Residents Invited to Liquor Licenses Referendum Forum on Oct. 19

In early August, petitions with 1,000 signatures were submitted to the New Providence Borough Clerk,

As a result, the following question will appear on the ballot: “Shall the retail sale of all kinds of alcoholic beverages, for consumption on the licensed premise by the glass or other open receptacle pursuant to chapter one of the Title Intoxicating Liquors of the Revised Statutes (§ 33:1-1 et seq.), be permitted in this municipality?”

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, the borough is holding a forum at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Center with three panelists who will address questions and concerns from community members regarding this referendum question and what will happen if it does pass.

Borough Administrator Doug Marvin said the panel will include Borough Attorney Carl Woodward, Councilman Rob Munoz and Deputy Police Chief Scott Torre. Moderators will be Dr. Kevin Lake, President of the Board of Health, and Gary Kapner, former President of the New Providence Business and Professional Association.

As a board member of the New Providence Downtown Improvement District and owner of , Kapner penned a in June, explaining why he believes the sale of liquor licenses could be used as "an economic tool" to help revitalize the downtown area.

Council President Michael Gennaro said the intent of the Wednesday night forum, and is to provide information about each referendum, not advocate for residents to vote for the referendums one way or another.

“The purpose of this would be simply to get facts out,” Gennaro said at the Sept. 12 council meeting. “It’s not meant to be pro or against either referendum. It’s meant to go straight down the line and relay the facts. I think it would be very helpful to the community to have facts as they look at the referendums.”

Marvin said both referendum questions and the explanatory statements can be viewed on the borough’s website, newprov.org.

“In addition to that, there is a mechanism in place for you to send in a question via our web site, which will then be asked at the forum,” he said. “These forums are designed to get factual information out to the public with regard to these very important topics and we hope that the public will go to the website, or attend, and send questions in to us so we can be sure to get answers to the questions out to the public.”

After the petitions were submitted in early August, Marvin told Patch that he is optimistic that the sale of liquor licenses could help create a stronger, more active downtown. 

"Included in a successful community are the following components: public safety, good schools, a vibrant downtown and recreational programs that include all aspects of the community," Marvin said in August. "Liquor licenses would be very helpful in creating a strong, vibrant downtown.  As more people are drawn to the downtown, they will have an opportunity to see how much we have to offer."

Marvin noted that much work has been done to the streetscape and new restaurants would allow others a chance to appreciate everything that the downtown embodies.

Marvin said New Providence is not currently thought of as an evening destination the way neighboring towns are, such as Summit or Westfield, because of the lack of upscale restaurants.

"Once you have people coming, you attract more establishments," Marvin said in August. "In Summit, there are lots of options: Roots, Fiorinos. We don't have that here."

If residents are unavailable to attend on Wednesday night, the forum will be videotaped, posted on the borough’s website and will be available on NP-TV.

—Liz Alterman contributed to this report.