Tavern, boro come to terms on license
Johnny G's has been operating on temporary license since last fall
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

SAYREVILLE - Johnny G's bar will stay open for business after all.

The borough is expected to issue a permanent liquor license for the bar in the coming weeks as per a settlement reached in a state court, according to bar owner John Golaszewski.

The Embroidery Street business has been operating on an interim permit since the bar was shut down briefly by the borough last fall for being what was described as a public nuisance. Golaszewski appealed the borough's decision at that time.

The bar is located on a narrow residential street, and neighbors have voiced complaints about noise, vandalism, littering, public drunkenness and speeding in the neighborhood.

Golaszewski said the settlement with the borough was reached at a court hearing of the state Department of Administrative Law in Mercerville last week.

The liquor license will maintain restrictions placed on the bar's hours of operation, and will also require signs on the building instructing patrons not to loiter in the street, and that any smoking is to be done in the rear of the property.

Council President Thomas Pollando said the conditions are to ensure the cleanliness of the establishment and to keep excessive noise down in the neighborhood.

"We are just looking to make the people in the surrounding area have a good quality of life," he said.

In addition to restricting the hours of the business, the bar must give advance notice before live entertainment is provided, Pollando said.

Residents told borough officials that illegal parking is an issue in the neighborhood, Pollando said, adding that some concerns were cars parked in the wrong direction and blocking driveways.

"We are really concerned about parking," Pollando said.

The borough's newly formed task force to focus on borough nightclubs and bars regularly receives police reports on nightclubs and bars throughout the town, Pollando said.

"We are going to keep an eye on the establishment," he said.

Resident Antoinette Smith told to the Suburban that the neighborhood still has concerns about the quality of life.

"In the past, the owner has not abided by the many promises he has made residents in this area," Smith wrote in a statement. "We understand that the Borough of Sayreville and police chief will work with the residents and owner to ensure that any conditions set between the parties are met."

Golaszewski has been critical of the mayor and council throughout the process, saying that the governing body acted without contacting him or verifying the complaints from residents. He said he was not even notified that there were objections to his liquor license being renewed in August.

"The town knew that they were not supposed to have that hearing," Golaszewski said of a hearing held at borough hall at the time.

The borough shut down the bar in September, but the state division of Alcoholic Beverage Control ordered that the liquor license be extended to a later date.

Golaszewski said he took offense to comments made about his business and its patrons during last year's hearing.

"I am curious to see how much this has cost the town," Golaszewski added. "Not only in dollars and cents - how do you quantify man-time?

"The bottom line is this," Golaszewski added. "This all could have been avoided with a phone call or two, on behalf of the mayor and council, directly to me and we would have sat down and hashed it out."

But Smith told the Suburban that she believes the borough's actions were needed in order for the neighbors to get the concessions that they wanted.

"I think there needs to be Borough Council involvement in setting conditions, and the neighborhood appreciates all of the hard work that the borough has done," she said.

Pollando said that the borough expects Johnny G's to be a good neighbor.

"We are going to do what is right for the residents of Sayreville," Pollando said. "[Golaszewski] needs to do what is right for his patrons and the people in the area, so if we had to do it again, we would do it again."