Sunday, November 16, 2008

DA following up on Open Meeting Law violation at Boston Licensing Board

I am happy to report that the District Attorney is following up on my inquiry about whether an Open Meeting Law violation occurred in granting the Deja Vu liquor license that Sen. Wilkerson was so involved with.

They have requested a number of items related to this case from Chairman Pokaski. It will be interesting to see what they find. What I have discovered in my limited time looking into this is:

1) The Board does not keep minutes of its meetings, they keep audio recordings which are available for $15 and a blank tape. This is against best practices as described by the Attorney General's office at best, and could be a violation itself.

2) The Board told me they don't keep a copy of the license, it is just given to the recipient. This seems quite odd to me, and bears further investigation.

If I was the Mayor or a City Councilor, I know I would be very interested to know how liquor licenses are distributed in my city or district. Instead, we have an acute lack of interest or denial from our public officials who claim to be interested in transparency. Certainly a liquor license in a neighborhood is a big quality of life issue, and you would think they would be concerned with non transparent business going on right inside their own building.

But, to my knowledge none of them have asked for an investigation let alone done their own inquiry into what is going on. The Mayor's spokesman has even told me the Mayor has nothing to do with the licensing board. Well, maybe he should care a bit more about liquor licenses in the City. It is more likely the Mayor knows everything about what is going on with liquor licenses in the City and he was doing some good old fashioned back room horse trading with Senator Wilkerson, whom he endorsed and sent out voicemails on her behalf not two months ago.

4 comments:

Mark B. said...

When they make the movie, John Banner will play Mumbles.

Unknown said...

Yes, what happened to all of the licenses from all of the bars which have closed in Roxbury and Dorchester over the last five years?

theszak said...

http://wikifoia.pbwiki.com/Massachusetts

theszak said...

Sicut Patribus Sit Deus Nobis.
God Be with Us as He Was with Our Fathers
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Image:Boston_city_seal.jpg


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City Status Granted by the Authority of the State in the Year of Our Lord 1822

Bostonia. Condita A.D. 1630
Boston, Founded in the Year of Our Lord 1630


Maureen E. Feeney, President
Boston City Council

Pursuant to Rule 1 of the city council rules, there will be a special meeting of the Boston City Council on Monday, November 24, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. in the Christopher A. Iannella Chamber on the Fifth Floor of Boston City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to consider entering into executive session to pursuant to MGL c39 s23B(1)

Sincerely
Maureen E. Feeney, President
Boston City Council

District 3
Boston City Hall
One City Hall Plaza
Boston Massachusetts 02201
617 635-3455
fax 617 635-4203
Maureen.Feeney at cityofboston.gov

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