Ray's Inn request to lift special conditions denied

Business will stay open without alcohol, but with adult entertainment, By Jennifer Jean Miller Andover Township - The request made by Ray’s Inn to the State of New Jersey’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to lift special constraints made on their liquor license by Andover Township was denied. The day following the passage of Andover Township’s resolution to allow the renewal of Ray’s liquor license on Sept. 28, Ray Cerasoli and his attorney, William LaVigne, headed to Trenton to file a Notice of Appeal with the ABC. The township was notified of this action. Cerasoli and LaVigne were not pleased with the conditions laid out by Andover Township, which included no live adult entertainment on the premises. Cerasoli expressed numerous times how the exclusion of this facet from his business would harm it. On Sept. 29 Andover Township received a fax directly from the ABC’s Director Jerry Fischer notifying them of the denial of Ray’s request. Fischer said in his letter before further reviewing the request for stay, he needed additional supporting documentation from Ray’s Inn and Andover Township. Restrictions which had been previously placed on the license by the mayor and Andover Township Committee were not followed by Ray’s. “...and it appearing that there may be serious allegations that continued operation of the license without imposition of conditions is a threat to public health, safety and welfare I shall require further briefing on the matter prior to considering whether to grant the request for a stay,” Fischer wrote. Representatives from Andover Township said Ray’s Inn has currently placed their license in inactive status, a detail confirmed by LaVigne. With the act of hanging up their liquor license, LaVigne said Ray’s Inn will continue with the adult entertainment in the form of topless dancing, but will refrain from selling alcohol. “We will continue business until things are resolved with the township and the ABC,” LaVigne said. LaVigne and his client are currently preparing the documents requested by the ABC. “As a BYOB we no longer have to follow the ABC rules,” said Cerasoli. “Topless dancing is not against the law.” Cerasoli said his patrons must be 21 years of age to enter. He said despite not selling alcohol, he chooses not to admit customers between the ages of 18 through 20. In regard to the decision made by the ABC Cerasoli said, “I did not give one word of testimony and could not cross-examine anyone. I was denied my constitutional rights. The ABC says having a liquor license is a privilege.” Cerasoli added, “I live in this town, too, and pay taxes on two buildings.” The township has been criticized for their decision to place restrictions on Ray’s liquor license by some locals, who view it as trying to cause harm to an area business to placate the township committee’s own moral compass. “This business is not bringing a profit into town, Ray’s pays less in taxes than the average residential property and we are not losing revenue,” Mayor Bob Smith said to the opposition. “I am not making a moral but legal judgment. The last time I checked, prostitution, drug trafficking, knifing, illegal aliens and illegal weaponry are all against the law. I am here to defend the law,” he said, referring to various arrests in the past few years. “If what they were doing was legal, I would defend them to the max,” Smith added. “The facts are the facts. We have nothing to hide and everything to share.”