AMC alcohol policy revised

BURLINGTON – AMC Burlington Cinema 10, located at 20 South Avenue, off Middlesex Turnpike, earned approval from the Board of Selectmen regarding a request to provisionally alter its alcohol policy.

This is the first time AMC has been back in front of the Selectmen for an alcohol matter since they received their all-alcoholic license in 2016.

The exact changes are tied to AMC’s alcohol compliance policy. Currently, AMC has a compliance monitor for inside the auditoriums. The position’s primary objective is to ensure people are not passing off alcoholic beverages to underaged individuals. The compliance monitor is not allowed to do anything else, such as clean up trash, per the alcohol compliance policy as constituted since 2016.

“We are coming up on a very slow year at the movies, so we are looking to save some money,” explained Kate Boucher, AMC Burlington Cinema 10 general manager. “To not have the compliance monitor provide any other services has put a financial burden on AMC.”

It was detailed that certain days of the week, including Monday through Thursday, the AMC bar only sells 4 or 5 drinks at the most. The objective of the request is to temporarily revise the alcohol compliance policy to allow the monitor the ability to perform other duties, besides monitoring the service of alcohol in the theater.

The Selectmen expressed support for the request, with the condition that it only applies throughout the next three months. When the three months are up, the expectation is for AMC to come back to the board and provide statistical and analytical feedback on the state of the compliance monitor position.

“Police Chief [Michael] Kent is fine with this, as long as it is only Monday through Thursday,” remarked Selectman Chair Joseph Morandi, who pointed out the compliance monitor will be back to just their normal compliance duties Friday through Sunday, when AMC sells its most alcoholic beverages during a given week. “The monitor is still going to monitor, but also do other things to help the movie theater. I believe this is a good idea.”

Selectman Michael Runyan admitted he thought the original alcohol compliance policy was “draconian” when AMC got approved for a liquor license in 2016, while he was a board member.

“I am in favor of this idea,” Selectman Runyan declared, who took it a step further. “I suggest eliminating the policy completely Monday through Friday after it is reviewed in three months.”

The Selectmen agreed to revisit Selectman Runyan’s idea in three months, before voting 4-0 to allow the alcohol compliance monitor to perform other duties while on the job Monday through Thursday for the next three months. Selectman Bob Hogan was absent.