Hopatcong Bar Regains Entertainment License

Castaways Tavern will get its entertainment license back.

Hopatcong's council voted unanimously at Wednesday night's meeting to give the bar and restaurant the license after rejecting its 2011-12 application last month because they didn't believe the owner, Paul Bogensberger, had alleviated a neighbor's noise complaint issues.

The council changed its mind after listening to Bogensberger, who prodded the the members for their handling of the issue before explaining what he's done and will do to fix the problem.

"I'm pretty satisfied listening to the business owner that he has done extensive efforts and is interested in not having further complaints," Councilman Mike Francis said.

Mayor Sylvia Petillo and Councilwoman Marie Galate agreed.

"You recognize the issue," Petillo told Bogensberger. "And I think you're doing a lot of things that will help make it so that [the neighbor] can have a good night sleep, too, and you have your bands at the same time."

Bogensberger said the neighbor, Sam Deo, has filed at least nine noise complaints against Castaways Tavern since Bogensberger bought it in 2007. Another noise complaint was filed anonymously, he said. Bogensberger said all of the complaints came after Castaways Tavern hosted loud bands geared toward younger audiences and that it would stick to acoustic acts or DJs until he resolved the dispute with Deo, who was not at the meeting.

"I work with folks who live around me," Bogensberger said. "I try not to be defiant. I try to mind my own business and I just want to run a decent business. I'll do what I have to do to cure the problem."

He also said he could empathize with Deo.

"We can all relate to being on the Garden State Parkway in traffic and some kid next you has his radio turned up," he said. "And you close all your windows, and even though you close all of your windows you're still sitting there, feeling the bass from his radio. happens to all of us. I can sympathize with the guy."

Bogensberger said he's looked into various soundproofing measures, but that each would be costly or would impact the bar's physically challenged customers.

He also said no other neighbors have complained of the noise and that he wasn't exactly sure how to ensure he wouldn't disturb the area's peace since he couldn't find a decibel meter other than the one on his iPhone, which he said a Hopatcong municipal judge told him wasn't sufficent. Borough Attorney John Ursin he could get a decibel meter through the Sussex County Department of Health and Environmental Services.

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