Billerica Select Board Approves Two New Liquor Licenses
Billerica Select Board approves two new liquor licenses and hears sustained criticism of license-plate cameras.
Select Board Meeting · Meeting of August 17, 2026
Billerica Select Board approves two new liquor licenses and hears sustained criticism of license-plate cameras. The board unanimously granted a Section 15 wine and malt license to Richdale Food Store, with manager Mitul Rathod, 32, clearing a background check from Detective Lt. Sean Coffey, and separately approved all-alcohol, common victualer and entertainment licenses for Saffron & Spice by Palak, an Indian-American restaurant that owners Palak and Kunjalkumar Patel said involved roughly $600,000 in renovations.
Six residents used open microphone to demand oversight of Flock Safety license-plate readers installed without board approval, with one calling the system "entirely unconstitutional." Select Board member Dina Favreau pressed the town manager on a proposed Tech Park rezoning tied to a single prospective buyer, warning it "appears... to be spot zoning." The board also voted unanimously to compile 49 articles into October's town meeting warrant, including a disputed $9.3 million sewer line replacement and duplicate $6 million debt-stabilization transfers.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 4,294 words
Source: the Select Board Meeting meeting of August 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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