741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Agricultural Commission

Meeting Minutes

Chairman

Bruce Garstka

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

6:00 PM

Town Hall Annex-Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

The Regular Meeting was called to order by Chairman Gartska at 6:00 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Farming Community Allyson Angelini

Community-at-Large Representative Katie Yuhas

Alternate Member Steve Martic

Present

Farming Community Bruce Garstka

Farming Community Russell Holmberg

Farming Community Michael E. Marelli

Farming Community William Thorne

Late

Also in attendance was Ty Lamb, Town Councilor serving as the Commission's Liaison.

William Thorne was present via Zoom at 6:06 p.m.

Ty Lamb, Town Councilor was present via Zoom.

III.

CITIZEN'S COMMENTS

None.

IV.

COMMENTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS

Comments of Commission Members.

Chairman Garstka said that Roxanne Mayer, Administrative Assistant to the Ledyard Town

Council made a recommendation to postpone the Commission's Joint meeting due to a Town

Council Public Hearing Budget meeting on the same night.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence.

Connecticut Farm Bureau newsletter.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

VI.

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

Informational items.

None.

VII. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from March 17, 2026, as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Bruce Garstka

RESULT:

MOVER:

Michael E. Marelli

SECONDER:

Angelini Yuhas Martic Garstka Holmberg Marelli

Thorne

AYE

EXCUSED

VIII. TOWN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT

Town Council Liaison report.

Ty Lamb, Town Councilor, reported that the budget went to Town Council for public meeting

tonight. There is a meeting scheduled with the School Superintendent about the Agriscience

Department on May 18, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., and requests for Commissioners to attend were made.

Ty Lamb, Town Councilor, said that the Clarke Farm Contract seems to be going well and thanked

the Commission for the input. Chairman Garstka confirmed that the Clarke Farm proposal is on the

agenda for the Town Council meeting tomorrow (April 22, 2026).

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

IX.

OLD BUSINESS

Any other Old Business to come before the Commission.

Chairman Garstka said the Commission's Joint Meeting is tentative scheduled during the May

meeting.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

RESULT:

NEW BUSINESS

Any other New Business to come before the Commission.

Chairman Garstka got the paperwork for residents interested in selling the development rights of

their land to review with the tax assessor. He plans to reach out to other farmers to see if they are

interested in selling rights to the state.

Mr. Thorne asked if they were still only purchasing prime agricultural land. Chairman Garstka

believes they should start purchasing pastureland to reach state acreage goals.

Ms. Parkinson said she has been working with the Gales Ferry District and was wondering if

there is a list of historic farms that are still actively farmed in preparation for the 250th

celebration. Chairman Garstka said he didn’t know of any off-hand, but noted the Allyn Farm,

Holmberg Farm, Avery Farm, Lamb Farm, Morgan Farm, Geer Farm, as potential examples. Ms.

Parkinson would like to highlight Ledyard as a rural community. Mr. Holmberg suggested

looking at the cloth map on the wall of the Town Hall, and that there is also a book at the Nathan

Lester House of some of the original houses.

Mr. Thorne suggested that the AG Commission in conjunction with land use table at the

community table at one of the Farmer’s Market and said he would inquire.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

XI.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 5:15 p.m.

DISCLAIMER: Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the

Town.