Local Restaurants Seeking Rebate For 2021 Licensing Fees

The Winthrop Board of License Commission (BLC) sent a request to the Town Council asking that a quarter of the yearly fees for 2021 licenses paid by local restaurants be refunded because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The request came as result of a letter to the commission from Casey Goll, owner of the Winthrop Arms, seeking a 25% rebate because of the adverse business climate for his restaurant.

“We have no authority to rebate, we can only ask the Town Council,” said BLC chairman Marc Chapdelaine. “We are probably talking about $6,000 to $8,000 in total.”

Commissioner Nicholas Bracy agreed with the request stating, “This makes sense to me. Businesses are being hit every which way. This is some relief.”

Commissioner Richard Ackerman noted that other communities, including  Revere, Peabody and Swampscott already have reduced their fees.

“Small business is important to the Town,” noted commissioner Ron Vecchia.

Chapdelaine said that he was disheartened by the response by Town Manager Austin Faison, who said that the town “cannot rebate the fees.”

Chapdelaine went on to say, “Casey Goll has made a reasonable request. A rebate would be a giant gesture in the right direction. This is not one restaurant asking for help, but all restaurants.”

Betsy Shane from the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce also spoke, saying that La Siesta in Peabody was able to have their entire fee waived for the year. She noted that the receipts of the Chamber’s Gift Card program are “way up” and residents want to help and support local businesses.

The commissioners unanimously voted to send a letter to the Town Council “supporting some sort of relief in license fees to the Town.”

In other matters before the commission:

Common Victualler Licenses were approved for Family Pastry, Jac’s Cafe, and Kate’s Kitchen.

Used car licenses were approved for Bolster’s, Jim’s Auto Sales, and Furlong Motors.

The commissioners also voted to ask the Town Council to stagger the three-year terms for the five-member commission. Rather than having a majority of members expire within the coming year, they are seeking to have the terms be as follows:

The terms for Nicholas Bracy and Richard Ackerman’s would expire in June of 2021; Marc Chapdelaine’s term would expire in June of 2022; and the terms of

Mark Sciaraffa and Ron Vecchia would expire in June of 2023.

If the change is not approved by the Town Council, then the terms of Bracy, Ackerman, and Chapdelaine all will expire in June 2021.