Selectmen Approve Liquor License for New Mexican Restaurant in Groton

Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant & Grill, a new, family-oriented establishment, slated to open in Groton right after the first of the new year, received a key approval from Selectmen for new Common Victular and All Alcohol liquor license. Town Manager Mark Haddad advised Selectmen that the Board of Health had already approved the food service permit.

Located at 765 Boston Road across from Shaw's Plaza, the longtime family owned business has restaurants operated by other family members in Lunenburg, Lexington, Sudbury, and a number of other locations in eastern MA.

Haddad updated the Board on a request from Jon Strauss, Vice Chairman of the Parks Department, to take over some town-owned land beyond the Cow Pond Brook athletic fields in order to create additional fields to accommodate the growing demand for the playing space. According to Haddad, Town Counsel advised that any transfer of the land from the town to the Parks Department would have to be done through a town meeting vote. Strauss said he walked the field area with Police Chief Donald Palma and Park Commission Chairman Don Black as the Police Department is still interested in the site for their firing range, "Although nothing is firm" Strauss said. The Police Department is still waiting until they know what federal funding would be available for the project.

Selectmen are seeking volunteers to serve on a newly formed Town Meeting Review Committee that assess how the current method of town meeting and investigate other potential options that the Selectmen may want to consider. Initially, the Board thought that the committee could be appointed by the Town Moderator, but the Moderator would have to be empowered to do so by Town Meeting vote. Haddad will draft a committee charge for Selectmen to review.

Those interested in volunteering for this committee should fill out an interest Form available at the Selectmen offices on the second floor of Town Hall. The plan right now is for a seven-member committee, that once appointed, will review the charge, make any adjustments and set convenient meeting times.