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GREENBURGH, N.Y. — With money at a premium, the Greenburgh Nature Center is looking for new ways to pad its coffers.
Officials at the Dromore Road center have requested they be allowed to serve alcohol at up to four fundraisers per year, an idea that needs town approval, as booze is currently off-limits at the site.
“We want to bring in some additional funds to be able to keep the standard of the work we are doing,” said Executive Director Courtney White. “The demand is greater than ever, yet our funds are lower than ever.”
Already, the nature center has seen its funding from the town down between $80,000 and $100,000 in recent years, White said. And with the threat of losing even more funding, the nature center has had to look for money in other places, she said.
White is hoping the ability to serve alcohol might help boost revenues with corporate parties or cocktail events. At the very least, it would keep the parties on site, she said. Currently, the nature center has to host fundraisers at nearby hotels or other locations if it wants to serve alcohol.
“It seems crazy to have to go to the Ritz Carlton to have our fundraiser there,” White said.
Even if it were granted permission to serve booze, weddings and other outside events would remain dry, White said. The permission to sell alcohol would be limited strictly to nature center fundraisers.
The center would also foot the bill for a licensed bartender and any insurance costs that come with serving alcohol, White said. And nature center officials aren’t planning any wild parties with boozed-up guests, the director said.
“It would be a charming evening for adults to socialize and have a glass of wine or a beer,” she said.
The Greenburgh Town Council will hold a public discussion on the proposal at its May 9 meeting.
Comments (1)
"White is hoping the ability to serve alcohol might help boost revenues with corporate parties or cocktail events."
followed by...
"Even if it were granted permission to serve booze, weddings and other outside events would remain dry, White said. The permission to sell alcohol would be limited strictly to nature center fundraisers."
Give me a break.
This major departure from policy is not the same as "All we are saying is give peace a chance".
With liquor sales allowed here, why not allow liquor to be sold at Town Hall, in Town Parks, in Schools? They are all facing budgetary problems.
What entity is going to sell the liquor -- what entity is going to hold the liquor license? Is there such a things as a "licensed bartender" or is it a licensed establishment that is the licensee determinate? How much profit is anticipated from liquor sales? Where and how is the liquor not sold to be stored (assuming the Nature Center is your barkeep)?
As usual, I suspect that other than the idea, there has been no thought given to the implementation.
And the Nature Center, which bowed to pressure to register concern about a residential project across the street because it would upset the flowers and fauna, continues to push the envelope regarding its own actions and their effect upon the same flowers and fauna in its keeping. "Please don't trample the flowers on the way out..."
Has the Nature Center used the Ritz Carlton for fund raising activities? Or is it just citing the Rolls Royce for effect as though the choice of location had some bottom line cost attached to it. I suspect that whatever venue selected (already in the business of selling food and beverage), it would provide the room at no cost in turn for the food and beverage revenue -- even the Ritz Carlton AND throw in staffing and clean-up at no charge. Some venues might even pay for the privilege to be host.
Another Greenburgh issue that appears here in print without the article itself mentioning the downside -- or opposition.
And is it a "Public Discussion" or a "Public Hearing"?
Hal Samis