Warren Town Council Re-Elects Officers, Renews Liquor Licenses

The Warren Town Council re-elected officers Tuesday night, Nov. 12, at its monthly meeting in Town Hall.

The councilors also appointed a new Town Moderator, renewed a host of liquor licenses, awarded a liquor and entertainment license to a new bar and grill to open on Main Street, and approved an application for a state recreation grant.

Chris Stanley was e-elected president of the Town Council unanimously. There were no other nominations.

Dave Frerichs was re-elected vice president of the Town Council, also unanimously and without any other nominations.

The Town Charter mandates the Town Council officers be elected every year.

William Estrella was appointed Town Moderator. He replaces John Bailey Jr.  Stanley made the appointment and cited Estrella's many years of public service to Warren as a town councilor, member of the school joint finance committee and in a variety of other volunteer positions.

“I think he can moderate a town meeting,” Stanley said.

The only concern with Estrella at the podium now would be who will take his place as typically the first person to step forward to speak at a Financial Town Meeting.

All of Warren’s 35 Class A alcoholic beverage licenses were approved with one vote at a public hearing. 

The new bar and grill, Aruba Steve’s Island Bar and Grill, will move into the former India restaurant next to Town Hall at 520 Main St., according to the attorney representing restauranteur Steven Correa. Correa owns three other locations, one in Providence at 79 Dorrance St. and three in Aruba, his attorney said. The building has been vacant and up for sale for a couple of years.

The application for a recreation grant from the RI Department of Environmental Management will ask for $300,000 to improve the  ball fields, the hockey rink and the pavilion at Jamiel’s Park, said Town Planner and Community Development Director Caroline Wells.

The DEM money sought will have to be matched by Warren at 50 percent for the first two projects and 10 percent for the pavilion, Wells said. The application will have to be submitted by the end of November.