The Town Council voted on March 7 to approve four resolutions to put forward to the state legislature during this year’s session. Two were resolutions in opposition to statewide bills before the legislature, and two were to make changes to Block Island’s local governance.The first resolution presented was to prohibit the class-C liquor license on Block Island. The class-C license has tighter restrictions on hours of operation, compared with the class-B license, as well as restrictions on food service. Currently, no business has a class-C liquor license onthe island.Council Member Martha Ball told the council that the class-C license was nothing more than a placeholder. She said the town had never issued a class-C license to a business that did not apply for a class-B license as soon as it could.
First Warden André Boudreau mentioned that both the Albion and the Old Island Pub began as class-C establishments, before moving on to a full class-B license.Citizen Judy Clark said it appeared the class-C liquor license was “just there to get in the door, and then they can get the B [license].” The council voted four to nothing in favor of the resolution, with Council Member Keith Stover