Elected Officials Bring SLA Chairman Bradley and CEO O’Brien Together with Community Leaders for Discussion on Liquor License Issues

New York, NY – Last week, State Senators Brad Hoylman and Liz Krueger, along with representatives from various elected offices in New York City, convened a meeting on nightlife issues between community leaders and State Liquor Authority (SLA) Chairman Vincent Bradley and CEO Kerri O’Brien.

The meeting – which was organized by Sen. Hoylman and included representatives of the offices of Borough President Gale Brewer, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer, District Attorney Cy Vance, Sen. Adriano Espaillat, Assemblymember Dick Gottfried, Councilmembers Rosie Mendez and Corey Johnson, and leaders from Community Boards 4 through 7 – focused on a range of issues including the issuance of new liquor licenses, noise violations, operation hours and the enforcement of SLA regulations.  Deputy CEO Michael Jones and Secretary to the Authority Jacqueline Held also participated in the meeting.

Community Board leadership and Chairman Bradley discussed best practices for Community Board resolutions supporting or denying liquor licenses, including specific language and details that are more likely to garner SLA agreement. All participants agreed on the importance of SLA-licensed businesses being good neighbors within their communities, and the Chair committed to maintaining and enforcing the stipulation system that formalizes the conditions requested by a Community Board before approving a liquor license. On a stipulation issue dear to Community Board leadership, Chair Bradley and his staff agreed that having license stipulations accessible on a public website is the goal moving forward.  Senator Hoylman is the prime sponsor of a bill that would mandate the creation of such a system.

Senator Hoylman said: “During his confirmation hearing I requested that Chairman Bradley meet with local leaders and discuss their various concerns. I commend the Chairman for staying true to his word. This meeting was an important opportunity for SLA leaders to have an open and candid dialogue with community representatives about issues that directly affect residents’ quality of life. I look forward to working with my fellow elected officials and community board members to ensure a strong partnership with the SLA.”

Senator Liz Krueger said: “Protecting the quality of life in our neighborhoods requires constant vigilance and the balancing of many competing interests. The SLA has a vital role to play in this effort, and yesterday Chairman Bradley demonstrated that he is eager to engage with our hard-working Community Boards. Thank you to Senator Hoylman for organizing this meeting, and to Community Boards 4, 5, 6, and 7 for taking part in an important discussion.”

“Yesterday’s meeting was an excellent opportunity for the State Liquor Authority and Community Board leaders to come together to strengthen their working relationship,” said Council Member Corey Johnson. “It’s abundantly clear that our neighborhoods are oversaturated with bars and nightclubs, and the SLA must recognize this fact and act accordingly. Liquor licensing is an essential function of government, and as such, it is crucial that Community Boards, local elected officials, and the State Liquor Authority forge effective partnerships that benefit our communities. I would like to thank Senator Brad Hoylman, NYS Liquor Authority Chair Vincent Bradley, and the Community Board representatives who came to the table to discuss this important issue.”

SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley said: “It is essential for the SLA and community members to maintain open and frequent discussions, and I thank Senator Hoylman for continuing this process. Regular and consistent dialogue with the residents and community leaders where our licensee’s operate helps our agency to make informed licensing decisions and take intelligent enforcement actions, leading to safer communities.”

Christine Berthet, Chair of Community Board 4, said: “Manhattan CB4 was pleased to hear that the Chair will continue to carefully balance the various interests and will hold applicants responsible for their commitments.”

Vikki Barbero, Chair of Community Board 5, said: “We are grateful to State Senator Brad Hoylman for affording us this chance to meet directly with Vincent Bradley, the new Chairman of the State Liquor Authority.  It is always enormously helpful to get answers directly from the source and this opportunity allowed us to establish a good working relationship going forward.”

Sandro Sherrod, Chair of Community Board 6, said: "After our meeting, it's clear that Chairman Bradley understands the need to strike a balance between the businesses and residents in our neighborhoods. I thank Senator Hoylman, Senator Krueger, and our local elected officials for their continued work to improve quality of life."

George Zeppenfeldt-Cestero, Business-Consumer Issues Co-Chair of Community Board 7, said: "Senator Hoylman's work in engaging both NYS SLA leadership and community boards is key for us to better respond to both community and business needs at a local level. "

Senator Hoylman is the main sponsor of two bills in the New York Senate that would require the SLA to post liquor license conditions and agency stipulations on a publicly available website and allow the SLA to include legally binding operational stipulations in liquor licenses to ensure that establishments operate lawfully and in best interests of their host communities.