Town seeks answers in Centerfolds license suspension

by Charles Kelleher Harris

OXFORD- The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday directed Town Manager Joseph M. Zeneski to make further inquires in response to a letter received from the Commonwealth's Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission detailing violations, and a subsequent license suspension against Centerfolds 2000.

According to the letter, after a November 27 hearing, Centerfolds 2000, which is owned by OXCO, Inc., 139 Southbridge Road, the Commission found that OXCO  was in violation of state regulations for "permitting an illegality on the licensed premises."

The letter went on to detail an investigation that took place in March of this year.

On March 16 an ABC Commission Investigator named Brad Doyle visited Centerfolds 2000, accompanied by another investigator.

Their visit was in regards to "a complaint of tampering with alcoholic liquor bottles."

The investigators then spoke with two managers Maril Muska and Peter Allard and toured the facility.

During their inspection the investigators observed that open liquor bottles consisted of higher cost of more expensive brands of liquor, however adjacent to these bottles were liquor bottles containing less expensive brands.

Investigators determined that "similar bottles had different levels of liquor in them, which indicated to them that the composition of the bottles had been changed or tampered with from their original state."

It was also determined that there were several brands of liquor in the storage area that were not available for sale in the bar area. These brands were all "lower priced" brands of liquor.

Neither Muska nor Allard were able to offer any answers to investigators about the inconsistencies.

After obtaining invoices for the previous nine months, ABC Commission investigators determined that several of the higher cost brands of liquor had not been purchased in the previous nine months, but the cheaper brands had been.

In conclusion the ABC Commission found that there was a license violation and ordered OXCO, Inc. to surrender the license for six days commencing on January 23, 2013. The license has to be delivered to the local licensing board for that period.

When contacted for comment on the matter, Muska stated that he had "nothing to say" about it and deferred to an unnamed owner and a 800 number. When that number was called it was found to belong to a different cooperation that has nothing to do with OXCO, Inc. or Centerfolds 2000.

The Board of Selectmen, seeking an explanation from OXCO, Inc., voted to have Zeneski draft a letter to OXCO, Inc. asking for more information. 

In other business, the Board gave Access Oxford control of the town's cable channels for six months, with the expectation that new video equipment would be installed before Feb. 4.

Four members were appointed to a new Cable Advisory Channel: Kathryn A. Eljadidi, Eugene B. MacKay, Ann Mrvica, and Howard R. Merson.