741 Colonel Ledyard Highway  
Ledyard, Connecticut 06339  
TOWN OF LEDYARD  
Conservation Commission  
Meeting Minutes  
Chairman  
Mike Marelli  
Regular Meeting  
Tuesday, June 11, 2024  
6:30 PM  
Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format  
I.  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chairman Marelli called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.  
Due to technical difficulties the meeting was not recorded.  
ROLL CALL  
II.  
Commissioner Roberta Levandoski  
Commissioner James Harwood  
Commissioner David Holdridge  
Commissioner Kathleen Edgecomb  
Commissioner Betsy Graham  
Commissioner Barbara Kil  
Present  
Commissioner Michael E. Marelli  
Alternate Member Dave Cohen  
Non-voting  
Betsy Graham arrived late - 7:37 p.m.  
III.  
1.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from May 14, 2024, as written.  
Mr. Cohen was appointed as a voting member for this motion in Ms. Graham's absence.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Michael E. Marelli  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Dave Cohen  
SECONDER:  
8
Levandoski Harwood Holdridge Edgecomb Graham Kil Marelli Cohen  
AYE  
IV.  
1.  
CORRESPONDENCE  
Correspondence.  
None.  
V.  
PUBLIC COMMENTS  
Public Comments.  
None.  
1.  
VI.  
1.  
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS  
Informational Items.  
The Commission had a table set up at the Connecticut Trails Day at Tri-Town Trails on June 1,  
2024, and another table held at the Regatta Day Festival in Gales Ferry on June 8, 2024.  
Chairman Marelli attended an Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed meeting on June 7, 2024.  
Chairman Marelli is working with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and  
the Town Planner on a statewide map of open space.  
Chairman Marelli is working towards having a survey performed on 60 wooded acres of Burton  
property by the CT State Forestry.  
Chairman Marelli reported that Avalonia is working on a grant for 225-acre Rowley property on  
Stoddard’s Wharf.  
Chairman Marelli suggested that the Commission keeps an eye on the proposed development at  
Mount Decatur in Gales Ferry. Once updated plans have been submitted by Cashman Dredging,  
members will discuss the proposal and comment, if needed.  
Betsy Graham has been named an Environmental Hero by the Aquarian Water Company and  
received a $5,000 grant which will go to the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed. She was  
honored in June. Aquarian said Graham “serves as a board member on the Ledyard Conservation  
Commission and holds leadership positions at the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed and  
the Lantern Hill Valley Association, where she has been a member for over 40 years. She has  
also supported Save the Sound’s efforts to restore fish habitats at Long Pond and has worked  
with Ledyard Parks and Recreation to host educational programs for children on her own  
waterfront property. When she’s not advocating for watershed conservation, she pulls invasive  
plants from hiking trails, collects litter along waterways, and takes water samples for the  
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Betsy’s goal is “to  
keep the water as healthy as possible” and educate others about the importance of our water  
resources".  
Ms. Graham is looking for volunteers for a State-run boat launch program to educate boaters  
about introducing invasive species into inland waterways.  
VII. OLD BUSINESS  
Property Walks.  
1.  
Mr. Cohen cleared some overgrown trails at Blonders. Clearing needs to be done at the path to  
Burton property on Gallup Hill Road. Chairman Marelli and Cohen will meet to put up new  
signs at Glacier Park.  
Financial Reports.  
2.  
Some funds have been spent but not yet reflected in the financial reports. Chairman Marelli  
reported that the White-Hall account has about $20,000. The Conservation General Fund has  
approximately $2,900; and the Trail Maintenance account has just under $6,000.  
Pollinator Pathways Project continued.  
No report.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
7.  
Field clearing at White-Hall Property.  
No report.  
Areas of interest and goals for 2024 continued.  
Still working on this.  
100 Whalehead Road property.  
No comments.  
Any Other Old Business to come before the Commission.  
None.  
VIII. NEW BUSINESS  
Any Other New Business to come before the Commission.  
1.  
None.  
IX.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 7:16 p.m.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Michael E. Marelli  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
James Harwood  
SECONDER:  
7
Levandoski Harwood Holdridge Edgecomb Graham Kil Marelli  
AYE  
DISCLAIMER: Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the  
Town.