Members of the Economic Development Commission would like to see Barrington’s liquor training requirement eliminated.  

The EDC passed a motion recommending that action nearly a year ago, but will need to wait a little longer before the Barrington Town Council makes a decision. 

At their June meeting, members of the Council voted unanimously to refer the item to the BAY Team, the EDC, and the Barrington Police Department. The Council is expected to revisit the town ordinance requiring the annual training at its September meeting.

At the June Council meeting, EDC member Dan Horowitz explained why the Commission wants to see the town’s liquor training program eliminated. 

He said the state already requires anyone selling or serving alcohol to complete a training program once every three years. Horowitz said he did not understand why Barrington needed to have an additional training program that must be completed annually. 

Horowitz said the extra compliance is taxing to local businesses — Barrington shops and restaurants must pay employees to complete the two-hour training. He said no other communities in Rhode Island have this requirement. 

Denise Alves also spoke at the June Council meeting. Alves serves as the director of the BAY Team, which focuses some of its work on substance abuse prevention efforts. 

Alves said the town’s alcohol compliance program keeps the issue current by requiring the training annually. She said the community should do everything possible to help prevent alcohol-related tragedies, which have plagued Barrington in the past.

“We need to be reminded,” she said. 

Council member Braxton Cloutier spoke about the ordinance and its impact on businesses that operate in Barrington for short periods of time, such as food trucks or businesses working at an event in town. 

Within the last two years, Barrington began allowing the sale of alcohol on public property during special events — a film festival held outside the library and a series of Friday afternoon block parties held at Police Cove Park. 

Alves said that situation was very new, but agreed that there needs to be a conversation about businesses serving alcohol in town for short periods of time. 

Barrington Town Council President Carl Kustell suggested that the ordinance might be amended to address the issue. 

Alves was receptive to that, but reminded the Council members that the EDC recommended eliminating the yearly alcohol training program, not amending it. 

Kustell said he could see a potential compromise in the future — a change that would preserve the annual requirement for the permanent businesses in Barrington. Alves agreed that someone selling or serving alcohol in town every week of the year is different that a company brought in for a single-day event. 

Barrington resident Lisa Lowenstein shared her perspective on the issue. Lowenstein played a key role in bringing the FLM FWD film festival to Barrington; its first-ever event included the sale of alcohol for festival-goers. 

Lowenstein said the businesses brought in viewed the compliance requirement as an additional tax. She suggested the town pay for the training.

We’re a wealthy community, Lowenstein said. “We have resources.”

Lowenstein also believes the ordinance could pose an economic barrier that unfairly targets certain people. 

Council member Rob Humm said he wanted to hear the recommendation from the BAY Team before making a decision about the ordinance. He also wanted input from Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia. Humm was curious if the ordinance was an all or nothing proposition for the EDC, or if there was an opportunity for a happy medium. 

The Council members then agreed to send the topic to the BAY Team, EDC and police department for their formal recommendations.