Select Board ties 2-2 on early Thanksgiving alcohol

Select Board · Meeting of November 2, 2026

WINCHESTER — The Select Board deadlocked 2-2 on opening Black Horse Tavern's alcohol service at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving. Michelle Prior and Michael Bettencourt voted yes and a member voted no, so the Nov. 26 request failed, while a 7 a.m. food-service opening passed.

The board set the senior circuit breaker tax credit at 125 percent, about $3,525, and recommended favorably on $400,000 for the Special Education Reserve Fund by a 3-1 vote. It recommended unfavorable action on $49,999 for a Carriage House study and put off the $92,000 free cash software article. A member said "free cash is not the way to do it."

In the full story:

• Opening and Consent Agenda
• Appointment and Town Manager's Report
• Public Comment
• Black Horse Tavern Hours
• Liaison Updates
• Senior Circuit Breaker Credit
• Transfer Station
• Town Meeting: Citizen Petitions
• Free Cash and Warrant Recommendations
• Article 26 and the Developer Letter
• Close
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,621 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of November 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.