Selectmen Deny Multiple Liquor Expansion Requests and Face Teen Hangout Issues-June 26, 1974

Church Objections Stall South Norwood Delicatessen Transfer While McDonald’s Demands Paid Police Details

Liquor license requests fared poorly before selectmen last night as the board denied a series of high-profile restaurant and all-alcoholic expansion applications. The board formally denied a special request for an outdoor extension of restaurant and alcoholic privileges submitted by John Cornetta for his establishment, “Mia Piazza Gardens,” located at the Iron Horse restaurant on Route 1. The board also flatly refused a separate petition to transfer an active wine and beer license from the closed King’s Market location to Wiseman’s Delicatessen situated on Washington Street in South Norwood. Upon leaving the tense hearing, John Cornetta’s attorney, John J. Mulvehill, stated he intends to immediately appeal the selectmen’s adverse decision to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC). Philip H. Macchi, the attorney representing the owners of Wiseman’s Delicatessen, stated he was uncertain whether his clients would file a similar state appeal. The board’s explicit denial means a full mandatory year must pass before either request can be legally brought back before town officials.

The Wiseman’s Delicatessen transfer—pushed by owners Mr. and Mrs. Joseph DeCastro—faced intense community pushback because the proposed location sits within the restricted 500-foot perimeter of both the Balch Elementary School and St. George’s Orthodox Church. A formal letter of objection from David Franciosi, president of the church board of trustees, was delivered directly to the selectmen’s office. The letter outlined several sharp neighborhood complaints, stating: “The South Norwood area is deteriorating very rapidly. It has become a troubled area, not such a pleasant place to live any more. As a religious organization, we teach and maintain a high standard. We don’t want to see our church sitting in the middle of a liquor row”. Local resident Alice Kelly expressed deep surprise and dismay that the school committee had registered no formal objection to the alcohol transfer near the schoolyard. Richard Joseph, speaking strictly as an individual school committee member and not a representative of that body, voiced strong personal objections to the deal. He noted that while the old King’s Market site was also within the 500-foot limit, there were at least physical buildings and a street “acting as a buffer” between the storefront and the school grounds. Selectman William F. Butters‘ motion to deny the transfer passed on a unanimous roll-call vote, with William F. Butters noting he foresaw beer drinkers lounging directly on the elementary school lawn.

The board also split 3-2 to deny John Cornetta‘s outdoor patio expansion at the Iron Horse. Selectman William F. Butters fiercely questioned the board’s legal right to grant an extension of premises over intense neighborhood static, reasoning, “If the information is not brought to us, the proper thing to do is vote against it”. Selectmen Charles L. Rich and Joseph F. Curran opposed the denial, while John J. Mulvehill argued unsuccessfully that the outdoor facility constituted a standard accessory use under zoning laws. Neighbors had previously aired complaints regarding loud music piped over outdoor loudspeakers and worsening traffic congestion along East Cross Street. Town Counsel Justin C. Barton and George Newland, secretary of the state ABCC, confirmed the town held the legal right to interpret the extension as a new license action.

In separate commercial business, selectmen were visited by a delegation of corporate officials from the Broadway McDonald’s franchise, who reported severe public safety problems caused by large, rowdy groups of teenagers congregating late at night. Restaurant Manager Robert T. Parsons stated that teenage vandalism costs were averaging a steep $300 a month at the location, noting that beer-drinking youths were turning the restaurant into a chaotic “hangout” and severely hurting nightly business. Robert T. Parsons requested the immediate assignment of paid, off-duty police details to patrol the restaurant property, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.

Police Chief James F. Curran verified that his department was severely shorthanded and could not supply extra-duty officers for the fast-food site. Citing “higher priority details,” James F. Curran stated he could not legally force his men to accept such private commercial assignments. When asked by McDonald’s official William Saggio if off-duty police officers could be brought in from neighboring towns to handle the details, James F. Curran responded, “I doubt if you’ll ever get one”. William Saggio noted the franchise had previously attempted to hire private security guards, stating, “We’ve gone that route. The kids walk all over them”. Town Manager John P. Mogan suggested the restaurant look into hiring specialized private security firms that deploy trained guard dogs, but McDonald’s Area Supervisor Roger Lexell rejected the idea, stating, “I don’t think guards with dogs project the image we’re looking for”. Chief James F. Curran suggested the department might be able to provide standard detail coverage after the July 4 holiday when things quiet down. Selectman William F. Butters subsequently moved to table the matter, but Selectman John F. Wall moved to have the town manager and police chief study the feasibility of conferring temporary police powers on other town officials—such as the recreation director, cemetery superintendent, or jail matron—to alleviate the town’s severe law enforcement shortage. John F. Wall‘s study motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with William F. Butters dissenting and terming the expansion of police powers “a heavy subject” involving serious false arrest liabilities.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger