Burrillville council approves New Road Nutrition license, OKs $10,000 for e‑permitting and establishes goals work group

The Burrillville Town Council voted Jan. 8 to grant a new victualing (food service) license to New Road Nutrition LLC, approved a temporary appropriation of up to $10,000 to set up state‑required online permitting for planning and zoning applications, and appointed a council work group to review the town's goals and legislative agenda.

The license for New Road Nutrition, for premises listed at 1444–1464 Bronco Highway (Map 125, Lot 014), was granted after a public hearing in which Christina Shardlow, the applicant, told the council she is taking over ownership of a business that has operated in town for seven years. "It's already been a business in town for 7 years, so I'm just taking over ownership of it," Shardlow said. The council approved the license "provided all stipulations are met," and members voiced approval by voice vote.

The council also voted to appropriate up to $10,000 from Major Capital Fund 3820 to establish electronic permitting for planning-board and zoning-board-of-review applications. Town Manager Michael Seaboo described the expense as a state-imposed requirement and said the town expects to seek reimbursement from the state: "It's pretty clear that we have to do this. . . . We'll ask for $10,000 only because [of] maybe the outside cost, and I understand it is going to be reimbursed to us," Seaboo said. The motion to appropriate not to exceed $10,000 passed on a council voice vote.

The council also approved a motion to form a small review group led by the vice president and two other council members to update the council's goals and objectives and the town's legislative agenda. The council described the document as out of date in several areas and said the group will recommend items to remove, keep or reprioritize and solicit input from administration and other council members.

The council entered executive session under the Rhode Island Open Meetings Law to discuss pending litigation and property issues and later voted to seal the minutes of that session. A motion to seal the minutes and a subsequent vote to adjourn were approved by voice vote.

What the council approved (votes at a glance)

- New Road Nutrition LLC (d/b/a New Road Nutrition) victualing license for 1444–1464 Bronco Highway (Map 125, Lot 014): Motion to grant license "provided all stipulations are met." Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Appropriation not to exceed $10,000 from Major Capital Fund 3820 to establish e‑permitting for planning-board and zoning-board applications (funds to be reimbursed if available): Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Appointment of a council work group (vice president, Councilor Battle and Councilor Hoo) to review and update council goals and the town's legislative agenda: Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Motion to enter executive session under Rhode Island Open Meetings Law (litigation and property matters): Outcome: approved by voice vote. The minutes were later sealed by council vote.

Council members did not record roll-call tallies in the minutes supplied; approvals were adopted by voice vote. The council asked staff to follow up on the e‑permitting implementation and on updates to the goals and legislative agenda and indicated reimbursement from the state would be sought for the e‑permitting expense.