Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The town followed the rest of Massachusetts in re-electing President Barack Obama and electing Elizabeth Warren as Senator and Joe Kennedy as Congressman.
Needham residents soon will be able to buy their wine right here in town. By an overwhelming margin, local voters approved the only question on the Nov. 6 special town election ballot—whether Needham should issue licenses to businesses to sell wine, beer and liquor in town. In the end, 12,181 Needham residents voted yes on the measure, while 4,636 residents voted no. With approval of the ballot question, Needham has the ability to issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town, with two additional wine and beer licenses available after 2018, for a total of eight. Needham selectmen will be holding a public hearing later this month to consider regulations for alcohol sales licenses, and each license applicant…
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
If the measure passes in Needham on Nov. 6, selectmen will hold a public hearing on the rules later that month.
Though voters haven't yet decided whether Needham should allow the sale of wine, beer and liquor, selectmen have begun considering a list of regulations for if the special election question passes on Nov. 6. Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick put together a draft of proposed regulations and suggested the board bring the rules before the public at a hearing in early November, after the election. If the ballot question passes on Nov. 6, Needham selectmen could issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town, with two additional wine and beer licenses available after 2018, for a total of eight. Fitzpatrick said she and her staff had culled the list of proposed regulations from about a dozen other communities that …
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/board-mulls-alcohol-sale-regulations
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Voters will decide on Nov. 6, but what do you think now?
On Nov. 6, Needham voters will decide whether to lift the town's status as a mostly dry town—a position the community has maintained, more or less, since before the days of Prohibition. The question on Needham's Nov. 6 special election ballot asks: Shall the licensing authority in the town of Needham be authorized to grant licenses for both the sale of all alcoholic beverages in packages not to be drunk on the premises and the sale of wine and malt beverages in packages not to be drunk on the premises? Voters will decide: Yes or no. If the ballot question passes, Needham selectmen would have authorization to issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town. After 2018, the board could issue up to eight licenses…
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Speakers at an April 24 public hearing on allowing wine, beer and liquor sales in Needham said they hoped the town could limit the number of licenses issued in the first year, if the change was approved.
At a public hearing Tuesday night, Needham residents asked selectmen to proceed slowly with issuing licenses to sell alcohol, saying that if the town had to lose its dry status they hoped it wouldn’t happen overnight. Webster Street resident Daphne Davidson said she was “saddened” to learn that the change seemed inevitable. Davidson works as a family and adolescent therapist for the town of Burlington. “Having worked in a town that is not dry for almost 24 years, [I know] this will change Needham,” Davidson said. “This will change the character of Needham, and all the regulations will be put in place, but it will on a fundamental level change.” Davidson said that in her close work with Burlington Police she had learned that accessibility …
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/residents-seek-slow-adoption-of-new-alcohol-rules
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Friday, February 17, 2012
Economic Development Director Devra Bailin shared findings on Feb. 14 from a recent study of the economic benefits of allowing retail alcohol sales in Needham.
While bringing wine and beer shops to Needham could help fill vacant storefronts and add a few new jobs to the local market, the ventures are not as profitable as some might think, Economic Development Director Devra Bailin told selectmen Tuesday evening—at least, not on their own. Bailin shared the Council of Economic Advisors’ latest findings after talking with people who know the business of retail alcohol sales. The council’s subcommittee on the issue spoke to three Needham residents: Rich Cataldo, who works for Murrays and has been in the business for more than 30 years; Steve Rubin, who owns Huntington Wine and Spirits; and Nik Ligris, who is affiliated with the Brookline Fine Wine and Gourmet on Harvard Street in Brookline. “We were…
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/report-wine-beer-shops-not-hugely-profitable
2004019
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
The board continued its discussion on Jan. 24 of whether to lift Needham's dry status.
Selectmen took a first look at four local options Town Meeting members could choose to place on the ballot as they consider a possibility of removing Needham’s dry status and allowing wine, beer and liquor to be sold in retail shops. A placeholder article has been set on the May 7 annual Town Meeting warrant, although selectmen said Tuesday there is still much research to be done and discussions to be had. Currently, Needham allows alcohol to be served in restaurants with more than 100 seats, and one-day special liquor licenses are available for events. However, stores are not allowed to sell alcohol for consumption at home. At their Tuesday, Jan. 24 meeting, selectmen reviewed four possible home rule petitions that could change that. The …
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/selectmen-review-options-for-local-alcohol-sales
2004019
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Board of Selectmen have asked the town manager and town counsel to draw up a draft home rule petition outlining the rules of allowing retail alcohol sales in Needham.
The Needham Board of Selectmen agreed to continue exploring an option to allow retail alcohol sales in Needham, directing the town manager and town counsel Tuesday night to draft a sample petition and a detailed procedure the town would follow to pursue the change. Though selectmen were not convinced the move would be good or bad for the town, they did feel that the decision should be left up to Needham voters and said it was the board’s responsibility to lead by providing all the necessary information prior to a public vote. The board discussion on Tuesday, Dec. 20 was a follow-up to a well-attended public hearing on Dec. 6, where 20 residents spoke against removing Needham’s “dry” status, 13 spoke in favor of the change and two said they…
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/selectmen-voters-should-decide-alcohol-issue
2004019
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Citizens shared their views on whether Needham should lift its ban of retail alcohol sales at a public hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Those in support of lifting Needham’s dry status talked Tuesday evening about the convenience of having wine and beer sold in town and the potential for bringing dollars now spent out of town back to Needham. But those who were against changing the law argued that allowing retail sales of alcohol would just make it easier for local youth to get their hands on these beverages, calling the matter “a public health issue.” About 75 people attended the selectmen’s public hearing on whether to allow retail sale of alcohol in town—the purchase of wine, beer and possibly liquor for consumption off-site. This type of business, referred to as a “package store,” has not been allowed in Needham for more than 75 years. The town does allow the sale of …
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Residents are encouraged to provide input on whether Needham should change its "dry" laws at a meeting scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at Town Hall.
Needham selectmen are asking residents to weigh in today on whether the town should allow the retail sale of alcohol. A public hearing is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at the board's meeting room inside Town Hall, part of selectmen's regular meeting which will begin at 6:45 p.m. Needham has been essentially dry since before the days of Prohibition, which began in 1920. Today, the town allows limited sale of alcohol in restaurants with more than 100 seats and for special one-day events with a license. The only bar in town that is not part of a restaurant is at the Sheraton Needham, which was allowed under the town's 1960s hotels exception. In June, members of the Council of Economic Advisors appeared before selectmen suggesting they authorize a …
42.28049
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/public-hearing-on-alcohol-sales-tonight
2004019
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John
2:57 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Needham's new slogan: "Come Get Trashed in Needham!" or, "Needham, we're just like all the other towns". more ›