Politics & Government
Golf Course Receives More One-Day Alcohol Licenses
Beer and wine can be sold now during tournaments at the Braintree course.
The Fairway Cafe at the Braintree Municipal Golf Course will be able to serve beer and wine at five upcoming tournaments after town officials agreed that three previous events featuring alcohol went off without serious problems.
The Board of License Commissioners granted the one-day permits for tournaments on July 15, Aug. 19, Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 15. All four members present voted in favor. Fire Chief James O'Brien had left earlier in the meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Members had told cafe owner Peter Kalemkeridis and course superintendent Daryn Brown last month that the five licenses were contingent on the success of the three earlier events. Kalemkeridis told the board that "nothing in excess" happened, and that he sold a total of 44 cases of beer and wine over the course of the three tournaments.
During the license board meeting last month, several residents spoke out against alcohol at the course. They claimed it would imperil the safety of children in the neighborhood and cause traffic and parking issues.
Brown said that the only on-street parking he documented during the tournaments was residents' vehicles. He also directed traffic in one direction during the events.
Town Councilor Tom Bowes asked the board whether they could restrict the selling of beer and wine to just tournament hours. He said that a resident told him beer was offered for sale in the evening after one of the tournaments had ended.
"If the golf tournament is over, you cannot serve. Period, end of story," Chair Joe Powers said. "I know that's restrictive, but that's the method you've chosen to go for."
Powers was referring to the type of license. There is a separate, seasonal alcohol license that would allow the course to serve up to 245 days per year, but the course has not applied for that license.
Police Chief Russell Jenkins said the course can continue without a police detail for the upcoming five tournaments.
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