FARMINGTON — With a 4-1 vote Tuesday, selectmen reversed their February decision to require that all liquor license renewals and new applications come before the board for a public hearing.

Board Chairman Ryan Morgan voted against the motion, saying he didn’t want to treat businesses differently.

Prior to February, license renewals for businesses without any reported problems or issues that concerned police were granted by the town manager. A public hearing and board approval was only necessary for new applications.

Town Manager Richard Davis asked the board to consider reverting to that process. Last month, a business representative had to sit through several agenda items before the board held the hearing, he said. Businesses are also required to pay for advertising for the hearing.

In February, the board decided to take a larger role in the renewal process after owners of Front Street Tavern attended the meeting to respond to police concerns about the number of alcohol-related incidents there.

The board also agreed to continue monitoring incidents prior to the tavern’s liquor license renewal.

On Tuesday, police Chief Jack Peck providing the board with a summary of nine incidents police believe involve the tavern since January.

“These are alleged incidents involving the tavern,” Peck said.

They included four arrests for driving under the influence; two intoxicated males, one cursing in the middle of Fairbanks Road and another laying in Farmington Falls Road; two incidents between two females, one involving an assault and the other an altercation; and a verbal argument in the tavern parking lot.

Police may not be able to prove the alcohol was consumed at the tavern, Peck said after the meeting.

“I’m disheartened by this,” Morgan said, and wanted to discuss the issue more at Tuesday’s meeting.

The chief said he also was disheartened, saying the tavern has some good employees, but he has concerns.

Selectman Andrew Hufnagel suggested waiting for legal advice and perhaps asking the tavern owners, Charles Williams and Bruce Hanson, back to discuss it. 

“It’s not on the agenda,” he said, so it shouldn’t be discussed further because of legal issues and the owners were not there.

In February, Peck told the board he was advised by the state licensing board to document incidents for all establishments. Some of these involved police stopping motorists suspected of driving under the influence who said they had been at the tavern.

Peck said told selectmen in February that in 2012 police documented 20 incidents involving patrons of the tavern, seven of which resulted in operating under the influence charges. Another establishment had six incidents and another had one alcohol-related event. There were no incidents from other places that serve alcohol, he said.

At that time, speaking for Williams and Hanson, attorney Paul Mills reminded the board there were no liquor violations within the business. These were off the premises, he said, suggesting some may have been turned away at the door and may not have told police the whole truth when they said they were there.

Williams told the board in February that he was unaware of the incidents and wanted to go through each one with the chief, who agreed to talk with him. The owners also promised the board their employees would go through a mandatory alcohol-servers class.

On Wednesday, Peck said he believed the employees have taken the class but Williams never met with him to discuss the incidents. He also said he has not yet discussed the nine incidents this year with the owners.

Attempts to reach the owners Wednesday were unsuccessful.

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