A liquor store owner's fate may be decided Aug. 19 when the City Council votes on whether to deny renewal of his license, but he had a defender Monday in Council President Bridget Rivers.
At a hearing last month with the council acting as the local Alcoholic Beverage Control board, police presented evidence that Vadrajan Naicken admitted selling alcohol to a minor and that his daughter was arrested twice at his Clinton Deli liquor store on West Front Street. She first allegedly sold drugs in the store and was arrested a second time for returning to the premises after being barred for the drug offense. Corporation Counsel David Minchello began the hearing by telling council members they would be shocked by the evidence to be presented. (See post here.)
But on Monday a council majority first agreed not to move the resolution to the Aug. 19 agenda, effectively allowing the matter to drop.
Councilman Adrian Mapp asked his colleagues to reconsider, citing Naicken's admission and his daughter's arrests. Taking no action, he said, "means we are OK with behavior that has been exhibited out of this establishment."
"These people are a menace to our city," Councilwoman Rebecca Williams said, reminding the council members they tried to take action in 2012 by imposing strict conditions on renewal of Naicken's license. He ignored the conditions, she said.
But Rivers said another establishment had similar offenses and was given a chance to clean them up. She said Naicken owns eleven properties in Plainfield.
"He pays a lot of taxes in the city. Let's give him a chance," Rivers said, urging the council not to "take his livelihood away from him."
But Williams said in 2011 Naicken had hundreds of violations and it was the same last year.
"He's been given a chance," she said. "He's been given many chances."
Rivers said the daughter was barred from the premises for selling her prescription drugs.
"With all due respect to my colleagues who see things differently," Mapp said, based on the findings, "what we are saying to police officers is 'we don't care how well you are doing your job.' "
Mapp said Naicken was given a chance, which he ignored. Police said they found no exterior security cameras or dusk-to-closing guards as required in the conditional renewal of the Clinton Deli license last year.
"Are we going to wait for another murder to be committed?" Mapp asked.
Councilwoman Tracey Brown said she was not at the hearing and decided to change her position in favor of having the matter on the Aug. 19 agenda. With Brown joining Mapp, Williams and Cory Storch, there was a consensus to do so. Rivers, William Reid and Vera Greaves did not want it on the agenda.
The regular meeting is 8 p.m. Aug. 19 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
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So Rivers, Reid and Greaves feel it's ok to not only ignore the laws on the books but also ignore the stated requirements by City Council for him to keep his license when he was already in a stated risk of losing his license due to his previous behavior as a NON RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS OWNER in Plainfield???
ReplyDeleteCool... Rivers, Reid and Greaves.. we see your stance on following the law. Thank you very much. We appreciate you going out of your way to show us THE LETTER OF THE LAW MEANS LITTLE TO YOU. Thank you for that. Thank you for showing the citizens of Plainfield you believe there is a status you can achieve for being allowed to ignore the law. Since we know the status required for it being ok to have drugs sold on your property ( business owners in Plainfield..take notice as that was your free pass according to Reid, Rivers and Greaves ..suddenly that tax bill isn't seeming so oppressive is it huh?? Huh ? FYI.. pot is apparently still one of the larger mark up items for you business owners looking to make an extra buck now that we know part of the city council thinks its ok ) but I myself am curious.. What are the requirements for prostitution?? What are the requirements for money laundering?? What are the requirements for NOT PAYING YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ?? Could Reid, Greaves and Rivers get together and put out a list of requirements you need to make it ok?? I mean apparently their are plenty of entrepreneurial citizens in Plainfield who would be interested in finding out what it takes to have a "law free" zone established where they want to operate.
Reid: Seriously ??? SISTER HOLIER THAN THOUGH WANTED THIS ISSUE DROPPED???? REALLY REID?? FIRE WATER RUNNING RAMPANT THROUGH THIS CITY AND YOU SUDDENLY THINK IT SHOULD BE DROPPED??? Wow... I would love to know what it was exactly that caused you to suddenly take your habit off and embrace illegal behavior with the sale of alcohol. Not just the sale of alcohol which as little as a month ago caused you to swoon and go faint at the unholy prospect of more devils brew being sold in this city and now you want to keep a person who ALLOWS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR WITH THE SALE OF IT ??
Rivers: He owns lots of properties???? BULLY FOR HIM! WOW... so that gives him the right to ignore the law for 2 plus years while he's been on the radar?? BECAUSE he owns lots of properties, the city of Plainfield and its living conditions should be a PRIORITY to him, not an after thought like they are to you Rivers.
This type of leadership is embrassing" maybe it's time for the Mr.x to consider seeking a council seat to even consider dropping the matter is a sign of irrational thinking taking place if our youth have a proper paradigm as the example in place, in many cases they wouldn't have to make a shift the good example has already been displayed!
ReplyDeleteI will be blogging about this as well, but as I stated at the council meeting, the owners of this liquor store are a MENACE to our city--a menace to our youth, and they are a menace to the folks in the 4th Ward who want a decent place to live. I don't know what the amount of properties they own have to do with giving them yet "another chance"--they had scores of violations in 2011, when I first came on the council and attended my first ABC meeting. In 2012, the violations were even more serious and egregious--drugs were under the ice cream counter, being sold in and out of the place--there were well over 100 police calls (imagine the amount of police resources that are being poured into this single establishment!), and we placed stringent conditions on this store--many of which the owner has ignored!
ReplyDeleteThey have shown contempt and disregard for the law here in Plainfield, and the fact that BOTH the owner AND his daughter were ARRESTED for selling alcohol to a minor and drugs (respectively) shows that they feel they can do whatever they want!
We are ethically bound to uphold the laws of Plainfield and the administration is bound to implement them--what are we saying to the police and to the folks in that neighborhood who are struggling to keep their kids and other young people safe? Right before I came on the council, 16 year-old Spencer Cadogan was murdered steps away from this place--not saying there is a direct connection, but the environment fostered by the owners permitting drugs to be sold in and out of Clinton Deli & Liquors definitely contributes to the sense of lawlessness. What are we to tell the brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, and other residents who have to walk past this menace, who risk their lives going into a place where drugs are sold? What are we to tell the police who are smacked down for trying to do their job? What happens the next time (because there WILL be a next time--given the 100+ calls to this place) drugs or a gun are used in this place and the offender decides to SHOOT the cop rather than get arrested? What happens if a child is shot? This is serious business. I do NOT feel any sympathy for a business owner who breaks the law. This was his THIRD chance--he shrugged it off contemptuously! This is NOT a minor violation--this is extremely serious. I hope that residents will come out to the meeting on Monday to make their voices heard on this. A denial of the liquor license is the only way we can protect our defenseless residents and youngsters in that neighborhood from the greed and lawlessness of the owners of that establishment--who don't care about the illegal guns, the illegal drugs, selling alcohol to the children in the community--they show contempt for the lives and safety of Plainfield youth. They have shown contempt for the residents, their children, our police, and the city council.
Although we only need 4 votes, it is my sincere hope that when this comes up at the council meeting on Monday, we have a 7-0 vote in favor of the denial.
Rebecca
sadly the council will vote how the council wants to vote regardless of how many citizens come to support the denial to this establishment
DeleteYou think this is New ?????
ReplyDeleteWhen I was on the Council in the early 90s Naicken was creating problems at his Arlington Liquors. Another chance?
ReplyDeleteDonna Vose
Exactly, Donna--he just moved the problem to the West End. It would be unconscionable for the governing body to allow this menace to continuing endangering our community.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
And please don't forget how much we love our children. The store is close to a playground, I believe. So, please, let's have drugs and illegal activity close to our children so they can see how they should act.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Reid, Rivers, and Greaves are just being obstinate. Or worse, there is something going on in the background.
And, I respect Tracey Brown for her courage to change her vote and do the right thing. Perhaps she can talk to the others.
The fact is, this just does not smell right.
Rivers needs to remember that although the daughter was barred from selling at the store, she VIOLATED that issue and was found at the store continuing to sell.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Council President Rivers, how do you know that he has 11 properties? and how do you know he has paid taxes on them? Because he told you?
I agree with 10:23am - Something does not seem right. Ironic that the 1st and 4th wards, who are constantly crying about their crime have their representatives of the 1st and 4th ward voting to KEEP crime in the neighborhood.
Unless.... did the owner threaten to kick people out of the buildings - or raise rents?
It does not smell right.
Lets hope that all the Council members remember that you represent the City and its Residents. This is a safety issue. This is a repeat violator of the laws. He owns many properties in the City?? So he is yet another slum lord in the City who only wants the money and lets the places he owns get run down. Run him out of town. We do not need this in our City. Shut down the deli. Remove the liquor license. Enough is enough. Clean up this menace on the West End.
ReplyDelete