WHATELY – The new owners of Club Castaways met with the Selectboard recently. The discussion left town officials concerned the applicants don’t have the experience to run a club specializing in adult entertainment.

“I hear a lot about running family restaurants with a liquor license but not a lot about the problems of running an adult entertainment facility, which is very different,” said Selectman Fred Baron.

The principal members of HC Investments LLC, primarily active in real estate, submitted documents for licenses to operate the club and serve alcohol. Paula Andrea, who will serve as head bartender, told the board she has 15 years of experience working in establishments in Boston.

“As a woman,” Andrea said, “I’m in a very good position to open up this place, in a community like this, and know I’m gonna have a very safe environment for the girls who come in.”

Andrea said the company hired a consultant, Peter Depesa, who currently owns three establishments in the Boston area, to train company personnel on how to operate a nightclub. Andrea and the future general manager, Alexander Cwiakala, told the board they also hired a security expert, Shawn Marando, a member of the Boston Police Department, to train staff in de-escalation techniques and general security.

Baron and Selectboard Chair Jonathan Edwards asked that Marando and the principals submit a security plan to the town and meet with Police Chief James Sevigny, in attendance at the meeting, to discuss it. Sevigny said his concerns center on traffic issues and club safety.

“We established that with the last owners,” Sevigny said, “setting up restricted parking areas so we have line of sight, looking north from Christian Lane.” The board and Sevigny also suggested the police chief and Marando meet so that Sevigny can be certain that security will be sufficient at the club.

The legal representative for HC Investments, attorney Thomas Lesser, commented that a condition of the license granted the last owners of the club was to put in place a security plan approved by the chief no less than 30 days after the license to operate is issued. Lesser also emphasized the applicants have a protected right to operate the club.

“These licenses are First Amendment protected, that’s why there’s very little discretion for the board,” Lesser said.

Abutter Margaret Bryan, owner of the farm at 242 State Rd., called in to voice her misgivings. She mentioned that in the past club patrons trespassed on her property. A friend of her late husband also decided to close her flower shop when she heard the club may again be open for business.

“If this place reopens, I’m just really scared,” Bryan said. “With these new owners, without much experience … I’m just very skeptical that this will be the right fit for Whately. I know a lot of people like this place, and our old farmers like to go there, they’re nostalgic about it, but it just can’t expand any further.”

Andrea sought to dispel residents’ fears by describing how Cwiakala installed exterior cameras around a property in Springfield that local police were able to directly access. Cwiakala had previously offered his efforts there, dealing with the drug traffic and related gun violence, as evidence he knows how to manage people.

“I battled and leaned on my local officials, the police department, the narcotics department, the mayor,” Cwiakala said. The dealers moved to another area and, according to Cwiakala, his building sits on a much safer street. “If I can get through that type of very terrifying work environment I can manage people and make sure we don’t over-serve them.”

Cwiakala said the new owners have no plan to expand the footprint of the club. Rather, the façade will be renovated and the interior will receive an update. Wasted spaces will be better utilized.

The board requested the principals of HC Investments set up a meeting between Marando and Sevigne. The board continued the hearing on the operations and liquor licenses for Club Castaways to the meeting of the selectboard scheduled for April 13.