Wilmington Select Board Advances Liquor Rule Overhaul, Rejects Bizzell Cost Study

WILMINGTON — January 12, 2026 — Wilmington Select Board advances sweeping liquor rule changes and deadlocks on Bizzell School rehabilitation study. The board voted 5-0 Monday to refer a proposed overhaul of the town's alcohol beverage rules and regulations — unchanged in substance since at least 2000 — to a public hearing on February 23, after Economic Development Committee Chair Joe Maseli and committee member Suzanne Sullivan presented the draft rules, which would lower the restaurant seating minimum for a liquor license from 100 seats to 50 for all-alcohol and 25 for beer and wine, create new licensing categories for breweries and distilleries, and eliminate a longtime ban on dancing in licensed restaurants. In a separate and more contentious vote, the board deadlocked 2-3 on a motion by member Michael DiPalma to hire a design professional to assess full rehabilitation costs for the Bizzell School, which holds $615,000 in special town meeting appropriations toward its preservation. The board then voted unanimously to issue a Request for Information seeking outside interest in the building, with any rehabilitation costs expected to fall on the interested party rather than the town. Sullivan, speaking during public comment, accused the board of "demolition by neglect," saying the removal of heat from the building was "shameful." The board also unanimously approved a carnival permit for the 2026 Fun on the Fourth celebration, including a contested provision allowing 24-hour equipment delivery during the five-day setup window.