SWAMPSCOTT— The Select Board has voted unanimously to renew the liquor licenses of the Swampscott Club, Italian Club, and Swampscott Yacht Club for a year.

Monday’s decision comes on the heels of the board voting to renew the licenses through this month at its Feb. 28 meeting. Board member MaryEllen Fletcher expressed her disagreement with the procedure of a monthly renewal as opposed to yearly.

“These are three clubs in our community that from my understanding, there are no violations to their liquor license,” Fletcher said last month. “It almost seems punitive… now we want to extend it just 30 days?”

Vice Chair Katie Phelan, who served as Chair on Feb. 28 in the absence of David Grishman, urged Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald to have he and Grishman place it on the next meeting’s agenda for further discussion.

The board immediately revisited the topic Monday. Board member Peter Spellios expressed his disdain for the state law in that he feels it allows social clubs to “legally discriminate” against certain demographics.

“If an applicant tomorrow comes in and says they want to do a no-Muslims club, no-gay club, no-black people club, no-white people club, no-Christian club, no-women club … If it’s a private club, state liquor laws do not give municipalities discretion,” Spellios said. “I found it completely unacceptable. It’s embarrassing that in 2024 that’s the law.”

Spellios added that these concerns do not necessarily apply to the three clubs in Swampscott, however he expressed personal concerns about clubs not accepting women in the past. Spellios also said liquor licenses act as revenue generating tools for the clubs.

“Not only do they get the benefit of something — a liquor license — they also don’t have to pay real estate taxes,” Spellios said. “The fact that they can do this, and legally discriminate on any of these bases is obscene to me.”

He apologized to the clubs in town for having to deal with the recent uncertainty of having liquor licenses renewed on a monthly basis. He hopes that the three social clubs encourage women and other groups to be part of their clubs.

Michael Kelleher, a member of the Swampscott Club’s Board, was happy to see the Select Board decide to extend the renewal length.

“We’re happy they finally voted them in,” Kelleher said. “The issue has been put to bed.”