My Letter to ABRA

As a result of some comments received in an earlier thread, this morning I drafted and sent an email to Mr. Fred Moosally, general counsel at ABRA and the point of contact for the Queen of Sheba's liquor license application urging the Board to render a decision as quickly as possible (rather than the two month time frame they are operating under). I do not know if there is a precedent for ABRA expediting decisions in matters such as these, but I'm operating under the "it-can't-hurt-to-try" mentality.

For those of you who wish to contact Mr. Moosally and make your views on this matter known, his contact information is as follows:

Fred Moosally, General Counsel
fred.moosally@dc.gov
(202) 442-4423
License No. 73644, Case No. 61017-07/043P

I've copied the text of my letter below. Here's hoping common sense prevails and a decision in favor of the Queen is rendered sooner rather than later.

Mr. Moosally,

I'm writing to you regarding the pending liquor license application for the Queen of Sheba restaurant (#73644), the protest hearing for which was conducted on September 20, 2007.

It is my understanding that the hearing ended with the pronouncement that no further protests would be heard, and a decision rendered on the application within two months time. I would urge the Board to reconsider this time frame and expedite a decision on behalf of the restaurant.

Mr. Misgina, owner of the Queen of Sheba restaurant, has endured an overly lengthy process as well as a slew of protests to his application based on tenuous assumptions, ignorance and fear-mongering from a small (and non-representative) collection of protesters. The protests were unwarranted and frivolous, at best, and the fact that they were allowed to continue in spite of insufficient numbers present at hearings, unwarranted requests for continuances and repeated assertions lacking any basis in fact is preposterous in its own right. That the ABRA board would then further delay a decision on this application for two more months--when a decision in favor of Mr. Misgina's restaurant seems the only rightful course of action--is patently absurd.

I'm quite certain I do not need to remind you of the importance of an establishment such as the Queen of Sheba holding a liquor license. That Mr. Misgina has proceeded to operate his restaurant throughout this entire application process is a testament to his desire to succeed in a neighborhood that so desperately needs businesses such as his. This process has already been frustratingly lengthy, thus I urge the Board to do everything in its power to expedite a decision on this matter and render a decision in favor of the Queen of Sheba as quickly as possible.

Sincerely yours,

14th and You