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Everett council upholds concerns but conditionally allows dealer license to be reinstated after inspections
Summary
After a lengthy hearing featuring state and local law‑enforcement testimony alleging misuse of dealer plates and record‑keeping failures, the council approved conditional reinstatement of Boston Motorsports' Class 2 dealer license only after City Clerk and law enforcement confirm compliance; a 90‑day performance period and 'last chance' conditions were imposed.
The Everett City Council heard more than two hours of testimony and documentary evidence in an appeal brought by Boston Motorsports of a 30‑day suspension of its Class 2 motor vehicle dealer license.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Gene Lawrence and Everett Police Sergeant Gaff described an ongoing multiyear investigation into the Everett dealership that began with stops in 2022. Trooper Lawrence said investigators found instances of vehicles using plates not registered to those vehicles, incomplete used‑car record books, inventory in excess of the licensed number, and at least one counterfeit dealer plate seized by troopers. He told the council that possession and misuse of out‑of‑state or counterfeit transporter plates can be used to avoid taxes and insurance, calling such behavior "egregious." Everett police also documented repeated city‑ordinance violations during inspections.
Attorney Mike Kelly, representing the appellant, disputed criminal culpability and said the dealership had never been criminally charged. Kelly said his clients have been fighting to recover dealer plates through the Registry of Motor Vehicles appeals process and argued some prior administrative decisions did not present the full set of facts. The appellant acknowledged administrative violations in the past but said many deficiencies had been corrected and requested the council to reinstate the license so the business could return to operations.
Councilors asked detailed questions about the timeline of plate revocation and reinspection, whether the owner or license holder was present at the business during inspections, the number of vehicles authorized versus present on the lot, and the registry’s role in administrative appeals. Council members expressed concern about consumer and public safety risk if vehicles on the road lack proper registration or insurance.
After deliberation the council adopted a resolution that denied the appellant’s appeal as presented but authorized a conditional reinstatement process: the City Clerk, working with legal counsel and state/local law enforcement, will inspect the dealership and confirm that city ordinance violations have been corrected before a license is reissued. The council also required a 90‑day performance period and reserved authority to move to revocation if any infraction is later documented. Members emphasized this is a final opportunity: councilors said they would impose a strict "last chance" agreement and indicated zero tolerance for further violations.
Speakers for the hearing included Trooper Gene Lawrence (Massachusetts State Police, vehicle services), Sergeant Gaff (Everett Police), attorney Mike Kelly (representing Boston Motorsports), and license holder representatives Jerome Weeks and Latasha Woods. The City Clerk announced the suspension was due to expire within days; the council’s conditional approach ties reinstatement to a city‑led inspection and corrective action plan rather than immediate restoration.
