Marblehead selectmen to review liquor license for bar

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen have asked town counsel to set up a hearing to show if the liquor license of a town landmark should be revoked.A March 25 incident at Maddie’s Sail Loft, 11 days after board members warned new owner John Tangusso that they were keeping an eye on his establishment, generated the board’s tersely-worded request last week.Selectmen Chairman Harry Christensen asked Town Administrator Tony Sasso to order the hearing.Mark McGee sold the establishment in 2006 to Tangusso, a Salem businessman, and Robert Powers of Marblehead. Powers apparently ended the partnership Dec. 31. Tangusso came before the selectmen March 14 to ask their approval of his wife, Jayne, as the new manager. He pointed out that his wife had already taken on Powers’ responsibilities.The discussion lasted longer than it usually does with such requests.Selectman Judy Jacobi told Tangusso that the board has received reports from the police about intoxicated customers leaving the bar. Jacobi warned the businessman that the board would keep an eye on those incidents, and if there were any more “We will have to hold a hearing.”Tangusso said he had not seen the reports but when Sasso told him about them he held a “mandatory” bar staff meeting and told them it was “irresponsible and unacceptable” for patrons to leave the bar intoxicated.He described his staff as willing to take Training for Interventive Procedures (TIPS) again and said he told them that if any future intoxication incidents are tied to a particular bartender that bartender would be fired.He noted that in recent months Maddie’s has banned patrons and refused to serve those they felt had enough to drink. “We (do not) over-serve our patrons,” he said, citing an “obligation to the community.”