Chilmark selectmen will consider allowing restaurants in town to serve alcohol. Chilmark is the last dry Island town.
The decision to convene a public hearing on Tuesday, August 27, to discuss the issue followed a request by Bob and Sarah Nixon, owners of the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant, the Home Port Restaurant, and the Menemsha Inn to take up the issue.
“We are looking to enhance the Home Port Restaurant and the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant by providing our guests the ability to purchase alcohol directly from the restaurants,” the Nixons wrote in an August 5 letter to selectmen. “Currently, our guests bring their own alcohol on a BYOB basis.”
Making the change begins with asking voters at town meeting to allow the selectmen to file a home rule petition in the state legislature, seeking state approval of alcohol sales. Agreement by the legislature would send the matter back to the town for further action by voters, and if voters approved, selectmen would write rules governing alcohol service, which voters would be asked to approve. A special town meeting is planned for September 30.
