Rolling the streets up early
For the last two years residents of Worcester have been hearing the City Administration talk of a transformation to an 18 hour city. For those of us Worcesterites fortunate enough to have spent time in and enjoyed other cities across the country and around the world, this has been music to our ears. Finally our home was going to wake early and stay open late! Thus building commerce, attracting new residents with fresh ideas and outlooks and attracting new commerce as well. We will be showing public support for a burgeoning industry, which will serve as a backbone for future local growth. We are all thinking about music, the arts, and retail operations leaving the malls to come back to street level spaces, long since abandoned. We envision a city that stays alive long after the sun goes down, with a rebirth in locally owned and operated business that are lucrative. We talk about the cultural community moving to the forefront of our cities vision, making room for immigrants, craftspeople, musicians, and artists to gain equal footing in forming public policy, instead of being a novelty most people only hear about and never experience. And now we may see ourselves taking a giant step backwards.
On Thursday January 19th at 10:00am the City of Worcester License Commission will be meeting in the City Council chambers to discuss potential changes and amendments to Worcester licensing structure. All holders of entertainment licenses in the City of Worcester have received letters informing them of potential changes which could affect their ability to stay in business. This notice stems from issues with Shrewsbury St business and it is likely that their entertainment licenses will be amended with a Cinderella clause forcing them to end all entertainment, requiring a license, at midnight. This amendment has received a green light from the city legal department and sets the ground work for a lasting precedent. As someone who enjoys and takes advantage of everything my city can offer in terms of nightlife, and as a committed resident of Worcester, I
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Comments
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Well said Mr. Paxton. Having had the opportunity (outside of Worc.)to be in the political position of understanding the need for change, hearing the dissatisfaction of a population, and having to be the only one to represent that desire for change has allowed me to truly appreciate those that "do". Your call to action is articulate, direct, and proactive.
It's very easy to believe that someone else will do the job of attending a meeting and represent for you, but the thing that speaks to policy-makers is not "well my friends say..." it is the visual impact of bodies. Votes can't happen unless you are there to raise your hand. Intentions don't change situations, action does.
Take your lunch early that day, or you'll have a whole lotta nights free.
All done with nice.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Ironically, I will be in Austin on Thursday.
I hope your efforts will be able to effect some change for the better.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
We have a saying about all of our high maintenance customers down here at my job and it goes like this:
"The squeaky wheel gets the oil."
I am starting to realize just how many life situations this applies to, including the one being discussed above. Be the squeaky wheel guys. When it comes down to it Worcester is a city of apathy. One thing I always used to say when I lived there was all you had to do in Worcester to beat your competition is show up. When I heeded my own advice there I usually did pretty well and when I didn't I did poorly. This may be looked at as bad advice, but you really don't even have to put in your 100% effort, odds are your competitor isn't. Just think what might happen if you do.
You get some vocal bodies into that meeting on Thursday something WILL get accomplished.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Out of curiosity, do you have many people lined up to attend this?
Re: Rolling the streets up early
I'm not selling tickets. So we'll see.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
So... let me make sure I understand this... Is the general public allowed to attend this 10:00 AM meeting at City Hall and are we going to be allowed to make comments / statements or just listen in?
I'm going to free up my Thursday morning...
-Doug / Action Geek
dsquared graphic design
http://www.dsquared.org
Doug-Cab
http://www.dsquared.org/dougcab.html
Re: Rolling the streets up early
It is an open meeting.
It is NOT a public hearing, you can petition to speak before the meeting just like a City Council meeting.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
And how does one go about petitioning to speak before this open meeting? (newbie to all the political hoops and all that bs)
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Just show up around the time it starts and put your name on a list. There are sometimes other opportunities given for speaking depending on the issue at hand.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
I have forwarded this whole "Rolling The Streets Up" article to the ANT! Yahoo Group, Worcester Artist Group Yahoo Group, stART on the Street Yahoo Group and the Diner City Scooter club Yahoo Group...
I also posted it as a BULLETIN on my MySpace account.
It is VITAL that all BARTENDERS, CLUB OWNERS, BANDS, PROMOTERS and general fans of nightlife in general, regardlerss of whether you're strictly a Ralph's person or a RED 1888 attendee or a whatever... THIS AFFECTS ALL OF US - scenesters and non-scenesters alike...
If Worcester establishments are forced to close at midnight:
- Bartenders lose a huge chunk of their incomes
- Entertainers not only lose out on playing time, but audience expansion / business expansion opps
- Club owners lose customers to surrounding towns that DON'T close at midnight
It goes on & on. Just because some sour grapes who live in expanding and ever-successful sections of town that have nightlife thriving in them DOES NOT MEAN that they can dictate the way the entire city does business. Making all Worcester establishments close at midnight is squashing growth in the city I love to call home.
Ugh...
I'll be at City Hall at 9:30 AM waiting to make MY VOICE HEARD on this HUGE issue.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Thank you for pushing this to your people Doug.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
It blows my mind, because here I am living in Quinsigamond Village, and everyone here seems to be rather excited about the developments coming to the neighborhood and new restaurants and whatnot. And it is very much an "old" neighborhood.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
I will be doing my best to be there. Who the hell thought this whole this up. Peter Lukes?
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Garry Vecchio and the Shrewsbury St Neighborhood association.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
Shrewsbury St was excited at one point as well. It was the Neighborhood association that paid for many of the streets improvements along with the Business association.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
I'd actually like to attend this meeting. I do my fair share of bitching lately, and would like to do something about it. Unfortunately, I work in Framingham and will be unable to attend, which annoys me.
......
Re: Rolling the streets up early
I had every intention of coming to this. I even have a markedly flexible work situation, but I couldn't avoid a trip to Providence this morning to fix a client's computer. I am eagerly awaiting news on how it went.
Re: Rolling the streets up early
This morning the License Commission tabled discussion of new proposed regulations of live entertainment on Shrewsbury Street. Here's what the City Solicitor proposed as a regulation:
'All live entertainment performed in an establishment on Shrewsbury Street in the city of Worcester holding a license granted under G.L. c.140