Page 2 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2021 Permit hearing leads to council raising questions about alleged hotel activity By Adam Swift A fire protection engineer tasked with securing a permit for the storage of fl ammable liquids for underground parking at the Avid Hotel on American Legion Highway got a bit of a shock last Monday night. The hotel was seeking the permit from the City Council needed for the underground ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE Regular Unleaded $2.859 Mid Unleaded $2.919 Super $3.079 Diesel Fuel $3.079 "42 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2020 KERO $4.65 DEF $3.49 9 Diesel $2.859 9 HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN A A DA parking of vehicles on the site. But Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso took the hearing as an opportunity to bring up some less than ideal goings on; he said he’s gotten wind of at the new hotel. “This is the new folks who came into town with the thoughts of doing a good thing for our community and build a nice structure,” said Guinasso. “They only thing they forgot to do was put qualifi ed people inside to manage the hotel to stop prostitution and other illegal activities that are occurring there. This is not germane to your proposal tonight, but I want the council to be aware that this type of activity is occurring there, and I am talking about not one or two or three occasions.” Guinasso said he got his oil changed at a shop next to the hotel and asked about their new neighbor. “Boy, did I get an earful,” said Guinasso. “They said – on several occasions – this type of activity: young girls running out.” City Council President Anthony Zambuto said he had to put a stop to Guinasso’s comments because they were outside the purview of the granting of a fl ammables permit. Paul Moan, the fi re proARTHUR GUINASSO Ward 3 Councillor tection engineer from Code Red Consultants in Southborough, was quick to point out that Guinasso’s concerns were outside his customary role. “I am not a lawyer. I am a fi re protection engineer from Code Red Consultants. You’ll have to forgive me; I have a very limited context here,” said Moan. Zambuto said he understood Moan was before the council for the fl ammables permit and that he wouldn’t have knowledge of any alleged criminal activity at the hotel. While the council approved the permit by a 7-4 vote, the issues raised by Guinasso did give some councillors pause. In addition to Guinasso, Councillors Jessica Ann Giannino, Richard Serino and George Rotondo voted against granting the permit, while Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe voted for it, but only after making it clear that the only issue at hand was the vote on fi re suppression issues. Rotondo suggested the council write to the police chief about issues at the hotel, and Guinasso said he spoke to the chief recently about his concerns. Prices subject to change Have a Happy & FLEET
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