Woburn license holders reminded to keep renewal paperwork, display licenses and safety systems current

Woburn City police, building and fire officials told liquor license holders Thursday that the annual on‑site inspection process will proceed in November and urged businesses to have key documents and safety systems ready to speed renewals.

Captain Murphy, the police liaison to the License Commission, said the city will attempt to complete many on‑site visits in the first two weeks of November and repeated that licensees must make a yellow inspection form available on site for officials to sign. “Leave this yellow piece of paper in your folder at the bottom of the desk or the front desk somewhere that’s accessible,” Murphy said, adding that inspectors often waste time searching for the form.

Murphy and building commissioner Tom Quinn reviewed several recurring compliance items: permanent standing liquor licenses and current liquor‑store licenses must be visibly posted in the public area (not tucked in an office), two required warning signs must be displayed where the public normally congregates, and temporary extension requests for Thanksgiving morning, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve need advance notice to the clerk’s office for police to be notified.

Quinn asked social clubs and restaurants to check egress lighting, fire extinguishers and exit signage and warned that window coverings should not block first responders’ sightlines. “If the windows are blocked, they won’t be able to see what’s going on,” Quinn said. Lt. Mark Smith of the Woburn Fire Department stressed kitchen fire safety: restaurants should confirm hood cleaning schedules (often every 90 days) and ensure kitchen suppression systems (Ansul) and K‑class extinguishers are inspected and properly tagged.

On age verification, Murphy said the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has expanded acceptable forms of ID and licensees should be cautious when accepting out‑of‑state IDs. He recommended ID‑scanning devices that check licenses against updated databases as an additional precaution: “I recommend them…for the liability they take off your shoulders.”

Deputy Treasurer Jen McKetrick told license holders the Treasurer’s Office requires a completed certification of tax‑collector form, including parcel ID and owner contact information, and that unsigned forms cannot be processed. Casey Hagerty of the Economic Development Office reminded businesses the city will host a part‑time job fair Nov. 15 and offered the office as a resource for recruiting and permitting questions.

Commissioners and staff said the city tries to be helpful but reminded licensees to meet deadlines; failure to produce required documentation before the deadline can force a restart of the renewal process and possible delays. “We want you to succeed,” Mayor Concannon said earlier in the meeting; public‑safety staff emphasized that compliance both protects customers and reduces enforcement risks for businesses.