A parade of citizens bellied up to the Morristown council on Tuesday to weigh in on two nightclubs proposed by the Walsh family, owners of three downtown bars.
Most of the comments concerned the Futbol-Lanida Sports Bar, proposed for 4 Early St. by Uncle Baxter LLC, a venture of the Walsh family. The family has a contract to buy a liquor license from owners of the former Muse Mediterranean Restaurant on South Street; the Walshes seek council permission to transfer that license to Early Street and create a sports bar for the town’s Hispanic population.
Proponents of Futbol-Lanida–who included family patriarch William Walsh, one of his bar employees, a girlfriend of one of his sons, and a number of Latino residents–said Latinos feel unwelcome in downtown restaurants and bars and want their own place to enjoy soccer games over a beer or glass of wine.
Opponents, including Councilman Stefan Armington’s wife, noted that the Early Street location is only a block from Morristown High School, lacks parking and might attract “unsavory characters.”
One young mother named a few Hispanic restaurants in the neighborhood, and said she already has been “harassed” while pushing her baby stroller past them and the men who congregate along Speedwell Avenue.
Voicing concerns about a proliferation of bars in Morristown, several residents cited remarks at the meeting by Police Chief Pete Demnitz, who said his department keeps an eye on 1,200- to 1,500 bar patrons on busy nights. The chief commended one of his officers, Anthony O’Brien, for leading Morris County in drunk driving arrests last year.
“This is a recipe for disaster,” Margaret Armington said of the Futbol-Lanida proposal. “The police force will be over-run with troubles.”
In 2009, authorities shut down a prior restaurant at the site, the Honduran Grill, after arresting the owner and a waitress on an assortment of charges that included consuming alcohol in a place without a liquor license.
William Walsh said the argument that the site is too close to the high school “doesn’t fly”; the location exceeds the minimum legal distance from a school by nearly six times.
“To be honest, other than Dover, there is no social gathering place for Hispanics,” said Charlotte Quero, a student and employee of the Walshes who asserted Morristown establishments make Latinos “feel like outsiders.”
Abbey Mohr, whose boyfriend, Mike Walsh, manages the Dark Horse Lounge, said Latinos are “working in every shop and restaurant we go to, and we should support them and be a little more open-minded.”
The Walshes also seek approval to transfer their liquor license from the now-closed Colonial Bar on Washington Street–which operated for years in closer proximity to Morristown High School than Futbol-Lanida would be–to 10 DeHart Street, near the family’s Dark Horse Lounge and Tashmoo nightclubs. (Another Walsh establishment, Sona Thirteen, is around the corner on South Street.)
A stately 117-year-old commercial house on DeHart would be replaced with a bowling nightclub that would include a rooftop bar.
One resident from Community Place spoke against the bowling bar. He vowed to bring reinforcements next time. Special hearings on both license transfers are anticipated next month, at dates to be determined.
By state law, no individual can own more than two bars in town. However, town Attorney Vij Pawar said nothing prevents members of the same family from holding liquor licenses. And the limits don’t apply to liquor licenses for restaurants, he said.
TOWN BUDGET INTRODUCED; COP HONORED AS HERO
In other business on Tuesday, the council unanimously agreed to introduce the $46.7 million 2012 budget that Mayor Tim Dougherty outlined at the last meeting. Under this spending plan the municipal tax rate would decrease slightly, $.001, or about $3.50 for someone with a home assessed at $350,000.
When the recently approved school budget is factored in, along with library and Morris County taxes, that same homeowner stands to save about $70.50 on his or her total property taxes for fiscal 2012, according to the Mayor’s budget statement.
A hearing on the town budget is scheduled for May 22.
Over the last 15 months the Administration has hired eight police, in a quest to replace 10 retiring officers. One of the new hires, Eddy Pichardo, was sworn in Tuesday.
Another officer, Detective Keith Hudson, was thanked in person by a widower for responding while off-duty to a motor vehicle accident that took his wife’s life on Route 23. Driving home from work, Detective Hudson saw the wreckage, cut the woman from her seat belt and stayed with her until medical help arrived. Joseph Jones said the officer comforted his wife in her final moments.
“Not only is he my kids’ hero, he’s my hero. And anything I can do for him, I’m here for him,” said the man, who brought two young children to the council meeting.
Oh, and Tashmoo would be a great place to show a soccer game!
Trying to help Hispanics??? It is sad that Hispanics don’t feel welcomed at the Walsh family’s other bars! They should start there first! Show some soccer games. Seems Sona 13 could be more Hispanic inviting and show some soccer games! Invite the Hispanic community to the Dark Horse when there are soccer games if that is what you are trying to do. Help them even more by getting one of the many Hispanic restaurants to cater the soccer events at your other venues!! There is already Futbolandia on Speedwell showing games as well as other restaurants. These businesses never seem packed, so why the need for a new one? Yes, they are byob, but I’m sure the small business owner who owns the liquor store near them would lose more business if a bar showed up. So that is only hurting him, plus several other small business owners who own the already not packed Hispanic restaurants. The bar on early street is not a good idea. Someone mentioned Roots expanding? Not many students need to walk by Roots on their way to and from the High School. I never see people loitering outside. There are already issues with that in the proposed area of the new bar. The people who went to the old bar in that place that got shut down are the same people who will go to the new one. I doubt that any of the proponents of Futbolandia will be making the new bar a regular hangout for themselves and their friends. Wherever they go now is where they will continue to go because the new place does not have any parking!! The people who walked there before, will walk again!
I think the bowling alley/club is an awesome idea! I’ve been to Brooklyn bowl many many times and thoroughly enjoy it. It would be a destination place in the area and so much fun. At least it’s not purely a watering hole. You can go there and do a fun social activity that does not solely revolve around drinking.
Why would Mr. Walsh or his patrons make Latinos feel unwelcome at the other bars he controls? I think it speaks for the type of unsavory characters who arrive late at night already boisterous and drunk from a night of bar-hopping, treat the neighborhood properties as open outhouses, key cars, deface property and park in private lots (because they don’t have to pay), and then litter their empty bottles and cups on private property. As for the Early St. property being too close to the school, I wasn’t aware that the school was open Friday and Saturday nights. Also, what about the cost to maintain an adequate police force–already grossly undermanned to deal with the problems. I can assure you that for every DUI citation they issue, they’re missing a dozen–because virtually nobody leaves a bar sober. And an open roof-top bar? Can you imagine the noise level? There are a lot of relatively new, upscale developments in Morristown proper. Maybe WBiv thinks we should ignore residents who pay huge property taxes, or knock down their properties and replace them with more bars. I don’t object to bars, but Morristown has done a very poor job of controlling the rabble and certainly Mr. Walsh’s concern for the Latino community is disingenuous.
Hmmm…from what I read it appears that those who support having the Futbol-Lanida Sports Bar are supporting it for the wrong reason. Wanting another establishment is OK, but wanting one that supports segregation is not an acceptable reason.. Does “wanting their own place” indicate non-Hispanic people are not welcome? What is meant when it was stated that “…Latinos feel unwelcome in downtown restaurants and bars”.
I wish more people would be less self-centered.
Two verses of John Lennon’s song “Imagine” sums it up.
“Imagine all the people living life in peace” and “Imagine all the people sharing all the world”
Lighten up folks…let the bar be! And let all the bars be for all the people!
May I state one simple fact – these are existing liquor licenses, so they are not issuing new licenses, they are simply changing addresses. So, if you oppose new bars opening, or specifically bars that cater to hispanics, then just say that.
@GoMoTown all I am simply stating is the residents of Morristown should not block small business growth. While these businesses are bars, they are also the only ones to survived the economic downturn and in some cases have been the only sustainable businesses in town (I am pretty sure George Washington has his own stool at Hennessey’s.. jk). My Mom had to close her store in the early ’90s when all small businesses struggled in and around the Green. At the end of the day, Morristown is a great place to live, work and raise your family, I am simply trying to encourage the residents to give back to the town that I love and not fight with proven small business owners dedicated to making Morristown the best small town in the USA. Imagine if you had a bunch of your neighbors blocking your own personal business goals. There are two sides to every story and I support the Morristown Partnership and all businesses in town. I find it very funny that not one person is raising concerns about Roots expanding, but I guess the 1% wins again. Additionally, I am sure the Walsh family could enter into an agreement with Pete’s officers and give them an opportunity to earn some extra income for their families. Kings should not be the only opportunity in town if security is a real concern or just a crutch to delay business growth. I also note that this is the fist year that an operating bar isn’t next to the highschool property.
@WBiv , You make it sound as if they’re opening up animal shelters and free elderly care centers on every block. It’s bars. Now it’s a bar near a school in an area of town that has already proven to be problematic. Also the police that are needed to be on call should incidents that often come with alcohol consumption occur. You talk about foot traffic to The Green. I look at The Green as nice place to go with your family and relax on a bench with a coffee. But the addition of bar patrons would surely be a deterrent to that relaxing atmosphere. Yes, we have all decided to live in a “urban area” while traffic and common street noise is expected and accepted the problems that often occur with bar patrons isn’t. There are plenty of bars already in Morristown, you mean to tell me that none of them show soccer games? Futbolandia on Speedwell Ave doesn’t show them, if not they should change the name.
As someone who grew up in Morristown walking from Assumption School to my Mother’s store on Maple Ave I am confused as to why other residents continually voice opinions regarding the Walsh family and their business ventures in this great town. I thank the family for all they have brought to town and will continue to support any business they open in the future. Small business is the pulse of this country and it appears that Morristown residents are consistently creating obstacles for small business growth regardless of location. Given the town’s growing Hispanic population and lack of sports bars which would broadcast the number 1 sport in the world is a brilliant business idea and should have the community’s full support. Moreover, these proposed bars will add more foot traffic to the Green which will in turn add more tax revenue to the town. If you elect to live in an urban area, you are fully aware of the noise and pollution issues that come with it, therefore if these issues bother you, move!
Nice the see that the Walsh family holds so much compassion for the Hispanic population of Morristown. Wait! Do you think they might be doing because there is a profit involved? I love Hispanics sleeping on my lawn in the morning.
“…create a sports bar for the town’s Hispanic population.’
Yes, because one sports bar will serve all Hispanics on Morristown.
Silly.