.42 Ms.59.7 Hoffman?59.86 60.26 SANDRA60.26 HOFFMAN60.26 -60.26 LICENSING60.26 BOARD60.26 MEMBER60.26 -60.26 I60.26 don't60.34 have60.58 any.60.74 61.46 DOUCETTE62.1 -62.1 Mr.62.1 Tsekrekas?62.1 62.1 JIMMY62.1 TSEKREKAS62.1 -62.1 LICENSING62.1 BOARD62.1 MEMBER62.1 -62.1 Neither62.1 do62.42 I.62.58 65.3 DOUCETTE65.46 -65.46 The65.46 minutes65.46 are65.86 approved66.02 as66.42 written,66.66 and66.9 Ms.67.78 Hoffman67.94 will68.42 sign.69.75
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
70.06 Miss70.06 Kasay70.39 can70.7 help71.03 on71.34 the71.42 minister71.51 to72.15 hear72.78 for73.34 the,73.67 for75.42 that75.75 June76.31 here.76.63 79.34 DOUCETTE79.34 -79.34 The79.34 next79.51 item79.83 on80.15 the80.31 agenda80.39 is81.11 board81.34 chair.81.88 For82.68 the82.92 past83.08 year,83.4 the83.64 board83.88 has84.12 attempted84.44 to84.92 hold85.16 a85.4 vote85.56 to85.96 determine86.12 who86.6 among86.76 us87.08 will87.32 serve87.56 as87.96 chair.88.28 Unfortunately,89.24 one90.2 member,90.44 John90.92 Labadini,91.16 has91.88 failed92.04 to92.36 attend92.52 hearings92.92 for93.48 the93.64 past93.8 six95.2 now,95.69 seven95.69 months,95.69 and96.41 all96.65 four96.89 members97.13 have97.61 not97.84 been98 together98.25 at98.81 any99.05 one99.36 hearing.99.77 Given100.72 Mr.101.13 Labadini's101.44 continued102.17 absence,102.72 I103.28 believe103.44 that104 after104.33 all104.65 this104.89 time,105.13 it105.36 is105.53 appropriate105.69 to106.41 hold106.56 a106.81 vote106.97 among107.2 the107.84 three108 of108.41 us108.56 who108.81 do108.97 attend109.28 the109.69 hearings109.84 so110.78 as110.94 to111.26 name111.5 the111.82 chairperson.111.98 I113.34 nominate113.58 Sandra114.14 Kasabian114.54 Hoffman115.18 for115.74 that115.9 role116.22 because116.7 she117.26 is117.5 experienced117.82 and118.62 has118.86 served119.1 as119.58 an119.74 interim119.98 chair120.46 in120.7 the120.78 past,121.02 has121.9 taught122.22 law122.62 and122.94 civics123.1 in123.74 her123.9 career.124.06 She125.11 is,125.42 after125.83 me,126.14 the126.47 longest126.63 serving127.19 member127.67 of128.06 the128.22 board128.31 and128.71 has128.87 demonstrated129.1 integrity129.99 and130.54 an130.78 understanding131.03 of131.66 our131.82 responsibilities.132.06 She133.66 is133.91 also134.06 a134.38 former134.54 member134.94 of135.26 the135.34 city135.5 council,135.91 so136.38 she136.63 is136.87 aware137.03 of137.85 how137.93 the138.09 needs138.33 of138.65 the138.81 citizens139.05 and139.45 businesses139.77 in140.57 town140.73 must141.61 be141.93 balanced142.09 when142.73 applying142.97 the143.37 laws143.53 and143.85 regulations144.09 pertaining145.05 to145.61 licensing.145.85 Is146.81 there147.05 a147.29 second147.37 for147.77 this148.01 nomination?148.17 149.21 TSEKREKAS149.21 -149.21 I149.21 second149.37 the149.77 nomination.149.85 151.88 DAVID151.88 DONESKI151.88 -151.88 CITY151.88 OF151.88 WATERTOWN151.88 -151.88 Madam151.88 Chair,151.88 if151.88 I152.03 may,152.19 just152.35 as152.75 a152.92 sort153 of153.24 technical153.56 matter154.59 because155 I155.64 don't155.79 know156.12 if156.28 we've156.44 ever156.59 had156.84 this157.47 situation158.12 with159 the159.56 board's159.79 statutory160.51 provision.161.16 So,161.56 I161.79 would161.96 put162.12 on162.35 the162.59 record162.68 or163 ask163.16 you163.16 to163.17 put163.17 on163.18 the163.18 record163.19 that163.19 in163.2 the163.21 absence163.21 of163.22 member163.22 Labadini,163.23 you163.24 are163.47 designating170 alternate170 member170 Jimmy170 Tsekrekas170 to170 participate170 in...170 170 DOUCETTE171.2 -171.44 I171.44 am171.44 designating171.44 alternate172.32 member173.04 Jimmy174.8 Tsekrekas175.44 to175.44 serve175.6 in176.48 the176.64 absence176.8 of177.36 Mr.177.52 Labadini177.92 as178.72 he179.56 has179.72 served180.13 during180.76 the181.08 past181.25 six181.81 months182.04 in182.84 the183 absence183.25 of183.97 Mr.184.28 Labadini184.69 and186.21 in187.25 the187.41 previous187.56 month,188.21 in189.16 June,189.49 the189.81 absence189.97 of190.36 both190.53 myself190.84 and191.41 Mr.191.81 Labadini.192.13 Mr.194.5 Tsekrekas195.14 has195.14 seconded195.3 the196.1 motion,196.34 I196.9 ask197.06 for197.38 a197.62 vote.197.78 I198.18 vote198.5 to198.74 approve199.3 Ms.199.94 Kasabian200.26 Hoffman200.9 as201.46 chair.201.7 Ms.202.9 Kasabian203.22 Hoffman,203.78 your204.26 vote?204.5 206.98 HOFFMAN206.98 -206.98 Yes.206.98 208.66 DOUCETTE209.65 -209.65 Mr.209.65 Tsekrekas?209.65 209.65 TSEKREKAS209.65 -209.65 I209.65 vote209.72 for209.97 Ms.210.04 Kasabian210.44 Hoffman.210.93 211.81 DOUCETTE211.81 -211.81 Thank211.81 you.212.04 Ms.213.56 Kasabian213.81 Hoffman214.37 will214.93 be215.17 the215.41 chair215.49 beginning215.97 in216.44 August216.6 2025.217.57 Last219.65 item219.89 on220.21 the220.37 agenda220.44 is220.93 comments221.41 from221.99 the222.71 board,223.43 police,224.15 or224.63 city226.07 clerk.226.47 Detective227.27 sergeant227.75 Lewis,228.07 do228.31 you228.47 have228.55 any228.71 comments?228.95 228.95 MARK228.95 LEWIS228.95 -228.95 WATERTOWN228.95 POLICE228.95 DEPARTMENT228.95 -228.95 No229.51 comments.229.67 230.39 DOUCETTE230.39 -230.39 Ms.230.39 Martin?230.63 231.35 EMILY231.43 MARTIN231.43 -231.43 CITY231.43 OF231.43 WATERTOWN231.43 -231.43 Nothing231.43 at231.43 this231.51 time.231.75 233.11 DOUCETTE233.59 -233.59 Mr.233.59 Doneski,233.59 we233.59 don't233.75 usually233.91 ask234.39 you234.63 for234.64 any234.65 comments.234.66 234.95 DONESKI235.26 -235.26 I235.26 don't235.43 believe235.58 I235.91 have236.06 anything.236.22 238.38 DOUCETTE238.38 -238.38 As238.38 I238.63 leave238.71 the239.03 board,239.19 I239.5 want239.75 to239.99 thank240.15 Sandra240.47 and240.86 Jimmy241.1 for241.43 their241.66 commitment241.91 and242.47 support242.78 and243.66 all243.91 the244.15 past244.22 board244.63 members244.94 with245.43 whom245.58 I245.99 have246.15 served.246.38 We247.26 have247.5 always247.75 ruled248.15 fairly248.47 and248.58 equitably248.69 on248.94 the249.1 evidence250.3 and250.7 applications250.94 that251.82 came252.06 before252.3 us252.62 without253.26 favoritism253.74 and254.54 without254.78 allowing255.18 politics255.82 or256.3 undue256.62 influence257.18 to257.74 taint257.98 our259.02 decisions.259.34 More260.78 than260.94 25261.18 years261.82 ago,262.06 as262.86 an263.02 alternate263.18 on263.66 the263.82 board,263.98 I264.49 was264.64 asked264.88 to265.37 sit265.61 with265.93 our266.17 in-house266.96 town267.37 attorneys267.76 and268.49 develop268.64 a269.52 coherent269.85 set270.4 of270.81 rules271.13 and271.44 regulations.271.69 Following273.13 my273.61 consultation273.93 with274.73 them,274.88 I275.04 did275.29 so.275.52 The276.32 bulk276.49 of276.81 those276.96 regulations277.29 were278.49 approved278.73 and279.13 remain.279.37 Over280.7 the280.86 years,281.1 as281.82 a282.06 member282.14 and282.62 as283.02 chair,283.42 I284.22 have284.38 participated284.62 in285.42 revisions285.66 and286.3 additions286.46 to287.1 the287.26 regulations287.5 as288.3 the288.54 needs288.7 of288.94 the289.1 community289.26 have289.98 evolved.289.98 The291.42 arts291.66 center,292.14 for292.54 example,292.78 would298.19 not298.19 be298.19 functioning298.19 as298.19 it298.19 is298.19 today298.19 if298.19 we298.19 had298.19 not298.19 revised298.19 the298.19 regulations298.19 that298.92 had299.07 been299.31 previously299.56 established300.35 to301 prevent301.15 strip301.63 joints301.95 from302.44 invading302.75 the303.31 city.303.39 At304.83 no305.07 time305.39 in305.95 the306.12 drafting306.35 or306.44 approval306.51 or306.6 application306.68 of306.75 the307 regulations309.39 and310.19 Commonwealth311.15 law,312.03 have312.03 I312.19 ever312.43 allowed313.15 political313.87 pressure,314.43 favoritism,315.15 or315.95 bias316.27 to316.83 invade316.99 the317.47 proceedings.317.63 318.99 The318.99 members319.15 who319.55 have319.71 come319.95 on320.19 board320.43 over320.91 the321.15 years321.31 all321.95 were322.19 trained322.35 in322.94 a323.19 similar323.26 manner323.75 to324.63 apply324.87 the325.26 rules325.43 fairly325.82 without326.46 bias326.94 and327.67 to327.9 not328.06 allow328.31 personal328.71 opinions329.26 or329.99 feelings330.23 prevent331.02 a331.75 just331.9 decision.332.38 Unfortunately,333.99 during334.87 my335.19 last335.35 application335.75 for336.38 reappointment,336.71 I337.35 was337.51 informed337.83 by338.31 the338.55 city338.71 manager339.03 that339.43 such339.67 qualifications340.07 and340.95 experience341.27 were341.91 not342.07 sufficient.342.31 In343.83 his343.91 email344.15 to344.55 me,344.71 he344.87 said345.11 he345.35 was345.51 recommending345.75 a346.31 different346.47 candidate347.35 to348.23 the348.39 council348.55 because350.23 while351.5 I351.74 think351.9 there's352.13 a352.54 lot352.62 of352.94 benefit353.1 to353.65 longevity353.9 on354.69 city354.94 boards,355.25 there's356.13 also356.54 a356.94 benefit357.1 to357.65 providing357.81 new358.46 opinions.359.01 I360.54 replied360.77 that361.25 the361.42 licensing361.65 board362.62 does363.18 not363.5 act364.06 on364.53 opinions364.77 but365.65 on365.89 the366.13 law.366.29 I367.41 trust367.65 that368.13 Sandra368.37 and368.85 Jimmy369.09 will369.49 continue369.73 to370.29 apply370.45 the370.85 law,371.09 adhere372.05 to372.53 our372.69 regulations,372.93 and374.05 make374.29 unbiased374.61 decisions375.57 based376.21 on376.53 evidence376.85 rather377.65 than378.21 on378.45 opinions.378.61 I380.45 was380.62 also380.85 told381.25 during381.65 my381.98 interview382.21 with382.69 Mr.383.25 Proakis383.81 that383.81 the383.98 resident's384.13 advisory384.69 committee385.25 had385.65 sent385.81 him386.06 two386.38 names386.54 for386.94 this387.1 position387.25 and387.74 that387.89 we388.13 were388.29 equally388.54 qualified.388.77 390.85 Frankly,390.85 I391.33 was391.41 astonished391.74 that392.29 the392.45 advisory392.62 committee393.25 thinks393.97 that394.21 my394.29 26394.53 years395.25 of395.89 fair395.97 and397.01 honest397.33 decision397.89 making398.37 can399.01 compare399.33 to399.73 the399.89 qualifications400.13 of401.01 a401.17 person401.25 whose401.73 ethical401.97 violations402.45 are403.25 a403.41 matter403.49 of403.89 record403.97 posted404.45 on404.93 the405.17 Internet.405.33 As406.71 the406.94 retired407.11 executive407.67 director408.31 of408.79 a408.94 Catholic409.03 lay409.59 organization409.9 and411.19 the411.5 current411.59 lay412.06 member412.38 of412.87 the413.03 board413.19 of413.5 the413.75 Association413.82 of414.63 US415.11 Catholic415.19 priests,415.82 I416.63 cannot416.87 allow417.26 such417.75 a417.99 comparison418.06 to419.35 taint419.59 my419.91 reputation.420.23 Mr.421.75 Proakis422.15 and422.79 the423.03 council423.19 may423.75 appoint423.99 whoever424.39 they424.79 wish425.03 to425.43 the425.59 board,426.47 and426.71 the426.71 resident's426.87 advisory427.43 committee428.07 can428.79 forward429.03 any429.59 application429.91 they430.63 wish.430.79 But431.51 what431.67 they431.91 cannot432.35 do432.59 is433.23 impugn433.55 my434.03 integrity434.35 with435.38 no435.63 justification436.03 or436.82 cause.436.9 Claiming438.11 that438.5 my438.75 candidacy438.99 is439.71 equivalent440.03 to440.67 someone440.82 with441.23 reported441.46 ethical442.11 lapses442.59 is443.15 an443.31 insult443.55 and444.5 an444.67 attack444.99 on445.55 my445.94 integrity.446.19 I447.6 will447.84 not448.08 allow448.32 those448.64 claims448.96 to449.44 demean449.6 the450 service450.08 I450.4 have450.72 honorably450.88 discharged451.52 to452.16 this452.32 city452.56 for453.2 more453.44 than453.68 a453.92 quarter454 century.454.32 The455.44 new455.6 board455.84 member's456.08 qualifications456.56 are457.44 not457.6 equivalent457.84 to458.48 mine,458.64 and458.88 I459.04 will459.12 not459.56 allow460.51 you460.68 to460.92 pretend461.15 that461.96 they462.27 are.462.51 Sandra463.39 and463.8 Jimmy,463.96 I464.36 pray464.44 that464.75 you464.92 will465.07 be465.31 allowed465.48 to465.8 uphold466.04 the466.51 integrity466.68 of467.31 the467.39 board's467.48 decision-making468.27 despite469.24 these469.96 circumstances.470.36 This471.71 hearing471.96 is472.27 adjourned.472.36 476.09 DONESKI476.09 -476.09 Just476.09 for476.41 the476.57 record,476.65 the477.21 members477.37 should477.69 also477.93 concur478.49 on478.89 the479.05 adjournment.479.13 479.77 DOUCETTE479.77 -479.77 Do479.77 the480.01 members480.09 concur480.57 on480.89 the481.05 adjournment,481.29 or481.69 do481.93 you482.09 wish482.33 to482.57 make482.73 any482.97 comments?483.29 486.09 HOFFMAN486.09 -486.09 I486.09 concur486.33 on486.73 the486.89 adjournment.488.33 488.33 TSEKREKAS488.33 -488.33 As488.33 do488.33 I.488.33