741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Economic Development Commission

Meeting Minutes - Final

Chairman

John Vincent

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

6:00 PM

Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL

II.

Commissioner Carol Ann Schneider

Recording Secretary Michael Dreimiller

Chairperson John Vincent

Present

Commissioner Michael Cherry

Peter Hary

III.

PRESENTATIONS / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

None.

IV.

CORRESPONDANCE

None.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNER COMMENTS

Milton D. Schroeder Jr. - Spoke about his disappointment with the Rt. 12 Corridor Study. and

offered a 10-point action plan as an alternative. His complete comments are available in a

separate file.

Joanne McQueeny Kelly - Also spoke about the Rt. 12 Corridor Study. She said she believed

that most of the respondents to the survey were from Gales Ferry so using the population of the

entire town when calculating the response rate undervalues the response rate of those directly

impacted by the survey. She also mentioned the CT Main Street Center report and was

disappointed that its suggestions seemed to focus on Ledyard Center.

VI.

REPORTS

Mayor’s Report

Kartway is still on the market. They responded to recent inquiry from the town. They have done

some cleanup work on the property are actively looking at demolishing the buildings and are

having them mapped on a survey so that anyone who purchases the property would have that

opportunity.

Cashman was issued a permit to build the 6,000 sq ft building on the north end of their property.

We don’t know yet when that construction might start.

John Perillo, owner of 109 Christy Hill Rd. is actively looking at doing apartments there. It’s a

13 acre parcel uphill from Kartway and downhill from Kings Highway, It is a tough site

containing rock fill from Rt. 12 construction. Access would be via an easement over the

driveway between 39 and 41 Kings Hwy.

Planner’s Report

Not present.

VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

EDC Special Meeting Minutes of August 5, 2025

MOTION to approve the EDC Regular Meeting Minutes of August 5, 2025. Motion passed by

the following vote.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

Business Directory Update

Mohegan Trading Post in the old Ledyard Center School has been replaced by Casa de

Adoración.

Town Planner Burdick reached out to Smudge Makeup, a new business going in above the

FRAG’s Retro Zone gaming store in Gales Ferry, to let them know what they need to do to open

a business in town.

Route 12 Corridor Study Discussion

Vincent asked what our next step should be. Mayor Allyn stated that the purpose of the study

was to enable the town to apply for STEAP Grants for improvements in Gales Ferry. He

suggested that at the next EDC meeting we make the report the primary discussion point.

CT Main Street town discussion

Mayor Allyn said that they recently had a meeting. CT Main Street recommended establishing a

steering committee. They suggested “unlocking economic potential nature-based placemaking”

such as bait shops, boat rentals, and hiking trails. He will provide copies of the handouts that

they gave him.

Sustainable CT Ad Hoc Committee: Discussion

Dreimiller volunteered to fill the EDC spot on this committee.

Blight Issues

Vincent noted recent activity at Kartway. The trash around the donation box has been picked up.

The For Sale sign has been re-erected. The Mayor estimated that just 5% of that lot is not

wetlands soils or flood plains. Vincent pointed out that the EDC doesn’t have funding to help

market that property. The Mayor stated that the EDC can do things like propose zoning changes

to facilitate a sale. He also mentioned that the flood plain issue could possibly be mitigated by

raising the level of the property. He expects that the owners will lower their asking price.

Mayor Allyn said that 528 Col. Ledyard Hwy has a blight citation lien. It was being used as a

junkyard in a residential zone. There will be a foreclosure sale on Saturday at noon. It is 2.1

acres, has 2 barns, and what was a National Register home which is now in extremely poor

condition.

Vincent noted that a house at or near 69 Whalehead Rd. has a refrigerator at the curb. He asked

what the process that should be followed to have that removed. Mayor Allyn said that they

should remove the doors and could pay a $5 fee for freon-bearing appliances at Town Hall and

they’ll be given a sticker that they will get place on the refrigerator. They can then take it to the

Ledyard Transfer Station.

Schneider asked if there was a way to determine if a property has requested a bulk pickup.

Mayor Allyn stated that the town doesn’t have that information but the waste hauler CWPM

knows.

IX.

NEW BUSINESS

2024-2025 Annual Report: Discussion

Dreimiller is putting together the first draft and asked that everyone take a look at last year’s

report and let him know if you have any suggestions for this year’s report. He also mentioned

that he removed the Directional Signage from the Possible Future Projects section of the draft.

CEDAS CERTIFICATION - Discussion

Vincent asked if this was the same as the Sustainable CT certification. Mayor Allyn said that it

was something different. Dreimiller stated that the EDC had discussed this in 2021 but never

followed through on it. They award up to 250 points. The lowest certification is Bronze which

requires 100 to 150 points. Dreimiller estimated that he identified about 55 points that we have

probably earned, and that he sent Town Planner Burdick a list of 12 of the questions that he

expects would be simple for her to identify whether her department is already doing them. This

will be discussed at our next meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

Our next meeting is scheduled for October 7th at 6:00pm in the Town Hall Annex.

A motion was made by Commissioner Schneider, seconded by Commissioner Tashea, to adjourn

at 6:40pm. The motion carried by the following vote:

RESULT: APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

MOVER: Schneider

SECONDER: Tashea

AYE: 6 Aherne, Dreimiller, Hary, Schneider, Tashea, and Vincent

ABSENT: Cherry

For the Commission,

John Vincent, Chairman

Dated: September 2, 2025