Board defers decision on Ballard's Inn entertainment stipulations to Dec. 1 after owner objects
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Summary
Ballard's Inn pressed the New Shoreham Board of License Commissioners to remove multi‑year stipulations, citing a statute and a clean record; the board chose to continue the matter to Dec. 1 to allow police-chief input and full-council participation.
The New Shoreham Board of License Commissioners on Nov. 14 continued consideration of stipulations attached to Ballard's Inn's licenses to its Dec. 1 meeting after an extended exchange between the inn's representative and commissioners.
Ballard's representative Steven told the board that the establishment's record is "clean" and argued that prior restrictions were tied to an event several years earlier. He cited state law, saying, "According to Rhode Island state law 3-5-21 ... any offense committed by a licensee 3 years after a previous offense shall be considered our first offense," and urged the board not to impose continuing conditions absent a recent violation.
Commissioners and staff said they were sympathetic to the applicant's performance but uncomfortable removing or changing stipulations without the police chief's input and a full council present. One commissioner recommended tabling the matter until the full board could consider the chief's report and discuss the community safety implications. The chair said the board would seek written input from the police chief before Dec. 1.
Why it matters: stipulations attached to a license can affect a business's insurance, operations and future enforcement; Ballard's asked that restrictions not single it out and warned of insurance and operational burdens if conditions remain in force.
What happened next: the board voted to continue the Ballard's item to Dec. 1 so the full council could review police input and possible common-ground stipulations. The applicant said he would appear on that date.
The board will not decide on the entertainment-cap question at this meeting; commissioners noted the town has lost two licenses since last year and that the cap-setting conversation is tied to the Dec. 1 calendar.