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The federal government's chaos and destruction hits home for many of us in a multitude of ways. Unfortunately, Ledyard Town Council learned that the $229,000 grant, which Councilor Jessica Buhle had worked hard on with Chief John Rich for the police dispatch system replacement, is no longer going to be funded. The Ledyard grant proposal had been selected and approved through a competitive Congressionally Directed Spending process and passed through appropriations. The Continuing Resolution passed last week excludes ALL Congressionally Directed Spending funds, including funds that Congress had ALREADY voted to appropriate across the country to towns and states. This will cost Ledyard taxpayers nearly $230,000, and is extremely disheartening and frustrating. We applaud Congressman Courtney for voting against the resolution and we express our gratitude to our Ledyard Town Councilors who have worked hard to apply for this and other grants.  Why is the upgrade needed?
The police department has moved to the statewide digital system. The fire departments are currently trying to do the same. Most of Ledyard's mutual aid partners in the region either have or are in the process of migrating to that system. The fire departments already received grant-funded radios to move to the system. The dispatch side of the department was not eligible under the same grant. The move to the digital system will provide better radio coverage to the fire departments and allow seamless interface with mutual aid responses both into and out of town, which are essential during larger incidents, such as building fires and larger rescues. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health cites poor communication abilities as one of the leading contributing factors to firefighter line-of-duty injuries and deaths. An improved communication system will help improve the safety of our town's emergency response personnel. From Councilor Jessica Buhle: "The system is very outdated and requires a lot of redundant entries to include all required information for reporting. The new requested system would be up to date, more efficient for officers and dispatch, and collaborate with other local departments. It is a need that was requested in the Police Capital funding that we tried to address through Congressionally Directed Spending instead of taxpayer levy, and our application was selected for funding and passed appropriations. What happens next? From Councilor Jessica Buhle: "I have reached out to Senator Murphy’s office to see if there are any plans to fund this in the future. It was included in last year's budget. We funded $45,000 last year as insurance in case we weren’t awarded the grant. We will discuss adding the needed funding to this year’s budget after there is a chance to discuss with Chief Rich and the finance committee." Congratulations to Ledyard's own Allyson Angelini, Full Heart Farm! "Allyson Angelini, owner of Full Heart Farm in Ledyard, has been named Connecticut’s 2025 Outstanding Young Farmer, according to a community announcement. Angelini received the honor during Ag Day at the Capitol in Hartford on March 19. As a first-generation female farmer, her journey began 14 years ago when she purchased land at the age of 24, driven by her passion for farming and desire to be part of the food solution. “I am truly honored to receive the Outstanding Young Farmer Award. Farming is not something I do alone – it’s a collective effort made possible by my family, our crew, and our incredibly supportive community,” Angelini said in the announcement. “This recognition reflects the dedication of so many people who believe in the importance of small farms, first-generation farmers, and sustainable food systems. I’m grateful to be able to steward a tiny piece of land as I continue learning, growing, and paving the way for future farmers.” Read more at The Norwich Bulletin
Please contribute your feedback and learn about the important budget discussions occurring in the Ledyard Board of Education and Town Council! Board of Education Public Budget Meeting February 4, 7 PM At Ledyard High School Library Town Council Budget Workshops: March 6 12-3 PM March 10 2-5 PM March 13 12-3 PM In Town Council Chambers Town Council Finance Committee meets the first and third WEDNESDAYS of each month at 5 PM. You can join via zoom or in person. Public comment is at the beginning of every finance and town council meeting. They want to hear from you! Can't attend a meeting at the scheduled time? No worries! You can: - Email [email protected] or [email protected] to share your input or feedback. - Watch video recordings of the meetings or read minutes at: Ledyard TOWN calendar and meeting links at ledyardct.org Ledyard BOE calendar and meeting links at ledyard.net
 Exciting things are happening on Ledyard Town Council! Thank you to Town Councilor Jessica Buhle for her hard work with Ledyard Police Chief John Rich on bringing in funding for an expensive but necessary upgrade to our police and fire dispatch system! Buhle and Rich applied for Congressional funding through Senator Murphy and Senator Blumenthal’s offices. $229,000 for the Town of Ledyard for the police dispatch system replacement has now been included in the bill passed by the Appropriations Committee! More details: Committee passage is the first step in the process, and funding will only be made available when the bill is passed by Congress and signed into law. Senators Murphy and Blumenthal have expressed their commitment to pushing for passage and ensuring Connecticut priorities are reflected in the final spending package. Councilor Buhle said “I’m so proud to have such an amazing town council to work with and that we are doing such great things in our first term!” Senator Murphy said, “These bills are full of big wins for Connecticut, including more than $76 million for community-based projects that will help create good-paying jobs, upgrade aging infrastructure and public utilities, expand affordable housing and transportation, and ensure our towns and local organizations have the necessary resources to do what they do best – serve our community. These investments are the result of thousands of conversations I’ve had with people across Connecticut, and I’m proud to have worked with Senator Blumenthal to ensure their inclusion in the budget. I’ll continue working hard to make sure these bills make it to the president’s desk so these federal dollars can make a real difference in our state.” Senator Blumenthal said “These high-impact projects address our state’s most critical needs – ranging from environmental preservation to violence prevention to affordable housing construction. The Committee’s support of more than $76 million for Connecticut is a significant step toward ensuring that these transformative projects move forward. I will keep fighting, alongside Senator Murphy, to deliver these invaluable investments to communities all across our state.”
 Exciting things are happening at #LedyardTownCouncil! Thank you to Town Councilor Carmen Garcia Irizarry for her hard work to bring the Food Scrap Recycling Pilot Program to Ledyard! The new, free food scrap recycling pilot program began July 30th, 2024. Residents can bring their food waste to the Transfer Station and deposit them in one of the bins specifically marked for food waste. Blue Earth will pick up the food waste weekly. The program is free to all town residents with a proof of residency. Starter kits are available at the Transfer Station and during the Ledyard Farmers Market on Wednesday, August 21st, 2024 from 4-7pm on the Town Green. The first 100 residents will get a roll of 25 compostable bags and a larger 6-gallon bin to place food scraps for free by visiting the Transfer Station (www.ledyardct.org/191/Transfer-Station). Starter kits are not required in order to participate. Let’s make this program a success and let’s divert out of the regular waste stream as much food as possible. Thank you for your participation! More information: Ledyard spends more than $1,000,000 per year on trash pick up and that number is only going to increase as time goes on. With the closure of some of the waste-to-energy plants in the state, CT sends out to other states 800 to 900 thousand tons of trash, due to lack of capacity available on the remaining waste to energy plants. Food waste is a big portion of our trash and it adds a lot of weight. We can all help address this problem! More information: Read more at the Day or at LedyardCT.org  In-Person. Secure. Convenient.
In 2022, CT amended the state Constitution to join 46 other states to allow Early Voting (EV)! First used in April's Presidential Preference Primary, EV provides voters with a convenient, secure way to vote in person before Election Day. For the Primary election (August 13th), 7 days will be available, and in for the November 5th General election, 14 days of Early Voting will be available. In Ledyard, EV is done at Town Hall, in the Registrar's Office. Make sure you are registered by going to voter registration.ct.gov. For more information on EV in Ledyard, or to sign up as a Poll Worker, call the Registrars at 860-464-3252. For more information about EV and how it works, check out the Secretary of the State's website: https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/early-voting/early-voting
Vote YES! for a smart and responsible Ledyard Budget, including: 👍Updated fire alarms at Juliet Long School 👍Funding for two police cruisers 👍Funding to pave our roads 👍A Safe Playground for our kids at Juliet Long School 👍The ability to meet critical student needs in Reading, Math, and Mental Health 👍A more appropriate pay rate for our substitute teachers - not the lowest rate in southeast Connecticut. Paying an adequate wage will help fix our extreme shortage of substitute teachers. We have often not had enough substitute teachers, requiring classrooms to be combined. 🌷🌷🌷 The Referendum (VOTE) on the budget will be held on May 21, 2024, from 6 am to 8 pm, at Ledyard Town Hall. 🌷🌷🌷 Got questions? 📣The Annual Town Meeting (when the FY 24-25 Town of Ledyard budget will be presented to residents), will be held on May 20, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 741 Colonel Ledyard Highway (with a virtual option). 🔷️Ledyard Town Council and Board of Education want to hear from you: EMAIL [email protected], [email protected], and/or [email protected] with your input or questions!  🔸️This budget funds the town's critical, urgent needs while minimizing the tax impact on residents.
🔸️Cost increases are offset by grants, retirements, cost reductions, and an increase in the grand list. 🔸️This budget is the minimum required to successfully run our town and successfully fund our education system. 🔸️This budget is SMART and RESPONSIBLE. For just one example, it includes funding for the Ledyard Middle School Recommissioning, which costs $24,000, and is projected to SAVE taxpayers up to $21,000 PER YEAR for years to come. 🔸️The town of Ledyard continues to fund education at a cost far below any other district in Southeastern CT and the lowest 10% in the state. 🔸️90% of the increase in the BOE budget is for non-negotiable increases in transportation, salaries, and energy. 🔸️Ledyard taxpayers deserve a high performing school district that strives for excellent outcomes for ALL students. 🔸️Residents deserve investments in our schools for the taxes we are paying. Budget Breakdown The proposed budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal year is $67,430,573, a 4.48% increase compared to last year’s budget. ▪️ General Government total: $29,060,750 (proposed increase of 1.50% ▪️ Board of Education total: $38,369,823 (proposed increase of 6.85%) The BOE budget is 57% of total budget, with 20% for town government operations, 4.7% for Public Works, 7% for Police and Safety, 5.9% for debt service, 2.66% for Capital Improvements and less than 1% each for libraries, Parks & Recreation, and health and welfare. Funding This budget will require a mil rate increase to 35.21 from the current 34.56, an increase of 0.65. For the average homeowner in Ledyard (a home valued at $300-$325k (with a tax assessment of approximately $200k) this increase of 0.65 would impact their property taxes by approximately $10 per month. Why the increase? Like towns all over Connecticut, Ledyard Public School District has seen steep increases in transportation and energy costs as contracts were up for renewal this year. State mandates for reading curriculum and HVAC inspections will amount to over 200K and the cost of Special Education continues to climb. Contractual increases are always included in our budget and are as well this year. APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE INCREASE IN THE BOE BUDGET IS SIMPLY FUNDING THE STATUS QUO. This year there are critical needs for student support that are addressed in this budget. Along with increasing needs for Special Education we have seen the need for Interventions in Literacy and Math grow as well as the crisis in the mental health needs of our students. This budget continues a years-long effort to build effective, well-defined, comprehensive systems of support to address these needs. Why should we support this budget? The Ledyard Board of Education voted unanimously for this budget and believes it is imperative to meet the needs of our students and fulfill the vision that the Community has for our District. None of these critical needs are a LEDYARD problem but what has been a Ledyard problem is the failure to make the investment in providing necessary resources to expand our intervention model to finally close the achievement gap that has persistently existed in our schools, and to address the failure of our health care system to provide equitable access to mental health services for our youth. These issues are the two most pressing obstacles to learning in the classroom. We have a moral and legal obligation to educate our children - it’s not optional. The town of Ledyard continues to fund education at a cost far below any other district in Southeastern CT and the lowest 10% in the state. This continues to hamper efforts to move the district forward and is not sustainable. The District will continue to be good stewards of town allocated funds as we always have while recognizing the growing need for funding these basic needs. FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE: FY 24-25 Ledyard Proposed Town Budget Board FY25 Budget PowerPoint PRESENTATION Board of Education Adopted FY 2024-2025 BUDGET Ledyard’s current Mill Rate is 34.56. How does this rate compare to: 1. The rest of the state? Ledyard has the 42nd highest Mill Rate out of Connecticut's 169 towns. This ranks at the 25th percentile - so among the top quarter of Mill Rates in CT. 2. Towns that are about the same size as ours throughout CT?
3. Towns around us?
But Mill Rate alone does not tell the whole story, unless you include a town’s Grand List and Budget. Grand list is the sum of all of the property assessments, and the Budget is the amount of money the town has to collect. To lower a Mill Rate, you either need a bigger Grand List or a smaller Budget. See below for a primer on Mill Rates and Municipal Taxation. Mill Rates and Municipal Taxation: A Primer1. Article Ten of CT's State Constitution deals with Home Rule, and establishes that the Assembly
shall “delegate such legislative authority as from time to time it deems appropriate to towns, cities and boroughs relative to the powers, organization, and form of government”. This includes telling the towns how they can tax to generate revenue. Currently, Property Taxes are the only form of tax town governments are allowed to levy to generate revenue for themselves. This tax comes in 2 forms: Real Property (like your house) and Motor Vehicles. 2. Connecticut General Statutes, Title 12, Taxation, covers the process by which property assessment and taxation occurs. CT’s Fiscal Year runs from 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024. a. Chapter 203, §12-55 requires the Assessor to “publish the grand list for their respective towns” by 31 January each year following the assessment process. §12-62a tells assessors to use 70% of the property value as the assessed value. b. Chapter 204, §12-122 requires that, “Upon completion of the work of the board of assessment appeals and of the final assessment list, the town shall levy a tax on such list…” Ledyard’s Town Council fixed the Mill Rate on 6/14 of this year, after the budget passed. c. “Municipal Authority to Tax Property," a report by the Office of Legislative Research is a great summary of how this system got to be the way it is and how it works (5 pages). d. The maximum Mill Rate for Motor Vehicles is 32.46. It is set by statute. This OLR report is a great quick history on the Motor Vehicle Tax. 4. A Mill is $1 for every $1,000 assessed. Think ‘milli’, as in ‘thousandth’ in the metric system. For example, if my house was appraised at $250,000, the assessment would be for 70% of that, or $175,000. With a Mill Rate of 34.56 (or 34.56 dollars per 1,000 dollars), the property tax on my house would be: ($175,000) x (34.56/1000) = $6048. And if my car is assessed at $10,000, I will get a tax bill of (10,000) x (32.46/1000) = $324.60. Sources: Estimated Populations in Connecticut as of July 1, 2021. State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health, Health Statistics and Surveillance, Surveillance Analysis and Reporting Unit. This is a town by-town population count, based off the 2020 Census. Mill Rates. State of Connecticut, Office of Policy Management. This is a town-by-town listing of Mill Rates. This page also has the definition of Mill Rate. CT's Fiscal Year starts every July 1st. In May 2023, the Town's voters approved a budget, which went into effect as of July 1. In CT, to raise revenue, towns can only levy property taxes, and are heavily reliant on state aid. Ledyard expects over $14.8M in state funding over the next year. For more information, check out Section VII of the Town Charter, on the Town's Website: Ledyardct.org. You can also find the approved budget there. What questions do you have about the town's budget cycle? Email us at [email protected] with questions! 
 This week, four signs belonging to a known white supremacist group, Patriot Front, were found attached to utility poles along route 12 (two in Ledyard and two in Preston near the Ledyard town line). We thank the residents who removed the signs, reported them to law enforcement, and notified the Ledyard Town Council.
These signs, and the groups they represent, have no place in Ledyard. We appreciate Town Councilor Naomi Rodriguez's statement at Wednesday's meeting. Rodriguez’s statement was the strongest, clearest message on the subject that we've heard from any elected official in town. However, we were painfully disappointed by Mayor Allyn and the Council Chair, whose weak response did not address the issue. Mayor Allyn said nothing about the matter at the meeting. Council Chair Kevin Dombrowski lamented that he "didn’t know what else" the Council could do, and lost his temper when a resident spoke up. MUST-WATCH VIDEO OF THE MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT LEDYARDCT.ORG. Additionally, when the attendees left the meeting, they heard the shocking news that State Representative Maryam Khan was physically assaulted in front of her family following an Eid al-Adha service. We thank the Hartford Police for quickly apprehending the suspect and wish Representative Khan a speedy recovery. When local governments fail to act and project a false sense of powerlessness, they create a climate where groups like Patriot Front feel emboldened, residents feel unsafe, and attacks like the one in Hartford are more likely to occur. Other towns across the state have also recently encountered similar incidents and their local governments have acted in powerful ways to take further action (e.g., Middletown). They provided educational opportunities for residents, coordinated with law enforcement agencies, and sent a clear, public message that such behavior is unwelcome there, even if the content of the materials does not strictly violate any laws. We expect a better response, and so should the residents of Ledyard. In the meantime, we encourage residents who discover such materials to document their appearance and promptly report them to local law enforcement.  UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES May 15: Town Meeting, 7 pm in the Town Hall Annex Council Chambers: gathered residents will vote to approve the budget and send it to referendum May 16: Referendum ️VOTE️ on the budget, at Town Hall Annex, 6 am - 8 pm Ledyard's proposed budget for the next fiscal year is available for viewing on the Town website at: ledyardct.org/proposed-annual-budget. It is also available in the Town Clerks’ Office at Town Hall. For questions or comments, you may send your input, ideas, questions, and thoughts to: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. The Ledyard Democratic Town Committee thanks all who worked on this year’s town budget and encourages all residents to vote in favor of it on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023! Eligible residents may also vote by absentee ballot and are encouraged to contact the Town Clerk at 860-464-3229 for information about obtaining an absentee ballot.
For years, Ledyard has failed to aggressively broaden its tax base. This year, 95% of our revenue is solely from residential property tax, with no relief in sight. ️Our taxes continue to go up while much-needed improvements in education and infrastructure are left below the cut-off line and dependent almost entirely upon state aid. ️We are paying more, while dreams of a better vision for Ledyard are often left until the next budget cycle. It is a cycle that punishes current homeowners and disincentivizes people from moving here. ️We must find ways to broaden our revenue streams and attract new residents if we are to grow and thrive as a community. ️Despite the proposed budget’s shortcomings, *it will be cut even more if the vote fails*. For the moment, the bump in taxes to ensure we receive critical services is worth it. ️Moving forward, we must rethink our revenue to build a more attractive, affordable Ledyard. Did you miss the Ledyard Budget Hearing? Watch the meeting video at this link! Find Ledyard Budget Hearing meeting minutes here (scroll down to Town Council-April 17) Images from the Budget and the Budget Hearing Presentations: This flyer was sent out by The Citizens Alliance for Land Use to Gales Ferry residents with this information about the upcoming meeting about Gales Ferry Intermodal. We hope you can attend! MEETING: NOVEMBER 17th, 7:30pm at Ledyard High School and available VIRTUAL. Virtual meeting link available HERE!  PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTGALES FERRY INTERMODAL
CASHMAN DREDGING AND MARINE CONTRACTING CO., LLC 1761 ROUTE 12 GALES FERRY, CONNECTICUT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING REGARDING THE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A SOLID WASTE FACILITY WILL BE HELD AT: LEDYARD HIGH SCHOOL, 24 GALLUP HILL ROAD, LEDYARD, CT 06339 IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND IN THE PERSON THEN YOU CAN USE THE FOLLOWING INTERNET ADDRESS (ZOOM MEETING PLATFORM): https://loureiro.zoom.us/.../tZEscu... ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2022 7:30 pm RSVP IS OPTIONAL. YOU CAN EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO Susan Marquardt AT [email protected] AND CHASE DAVIS AT [email protected] THE PROJECT WEBSITE, www.galesferryintermodal.com, HAS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT. AGENDA FOR THE INFORMATIONAL MEETING WILL BE: (1) GENERAL INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND (2) INTENDED PURPOSE AND NEED FOR GALES FERRY INTERMODAL FACILITY (3) PROPOSED OPERATION AND LAYOUT OF FACILITY (4) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (Emailed from: Laurie Briggs Administrative Assistant Loureiro Engineering Associates, Inc. | An Employee Owned Company 100 Fort Hill Road, Suite 3, Groton, CT 06340 | O:860.448.0400)  The CT League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) recently released its annual scorecard, grading all CT legislators on bills considered important to the CTLCV. The results were summarized in a recent article from The Day.
Local Democrats:
Local Republicans:
Representatives Howard, France, and Lanoue all voted against the CT Clean Air Act - one of the biggest steps the state has ever taken to combat climate change. (Read more in The CT Mirror) Working at the state level to combat climate change and protect our natural resources with smart policies like those highlighted by CTLCV is a goal we can all share, especially in light of the recent heat wave that swept the state.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND IN THE PERSON THEN YOU CAN USE THE
FOLLOWING INTERNET ADDRESS (ZOOM MEETING PLATFORM): https://loureiro.zoom.us/.../tZMvdemhpj8uGNV677MapdW6CPa9... ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2022 AT 6:30 PM (THE PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED MAY 11, 2022 MEETING WAS CANCELLED AND RESCHEDULED TO JUNE 15, 2022) PRIOR TO THE MEETING, INTERESTED PARTIES MAY RSVP ON WEEKDAYS, WITH RESPECT TO ATTENDANCE, TO GEORGE ANDREWS OF LOUREIRO ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES, INC. AT 860-747-6181. PLEASE GO TO THIS WEBSITE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING. AGENDA FOR THE INFORMATIONAL MEETING WILL BE: (1) GENERAL INTRODUCTION (2) REVIEW TYPES AND VOLUMES OF WASTE HANDLED (3) LAYOUT OF THE FACILITY (4) SAFETY FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH FACILITY OPERATION (5) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS As we conclude March, let's celebrate our local Board of Education that continues to ensure our schools are the best possible. Ledyard board members are dedicated to excellence in public education. And we would also like to applaud the women on BOE in honor of Women's History Month! Kate DiPalma-Herb Joanne Kelley Mary Harris Alex Rode Thank you for all you do for Ledyard schools!
Last November, Ledyard got new State House district lines. No more 40th or 42nd district. Now, Ledyard is in the 45th, 43rd, and 139th. The House Districts are new, but that's the only change. Ledyard remains in Cathy Osten's 19th State Senate District and in Joe Courtney's 2nd Congressional District. Check out the map below - see which State House district you are in! View the entire State House Districts Map at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/.../House%20Districts_Ledyard.pdf 𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨 in November?
This week, the Ledyard DTC elected its leaders for the upcoming term (2022-24).
The DTC’s new chair is Jake Troy and new vice-chair is Wendy Hellekson. Thank you to both for stepping up into leadership roles! Jake Troy grew up in Ledyard, works as a 911 dispatcher for the East Lyme Police Department, has worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Ledyard Police Department since 2010, volunteers as an EMT with Mystic River Ambulance and Gales Ferry Fire Department, and serves on the Ledyard Nursing Board. Jake previously worked as Director of Choral Activities for Westbrook High School and serves as Organist for The United Methodist Church of Gales Ferry. Wendy Hellekson is an English Language teacher at Ella T. Grasso Technical High School who has lived in Ledyard for 12 years. The DTC is committed to electing Democrats up and down the ballot in Ledyard. We have three whole new State House seats representing the town, and numerous opportunities to build on our 2021 successes!
Joanne Kelley, Ledyard BOE member, said “Since the beginning of Covid in March 2020, I have heard from concerned parents, educators and medical professionals about the impact that the pandemic has had on the emotional well-being of our children…The existing resources in this area are not adequate - we must create something that does not exist. There is not one thing on the current proposed list that I think is as important as this or more appropriate for use of these funds.”
Dr. Adrienne Parad, Ledyard parent, said “We have an opportunity to utilize the ARPA funds to make a meaningful positive impact on our community for years to come…We need to delegate these special funds to invest in our future…For our town to continue to thrive, we need to invest in our health and well-being.” Read more about this issue:
Councilor Mary McGrattan reported that the walkway between the senior center and senior housing is no longer safe. The Ledyard Rotary will be replacing it! Mary also reported from Ledyard Interchurch Emergency Assistance Fund - the board approved grants for 9 Ledyard families last year to help with rent and household necessities. Unite CT and other government programs are ending, while there is an uptick in need for rental assistance. Councilor Naomi Rodriguez noted that there will be a celebration of life ceremony honoring Linda Davis on April 2, at Ledyard High School, 12-3 pm. Councilor Marshall recognized the work of Gales Ferry Fire Chief Tony Saccone for his advocacy that succeeded in the passage of a new law that protects fire police. Read about it here: Much more was discussed! Click here to watch the video of the full meeting. Send your input, ideas, questions, and thoughts to: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. The EDC is organizing a celebratory food truck festival/market style event at Sweet Hill Farm for the Harvard Yale Regatta on June 11, 2022. The Regatta Day Festival so far has about 14 interested vendors and 8 confirmed vendors, all Ledyard based small businesses so far! At their recent meeting, the team discussed Fireside Pizza, which sadly needs to be rebuilt due to a fire. The Fireside owners are working on completing their new restaurant, Sunnyside Diner, in the same plaza on the opposite side of the building. EDC member Jessica Buhle proposed that residents could show financial and moral support by purchasing gift cards for Sunnyside Diner, once they are available, in order to provide cash flow and show that we believe in their restaurant and plan to support it. Town Councilor Naomi Rodriguez also attended the meeting and asked if there is a way to run a complimentary ad for them in the Ledyard Events Magazine. This idea is being explored. The EDC is also eager to know more about the businesses in Ledyard and what the Town can do to make it easier for them to do business here. Business owners in Ledyard can take the survey here: bit.ly/LedyardEDCBusinessSurvey2022. Please share the link with any local business owners you know!
 Major Council Actions:
🔹️The Council voted to appropriate $75,000 in ARPA (federal) funding to cover cost overruns for the Town Green Upgrade project. No discussion occurred of what the nature of the cost overruns were. 🔹️Councilor Naomi Rodriguez (pictured) denounced the acts by Bacon Academy fans against our High School Womens' Basketball players. Mayor's Report: 🔹️Masks will be optional in Town Buildings starting today, Feb. 10. 🔹️The initial Governor's budget apparently included a reduction in PILOT funding. The Mayor and Council will ask the state legislative delegation to push for full funding. 🔹️More info: https://ctmirror.org/2022/02/09/see-how-your-town-could-fare-in-gov-lamonts-proposed-budget/ Watch the full meeting at: https://townledyard.civicweb.net/document/91383?splitscreen=true&media=true 💻The Public Information Forum about ARPA spending is Tuesday, 2/15. See more information at www.ledyardct.org. 💻The Administration Committee is considering how Town Commissions, Council and Boards can move to hybrid meetings (under consideration is whether meetings should be held in person, hybrid, or full virtual, and how to work out the logistics of the various options). If you are interested in knowing when town meetings are coming up, we provide guidance at www.ledyarddtc.com under Town Info! What can the DTC and its members/supporters do? 🔹️Email Town Council at [email protected] and [email protected] to encourage them to make sure that meetings are kept as accessible as they are now (with the option to call or video into the meetings). 🔹️Show support for our players this Saturday morning! Nicole Cruz-Glacken (Ledyard DTC member) is encouraging residents to come to Ledyard HS this Saturday, 9:15-10:15, to cheer on the HS Girls' Basketball team! More info: https://fb.me/e/2u9F23Mrb 💥As always, send your input, ideas, and thoughts to: [email protected], [email protected] (superintendent), [email protected], and [email protected].💥  From State Representative Christine Conley:
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and Interval House is making a new toolkit available to schools and parents with free educational resources in English and Spanish. The toolkit includes:
One in three adolescents in America are victim to sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional dating abuse, and only 33% of those abused confide in someone about the violence. Adults are mostly in the dark about teen dating violence as 82% of parents admit they do not know if teen dating violence is an issue. Three in five parents also cannot correctly identify all the warning signs of abuse. If you, or someone you know, needs help please call the CT Safe Connect 24-hour hotline at (888) 774-2900 or email [email protected] or use the chat option. All services are free and confidential. Direct connections to Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) member organizations — such as Interval House and 17 additional local domestic violence service providers — are available through CT Safe Connect for ongoing, in-person support, in addition to other community-based resources. By shining a light on teen dating violence, we can begin to address root causes and educate our children — and ourselves — on how to identify abuse as well as how to engage in healthy relationships. As always, please reach out to my office if you have questions or need assistance. If you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns, I can be reached by phone at 1-800-842-8267 or by email at [email protected]. For legislative updates, please like my Official Facebook Page. Ledyard Town Council held a regular meeting on 1/26/22. During the meeting, the following notable things occurred.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO FROM THIS MEETING: Community Input/Commissions & Committees: Nate Woody spoke to the Council regarding Hilary Evans' proposed re-appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission. He said, "While there can be robust discussion about how to address [racial bias in zoning], the history of explicit and implicit racism in zoning remains fact. I'm sorry if this history upsets [Councilor] Ingalls, but the zoning commission in town can only do better if we know our history. ...Only by knowing this history can the Planning and Zoning Commission do better for all residents. To disqualify nominees because they are knowledgeable of the history of zoning and the need for affordable housing is to handicap the commission." Click here to watch Mr. Woody speak. Nicole Cruz-Glacken spoke to the council to express her concern about a resident who applied to the G.F. Fire Department who had posted "deeply troubling" posts on Facebook (More information in the Day). "If all the councilors here do indeed have the people's best interest at heart, I would think it would be an easy task to say that you denounce these sentiments and that you do not agree with them, and that someone who expresses the things that he has expressed has no place serving our community in any capacity." Click here to watch Ms. Cruz-Glacken speak. If you are interested in knowing when meetings are, you can look them up here! Major Council Actions: The Council set a date for a public hearing on 3 proposed Ordinances: Wed., 2/23, 6:30pm.
The Council voted to appropriate $43k of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Ledge Light Health District to help the District pay COVID-19-related costs. Mayor's Report:
Procedure notes: If the Council wants to make or amend an Ordinance, they have to have a Public Hearing and give the town a chance to provide input/feedback on it (Charter, Chapter III, Section 5). Also, once every 10 years, the town has to make new voting districts after the new Legislative maps are published. Altering or establishing voting district lines also requires an Ordinance (Charter, Chapter II, Section 8). That's why you see that "Proposed New" Ordinance - they don't have any record of the one published 10 years ago, so they are starting again from scratch.  P&Z alternate appointment in Ledyard becomes controversial
Read the full article at: https://www.theday.com/local-news/20220118/pampz-alternate-appointment-in-ledyard-becomes-controversial "In meetings last Wednesday, current commission Chairman Tony Capon and member Nate Woody voiced support for Evans. Woody announced his resignation from the commission in the public comment portion of last Wednesday's Town Council meeting, out of disgust with some councilors' statements. "This council has decided to slander someone who has done nothing but work hard for this town and dedicated hours of service to this town. You've achieved a new low," Woody said. He announced his resignation and concluded, "So there's another vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Commission, and I encourage Ms. Evans to apply again. Make this council suffer through another round of embarrassment of refusing to approve a qualified nominee." He said between the way the council "railroaded" Cruz-Glacken over the summer and now the issue with Evans, the council "appears to have a problem with women who have opinions." ...Woody said in his resignation letter, "As a zoning commissioner, it is alarming that the well-established fact that zoning can be and has been used as a tool of discrimination is controversial to the town council. I simply cannot watch a fellow commissioner be treated so poorly and I have no interest or ability to participate in the politicization of the Ledyard PZC." Capon echoed Woody's comments. "We have people who are dedicated volunteers, and Hilary is one of them," he said. "If we start politicizing our boards and commissions, we're going to find that the kind of people that we want on our boards and commissions will simply not serve, and the people who do serve will be people who have personal agendas that motivate them." If you would like to see these discussions for yourself or for more information: To watch the full January 12, 2022 Town Council Meeting video, it is available here: https://townledyard.civicweb.net/document/89518?splitscreen=true&media=true The January 12, 2022 Town Council Admin Meeting Video is also a must watch and will help provide context for what occurred in the subsequent Town Council meeting: https://townledyard.civicweb.net/document/89507?splitscreen=true&media=true From State Representative Christine Conley and Senator Cathy Osten: The Department of Transportation has announced a project to upgrade traffic signals at various locations across the state. Construction for these projects is scheduled to begin in April 2022. Ledyard will receive upgrades at the following locations (also see image): Ledyard-Route 12 at Military Highway & Shopping Center Drive (Intersection No. 071-205) Ledyard-Route 12 at Hurlbutt Road & Shopping Center Drive (Intersection No. 071-228)  The community input from the recent Town Council meeting is a MUST WATCH. This week's TC Admin meeting and Board of Education meeting are also chock full of important information. Stay informed of town news and the decisions being made by town leaders by watching any one or more of this week's meeting videos! To watch the full Town Council Meeting video, it is available here: https://townledyard.civicweb.net/document/89518?splitscreen=true&media=true The recent Town Council Admin Meeting Video is also a must watch and will help provide context for what occurred in the subsequent Town Council meeting: https://townledyard.civicweb.net/document/89507?splitscreen=true&media=true Wednesday's Board of Education meeting featured Supt. Hartling presenting the proposed school budget for next year. WATCH: (Mr. Hartling starts his budget presentation at minute 52) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F11nx8PcHXgdKgJwTdt7ZpCuBK64eoqJ/view?usp=drivesdk Please be sure to watch at the 1 hr. 1 minute mark, when Mr. Hartling shows how our district's funding compares to our neighboring funding. See image. **The BOE is still accepting input on this budget. Send your input, ideas, and thoughts to: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], AND [email protected].  |
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