The Scituate Town Council voted to hire the Providence Revolving Fund to administer a state-backed home repair loan program for lower-income residents, and worked through contentious liquor-license conditions for two Route 102 businesses, according to the council's published meeting recording.
Home repair loan program approved
A representative of the Providence Revolving Fund, Carrie Zaslow, told the council her statewide nonprofit can help Scituate residents access the state's Community Development Block Grant home repair program. The program offers forgivable loans of up to $50,000 for one- or two-family homes and up to $75,000 for properties with three or four units, aimed largely at older homeowners on fixed incomes who have fallen behind on maintenance.
Zaslow said eight Scituate households had already applied to a related state loan program, but only three were positioned to be reached before funding runs out; the CDBG program could help the other five and additional qualifying households. She estimated roughly a quarter of Scituate households could potentially qualify based on income, though she cautioned that figure was an estimate.
Under the arrangement, the Providence Revolving Fund would handle income verification, construction management and bidding, while the town's only responsibility would be filing the state application and processing a single reimbursement request per completed project. The organization would keep 18% of program funds for administrative and construction costs, with 2% going to the town. Council members pressed on liability and default risk; Zaslow said the town bears no credit risk, since the funding is a HUD block grant rather than a loan issued by the town itself. The council voted to retain the Providence Revolving Fund to administer the program, with council members asking to review the memorandum of understanding before it is signed.
Second beverage license and two contested liquor-license applications
The council gave final approval, by voice vote, to an ordinance raising the town's limit on Class BV liquor licenses — full-service licenses covering wine, beer and spirits — from four to five.
The council then continued a public hearing, held over from an earlier meeting, on a liquor license application from Michael A. DiFazio, doing business as DiFazio Farm and Vineyard. Council members raised repeated concerns about where alcohol would actually be served and consumed on the property, including a large event tent shown in photos submitted with the application, and about DiFazio's plans to serve food without a full restaurant permit. After extended discussion about outdoor consumption, fire pits, and enforcement, the council approved the license by voice vote on the condition that service and consumption be limited to the interior of the building, that the license comply with all zoning board conditions, and that food be available during service hours.
The council also approved a Class BV license for Groundwater Cafe, whose owner, Sabrina Maguire, argued that lacking a full liquor license had cost her business event bookings and walk-in dinner reservations. The council agreed to let the café serve alcohol at an outdoor patio area, subject to Maguire submitting a diagram specifying the number of seats — capped at 24 — and subject to separate approval from the zoning board, since the café's existing special-use permit currently bars outdoor alcohol service. Council members removed a zoning restriction that would have barred indoor alcohol service to dinner patrons during nearby car shows, bike runs and family days at an adjacent property, but kept the outdoor prohibition in place unless zoning approves a change.
A resident who said she lives near the property spoke against expanding the café's license, arguing the property abuts more houses than any other licensed restaurant in town and that restrictions have loosened year after year. Another resident spoke in support, calling Groundwater Cafe a well-run, quiet business.
Hope Elementary roof project change order
The council approved a $28,500 change order for the Hope Elementary School roof replacement, after the roofing manufacturer determined during testing that an existing roof layer, originally meant to stay in place, needed to be removed for the new attachment system to work properly. Council members questioned who was responsible for the added cost, with the project's design team acknowledging a gap in the original bid specifications. The council also approved $125,000 in architectural fees tied to the district's five-year capital plan, and authorized the school superintendent to approve additional change orders up to a $126,791 contingency, so repairs can be completed before students return in the fall.
Other business
The council heard from the public works director on road paving methods used on Old Plainfield Pike and a stretch of Seven Mile Road, saying a recycling-based process saved the town roughly $600,000 combined and will allow work on additional roads this year. The council also voted to consider renaming the town's community house after a longtime local figure, and to explore naming a portion of the building after a former Scout leader. A committee member said a public meeting on redesigning Hope Park is expected July 21.
Residents interested in the home repair program or upcoming licensing conditions can follow up with Town Hall; details on the CDBG application timeline were not specified in the discussion.