741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Finance Committee

Meeting Minutes

Chairman S. Naomi

Rodriguez

Regular Meeting

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

5:00 PM

Town Hall Annex Building - Hybrid

Format

In -Person: Council Chambers, Town Hall Annex Building

Remote Participation: Information Noted Below

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CALL TO ORDER

the Meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman Councilor Saccone at 5:00

p.m. at the Council Chambers Town Hall Annex Building.

Councilor Saccone welcomed all to the Hybrid Meeting. He stated for the Town

Council Finance Committee and members of the Public who were participating via

video conference that the remote meeting information was available on the Agenda

that was posted on the Town’s Website - Granicus-Legistar Meeting Portal.

II.

ROLL CALL

Tony Saccone

Tim Ryan

Present:

Jessica Buhle

Excused:

In addition, the following were present:

Matthew Bonin Finance Director

Steve Holyfield Administrator of Emergency Services

Elizabeth BurdickLand Use Director/Town Planner

Nate Woody Planning & Zoning Commission Member

Carol Schneider Resident

Roxanne Maher Administrative Assistant

III.

IV.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

None.

PRESENTATIONS / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

None.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION to approve the following Finance Committee Minutes:

Special Meeting Minutes of May 19, 2025

Regular Meeting Minutes of May 21, 2025.

Moved by Councilor Ryan, seconded by Councilor Saccone

VOTE:

2 - 0 Approved and so declared

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Tim Ryan

RESULT:

MOVER:

Tony Saccone

SECONDER:

Finance Director’s Report

(see below)

VI.

Financial Reports

VII.

Finance Director Matthew Bonin stated the following Reports were attached to the

agenda on the meeting portal, and he hoped the Finance Committee had the

opportunity to review them. He stated there was nothing that they have not already

discussed. He noted the following:

· Budget versus Actuals - Revenues - May 31, 2025

ü Tax Collections were at 99.4% which was good.

· Budget versus Actuals - Expenditures - May 31, 2025

Legal Accounts were over expended, the Finance Committee authorized

overspending these accounts at prior meetings.

Mr. Bonin stated that he would answer any questions regarding the reports.

Hearing no questions, Councilor Saccone noted that the Committee would move on

to Old Business.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

Discussion regarding potential uses for the funding received from the National Opioid

Settlement Payments.

It was noted at the Town Council’s June 11, 2025 Meeting that Mayor Allyn reported

that the town received $11,507 in the latest National Opioid Settlement

Disbursement.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Continued discussion regarding the status and possible changes to Capital Improvement Plan

(CIP) and Capital Non-Recurring (CNR) Fund based on the American Rescue Act Funding

(ARPA) and the process to approve ARPA Projects and expend ARPA Funding.

Finance Director Matthew Bonin stated the he provided an updated ARPA Project

Spreadsheet that was attached to Agenda on the Meeting Portal. He noted that

invoices continue to come in and were being paid and recorded on the ARPA

Projects Spreadsheet. He also stated as some projects were being completed that

Public Works Director/Steve Masalin has been closing the Purchase Orders.

Councilor Ryan noted the obligated funds for the Sewer Line Phase I Project, noting

that there appears to be a little over $400,000 remaining for that project. Therefore,

he questioned whether there were any outstanding invoices that have not yet been

paid.

Finance Director Matthew Bonin explained although the ARPA Projects Spreadsheet

was showing a $300,000 deficit that when all was said and done, that they would

have enough funding to cover all of the ARPA Projects. He stated the Town of

Ledyard would not be returning any ARPA Funding to the US Treasury.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Continued discussion regarding upcoming potential Grant Opportunities.

It was noted that Ledyard’s 2025 STEAP Grant Application was approved in the

amount of $892,000 noting that it would require a $179,000 town match for

Playscape Improvement Projects for the following:

$567,588.38 - Town Green ADA Park included new equipment, installation, Poured In

Place (PIP) Surfacing, R& D of existing equipment.

$199,113.00 - Colonel Ledyard/Blonders Park included new Playground Equipment,

installation, Poured In Place (PIP) Surfacing under new equipment and under existing

swings and R&D of existing equipment.

$141,321.42- Aljen Heights Park included new Playground Equipment and swings,

installation, Poured In Place (PIP) Surfacing under new equipment and swings and R&D

of existing equipment.

$163,865.30 - East Drive includes new Playground Equipment and swings, installation,

Poured In Place (PIP) Surfacing under new equipment and swings, and R&D of existing

equipment.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Discussion scheduling Regular Quarterly Joint Finance Committee Meetings between the

Town Council and Board of Education.

Councilor Saccone noted Board of Education Finance Committee Earl (Ty) Lamb’s

June 8, 2025 email in which he proposed the following updates to their planned

Quarterly Joint Meetings between the two Finance Committees:

· August 19, 2025 at the Board of Education Central Office - Councilor Saccone

noted that initially the idea was to replace one of the Finance Committee’s

bimonthly meetings with a Joint Quarterly Meeting. However, he stated with

August 19, 2025 being a Monday, that the Committee could decide whether they

would need to hold their Regular Meeting on August 20, 2025.

Councilor Ryan stated that he would mark his calendar for Monday, August 18,

2025

· December November, 2025 at the Council Chambers, Town Hall Annex

Building - Councilor Saccone noted that Board of Education Finance Committee

Chairman Earl (Ty) Lamb suggested moving the previously planned November,

2025 meeting to December to allow for the new incoming elected officials to

meet and begin conversations of the topics of their choosing.

Councilor Ryan stated that he agreed with moving the meeting to December,

2025.

February, 2026 at the Board of Education Central Office (no change to the

date).

May, 2026 at the Council Chambers, Town Hall Annex Building (no change to

the date).

Councilor Ryan questioned whether the Joint Quarterly Meeting would also include

the Finance Directors for the General Government and Board of Education.

Councilor Saccone stated that he hoped the that the Finance Directors would

participate in the Quarterly Meetings, noting that their input would be helpful. He

stated that he would make a note to invite the Finance Directors to the Quarterly

Meetings.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Any Old Business proper to come before the Committee.

None.

IX.

NEW BUSINESS

MOTION to authorize the submission of a grant application to the Good Neighbor

Firefighter Safety Program in the amount of up-to $10,000 to purchase rescue and general

equipment.

Discussion: Administrator of Emergency Services Steve Holyfield explained that State

Farm Insurance and the National Volunteer Firefighters Council have formed a

partnership and were offering up-to $10,000 in Grant Funding to assist Fire

Departments with the purchase of safety equipment. He stated this was more of a

donation type of program, noting that there was no local funding required.

Mr. Holyfield stated Gales Ferry Fire Chief Jeff Erhart and Assistant Fire Chief Nick

Bozym approached him for assistance to obtain the town’s authorization to submit

this Grant Application. He noted they were looking to upgrade some of their rescue

equipment should their Grant Application be approved.

VOTE:

2- 0 Approved and so declared

RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL

Tim Ryan

RESULT:

MOVER:

Tony Saccone

SECONDER:

Saccone and Ryan

Buhle

AYE:

EXCUSED:

MOTION to authorize the transfer of $60,000 from Acccunt # 10114301-53300

(Professional Services) to Account # 21014301-53306 (Plan Conserve & Development) to

provide engage professional services for the updating of the Ledyard Plan of Conservation &

Development and its Affordable Housing Plan.

Moved by Councilor Ryan, seconded by Councilor Saccone

Discussion: Land Use Director/Town Planner Elizabeth Burdick stated that Planning &

Zoning Commissioner Nate Woody was also present this evening. Ms. Burdick noted

that the Planning & Zoning Commission discussed the need to draft a Request for

Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/RF) to retain a third-party Consultant to update Ledyard’s

Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD) and Affordable Housing Plan (AFP). She

addressed the legal requirements to update the Plan of Conservation & Development

POCD and Affordable Housing Plans (AHP) every ten years, noting that the POCD was

updated in 2020 and was due to expire in 2030; explaining that the best practice was to

start the work to update these documents earlier rather than later. She went on to explain

that if the Town does not have an updated Affordable Housing Plan (AFP) and updated

Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD) that the State could choose to withhold

discretionary grant funding (STEAP, LOTCIP, etc.). She stated in talking with the Town

of Stonington the cost for a third-party consultant to update their Plan Documents

was $150,000. However, Ms. Burdick stated that the Planning & Zoning Commission

was hoping in doing some of the work themselves that they could reduce costs.

Ms. Burdick went on to explain at their May 8, 2025 meeting the Planning & Zoning

Commission authorized her to draft and solicit Request for Proposals/Qualifications

(RFP/RFQ) to hire a third-party consultant to assist with updating these required

Documents. However, she stated because the work would involve a couple of years that

tonight’s request was to transfer the $60,000 balance from the Professional Services

Account to the POCD Capital Account, which currently had a balance of $17,500. She

stated by transferring these remaining operating funds into the POCD Capital Account

that the funds would remain in the Capital Account and would not be swept into the

Undesignated Fund at year end.

Mr. Nathaniel Woody, 777 Long Cove Road, Gales Ferry, Planning & Zoning

Commission Member stated updating these Plan Documents involved more work than

one may think. He stated during the time he previously served on the Planning & Zoning

Commission that the Commission wrote its own Plan of Conservation & Development

(POCD); however, he stated at that time they did not update all of the Sections.

Therefore, he stated as Ms. Burdick mentioned the Commission was hoping they

could work with the Consultant and do some of the work themselves to reduce costs.

Mr. Woody went on to address the importance of the Plan of Conservation &

Development (POCD) explaining that it takes everything into account that was going

to happen in the town, such as land infrastructure, utilities, open space, public works

and facilities improvements, etc. He stated it was necessary to have an updated

POCD in place for the town to be eligible to apply for and receive grant funding. Ms.

Burdick added that when the Plan of Conservation & Development was last updated

in 2020 that because the 2020 Census had not yet been completed they could not

incorporate the Census Data into the Plan Document; noting that this update would

include that Census Data.

Ms. Burdick reported that the State Legislation approved House Bill #5002 (Public

Act #2549) noting that it was a 91-page Bill that would provide sweeping changes

regarding housing throughout the State of Connecticut, and that all municipalities

would have to comply with provisions of the Bill. She stated that it was her

understanding that the Bill may be modified before the Governor signs it into law.

She stated by having the work in-progress to update the Plan of Conservation

Development (POCD) and the Affordable Housing Plan (AHP) that it would allow

Ledyard to stay ahead of the curve, and to comply with any changes contained in the

Bill.

Ms. Burdick stated that the process to update these Plan Documents always takes

significantly longer than they expect. She stated the reality was that if the RFP/RFQ

went out right now, that optimistically, the Planning & Zoning Commission would be

coming to the Town Council in 2027 to approve the Plan of Conservation &

Development, which meant that they had less time than they think they have.

Councilor Ryan stated that he thought that this was a good use of the money. He

stated the funding was allocated to use Consultants to supplement the personnel and

resource requirements for expected submittals. He stated that House Bill #5002

(Public Act #2549) had a number of requirements that would have some huge

impacts for a lot of municipalities, should the Governor sign the Bill. Therefore, he

stated that starting the process to update the Town’s Plan of Conservation &

Development and Affordable Housing Plan (AHP) now would be good timing if

House Bill #5002 does become law. He concluded by stating that he appreciated the

diligence, and thinking along the lines to make the most of these funds for the Plan

Document(s) update.

VOTE: 2- 0 Approved and so declared

RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL

Tim Ryan

RESULT:

MOVER:

Tony Saccone

SECONDER:

Any New Business proper to come before the Committee

None.