Tewksbury Select Board approves liquor license, water rate hike, and Verizon cable renewal

Select Board · Meeting of March 10, 2026

Tewksbury Select Board unanimously approves liquor license for Cafe Sicilia and a 6.5 percent water rate hike. The board voted 5-0 at its March 10 meeting to grant an all-alcoholic beverage license to 1300 Main Cafe, Inc., operating as Cafe Sicilia at 1300 Main Street, with alcohol service capped at midnight at the request of Clerk John Lombardo. The board also voted unanimously to set water rates up 6.5 percent and sewer rates up 3 percent for the coming fiscal year, with Town Manager Curran drawing $450,000 in overlay surplus to hold the water increase below a projected 11 percent; 71 percent of residents will see annual water bills rise no more than $41.

Member James F. Mackey III warned the board's $5.4 million annual water main commitment "is not a sustainable objective" without a structured debt plan, and the board separately voted to schedule working sessions to produce one. The Verizon New England cable television franchise was renewed effective May 30, 2026, and approval of three sets of executive session minutes was tabled pending a town counsel review of whether they satisfy Mass. open meeting law.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.