SELECT BOARD NOTEBOOK: Fun On The Fourth Dates Announced; Town Making Changes To Attract Restaurants & Breweries; Code 1 BBQ Gets Alcohol License

WILMINGTON, MA — Below is a summary of the Wilmington Select Board Meeting on Monday, January 12, 2026.  The meeting took place in Room 9 of Town Hall. All board members were present.

— The meeting was called to order a few minutes after 7pm. The Select Board were meeting in Executive Session from 6pm to 7pm to discuss collective bargaining regarding a new contract for the Wilmington Police Supervisors Association, as well as to discuss the purchase the property commonly referred to as “Sciarappa Farm” (333 Andover Street).

— After the Pledge of Allegiance, Select Board Chair Frank West held a moment of silence for Joseph Ryan, who recently passed away at the age of 84. Mr. Ryan, a long-time resident, owned and operated a barber shop in the center of town since 1962.

— After signing warrants and approving meeting minutes, the Select Board approved the request of the owners of Code 1 BBQ (228 Main Street) to obtain an all alcohol license for their restaurant.

— Following much discussion, the Select Board unanimously approved the request of Patrick Giroux, Chairman of the Wilmington Fourth of July Committee, to conduct a carnival in conjunction with the Fun on the Fourth festivities. During the public hearing, one abutter to the Town Common site expressed concern about Giroux’s request to expand carnival equipment drop-off hours to 24/7 during the five days prior to the carnival. Select Board member Kevin Caira expressed similar concerns, but he — along with his colleagues — voted to approve the carnival permit. Giroux said the Committee and Select Board can revisit the drop-off hours next year if issues arise, but he anticipates very few of the trucks will actually arrive after midnight, and those that do will be done unloading quickly.

— Giroux also shared some initial details about this year’s Fun on the Fourth celebration. The 5-day event will be held from Wednesday, June 24, 2026 to Sunday, June 28, 2026, with a rain date of Monday, June 29, 2026. Wilmington Night will take place on the evening of June 23. The carnival will operate from June 24 to June 28. The laser show, which debuted in 2025, will return on June 26. Family Fun Day, with fireworks, will take place on June 27. The Spectacular Fireworks will occur on June 28. Giroux cautions residents the “fireworks might be a little different this year,” noting — due to tariffs on China — fireworks cost almost double as much as they did last year. Overall, according to Giroux, this year’s Fun on the Fourth will look very similar to last year’s event.

— The Select Board also approved Giroux’s request to hold the Fun on the Fourth, Fall Fest, and Holiday Tree Lighting on town-owned property, as well as place signs on town property promoting these events. The Board also approved a third request to restrict the presence of hawkers, peddlers and transient vendors within half a mile from the Town Common.

— The Select Board approved the request of Ronnie Ghannem (Mr. Donuts LLC) to obtain a common victualer license for Heavn’ly Donuts (579 Main Street). Mr. Ghannem is the new franchise owner of the donut shop.

—  After brief remarks from the candidate, the Select Board appointed Brian Veloza to the Board of Appeals. A graduate of the Shawsheen Tech, Veloza is the owner of ViewPoint Developers LLC, which builds custom homes and provided contracting services. Veloza’s term will expire on April 30, 2026, at which time he would be eligible for renewal.

— Wilmington Economic Development Committee members Joe Maselli (Chair) and Suzanne Sullivan made a presentation highlighting proposed changes to the Select Board rules and regulations regarding alcoholic beverages. Some of these regulations and town bylaws are making it difficult for prospective breweries to open in Wilmington, and may be onerous to existing and prospective restaurants. “Our rules and regulations are not competitive and are dated, compared to other towns. For example, if Tree House Brewery wanted to come into Wilmington tomorrow, the way our rules are written, they could not… Our rules and regulations also don’t offer [alcohol beverages] for brunches… The seating requirements are also quite burdensome,” said Maselli, who noted some of these regulations were last updated in 1972. Maselli added there are currently new rules and regulations for breweries and dispensaries in town at all. He further explained the proposed changes would allow existing businesses to expand beverage options, their hours, and their menus. SOME of the changes include (1) decreasing the seating requirements from 100 seats to 50 seats for all alcohol license holders and from 100 seats to 25 seats for beer and wine license holders; (2) food requirements were broadened to encompass more food options restaurants can serve to qualify for an alcohol license; (3) kitchen space requirements were outright deleted for clubs and breweries; (4) an existing dancing ban (!) on restaurants which serve alcohol was struck; and (5) a 30-miniute last call was added. The Economic Development Committee is also asking the Select Board to sponsor an article on the warrant for the May 2, 2026 Annual Town Meeting to fix the seating requirements issue, which are spelled out in the town’s zoning bylaws. The Select Board appeared amenable to the changes, but scheduled a required public hearing at its meeting on February 23, 2026. All the existing alcohol licensees will be notified of the hearing.

— Town Manager Eric Slagle provide an update on the opening of the new Town Hall. Staff will be moving into the new space from Wednesday, January 14, 2026 to Friday, January 16, 2026. An Open House to tour the new building was held for residents on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Reverse 911 calls, town website, social media, and signage outside the “old” Town Hall notified residents of the move. The drop box at the “old” Town Hall will remain open and be checked daily by staff. A drop box is on order for the “new” Town Hall. Once that box is in place, the old drop box will eventually be shut down.

— Wilmington Apple will cover the Town Manager’s suggested uses for vacant town buildings in an article later this week. In a nutshell, Slagle shared a memo with the Select Board which suggested the following: (1) moving the Veterans Department from the West School House to the Arts Center (219 Middlesex Avenue); (2) transitioning, over many years, the “old” Town Hall on Glen Road into a Recreation/Community Center, with space also offered to WCTV and the Arts Council in the building; and (3) temporarily using the Buzzell Senior Center/School for paper storage for the new Town Hall, with hopes to digitize much of its paper storage in the coming years. The Historical Commission would also be given storage space in the Buzzell. Some of these proposals were meant with mixed reactions from the Select Board. Wilmington Apple will also cover the board’s related votes regarding the future of the Buzzell Senior Center/School, as well as the related “Public Comments” portion of the meeting, in the upcoming separate article.

— The Select Board renewed common victualer licenses for Nick’s Pizza, Roast Beef & Subs (311 Main Street) and Subway (206 Ballardvale Street).

— The Select Board accepted a $5,000 donation from Salem Five Bank (281Main Street) to support the Wilmington Food Pantry. The Wilmington Community Fund, which operates the Food Pantry, recently announced the donation on its website.

— The Select Board appointed Nikki Jamieson to the Council for the Arts. The term will expire on April 30, 2028.

— The Select Board ratified the Town Manager’s appointment of Joseph Accardi to the Historical Commission. Accardi was previously interviewed by the Commission. Accardi’s term will expire on April 30, 2026, at which time he would be eligible for renewal.

— The Select Board approved the request of the Wilmington Sons & Daughters of Italy to use the Municipal Parking Lot at the Fourth of July Building on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9am to 3pm, and Sunday, March 29, 2026, from 9am to 2pm, for a Diaper Drive.

— Select Board Chair Frank West introduced a coin that he and future chairs will use as tokens of recognition from the board to residents and employees (e.g., retirements). The coin has “Wilmington Select Board” with the town seal on the front, and “Community, Pride, Service” with the zip code and Baldwin Apple on the back.

— Select Board Chair Frank West announced he will be running for re-election. The Annual Town Election will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The seats held by West and Gary DePalma will be on the ballot.

— During Important Dates, the Town Manager noted Town Hall is closed for moving from January 14, 2026 to January 16, 2026. The new Town Hall will open on Monday, January 20, 2026. The Olin Superfund Site Open House Public Information Update will take place on Tuesday, January 21, 2026 from 6pm to 8pm in the High School Library.

— Under Salute to Service, Select Board Chair Frank West recognized longtime resident Specialist Robert Fisher, who served in the United States Army in Korea during the Vietnam War. According to his obituary, Robert put himself in harms way for the safety of his fellow comrades, continually sweeping mine fields and saved many soldiers lives. He was awarded many commendations for his service including the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Sharpshooter, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Soldiers Medal which is given for the highest honor of Heroism and Valor.

— The Select Board will hold its next meeting on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 7pm. The Town Manager will present his FY27 proposed budget at that time. The January 26 meeting — and meetings of all other town boards — will still take place at the old Town Hall during the month of January while the AV equipment in the new Town Hall’s meeting spaces are finetuned.