741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339-1551

(860) 464-3203

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Town Council

council@ledyardct.org

Meeting Minutes

Chairman Gary St. Vil

Sp Town Council - Zoom Only

6:15 PM

Monday, September 29, 2025

Video Conference

Video Conference Only

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CALL TO ORDER

IC.hairman St. Vil called the Special Video Conference Meeting to order at 6:15 p.m.

Chairman St. Vil welcomed all to the Video Conference Meeting. He stated for the

members of the Town Council and the Public who were participating that the video

conference information was available on the Agenda that was posted on the Town’s

Website - Granicus-Legistar Meeting Portal.

III.

ROLL CALL

Councilor William Barnes

Councilor April Brunelle

Councilor Carmen Garcia-Irizarry

Councilor Tony Saccone

Councilor Gary St. Vil

Present:

Councilor Adrienne Parad

Councilor Jessica Buhle

Councilor Kevin Dombrowski

Councilor Tim Ryan

Excused:

III.

BUSINESS OF THE MEETING

Finance Committee

MOTION to accept the Ledge Light Health District-Ledyard Prevention Coalition proposal for

the Period of October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026; and to allocate $60,000 from Account #

0810201-58206-24206 ( National Opioid Settlement Funding to continue to support programs

for opioid abatement; expanding access to opioid use disorder prevention, intervention,

treatment, and recovery options, etc.

Moved by Councilor Saccone, seconded by Councilor Parad

Discussion: Councilor Saccone provided some background stating in 2023 the Town allocated

$36,100 from their National Opioid Settlement Funding to that Ledge Light Health District -

Ledyard Prevention Coalition to implement programs regarding opioid prevention and recovery

programs. He stated that Ledge Light Health District - Ledyard Prevention Coalition has been

using those funds and has once again presented a proposal to continue to provide these important

lifesaving programs. He stated this year’s proposal in the amount of $60,000 was higher than

their last allocation, explaining that the increase was to provide for staff hours that had been

previously covered by the Drug Free Communities Grants, which ran in ten-year cycles; and was

not being funding in the coming year.

Chairman St. Vil stated that Ms. Jennifer Muggeo, Ledge Light Health District Director of

Health, was present this evening, and he asked if she would like to provide some comments.

Ms. Jennifer Muggeo, Ledge Light Health District Director of Health, thanked the Town for

their partnership and for promoting the health of Ledyard’s community. She continued by stating

that this request was for Ledyard allocate a portion of the National Opioid Settlement Funding

they have been receiving from the from the Sackler Family Trust - Purdue Pharma Distributor

Settlement to help support Ledge Light Health District - Ledyard Prevention Coalition’s efforts

to continue their programs for opioid abatement, including, but not limited

to, expanding access to opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery

options, etc.

Ms. Muggeo provided some background noting as Councilor Saccone mentioned in 2023

Ledyard allocated $36,100 from their Settlement Funding to the Ledyard Prevention Coalition to

implement programs regarding opioid prevention and recovery programs to try to save lives. She

explained that the Ledyard Prevention Coalition was a multi-sector group comprised of Ledyard

community members, parents, students, businesses, the school district and the Mayor’s Office to

strengthen protective factors and reduce risk factors mostly related to Youth Substance Use. She

stated this year the Ledyard Prevention Coalition’s Proposal was in the amount of $60,000 and

was higher than their 2023 request because they would be adding some additional training for

First Responders for Faith Communities and because the Federal Drug Free Communities

Grants, which supported the Ledyard Prevention Coalition, would be ending tomorrow after ten

years of funding. Therefore, she stated some additional funding was needed to support the

Ledyard Prevention Collation, Jenelle Review Board JRB), and many other things that go along

with their work with the community’s youth as it related to opioid matters.

VOTE

6 - 0 Approved and so declared

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Tony Saccone

RESULT:

MOVER:

Adrienne Parad

SECONDER:

Barnes, Brunelle, Garcia-Irizarry, Saccone, St. Vil, and Parad

Buhle, Dombrowski, and Ryan

AYE:

EXCUSED:

Administration Committee

MOTION to approve the proposed revisions to the Library Technician I – Youth Services job

description as presented in the draft dated September 2025.

Moved by Councilor Brunelle, seconded by Councilor Parad

Discussion: Director of Human Resources Christine Dias provided some background explained

that they were making some updates to a couple of the Library job descriptions. She stated that

they currently have a vacancy for the former position, which was titled “Library Technician II

Youth Services” noting that they were realigning the jobs. She stated for the next job

description (Item #3 below) that they were moving the Technical Services aspects from this

Library Youth Services position to the Administrative Assistant & Technical Services position,

because those skill sets go better together. She concluded by stating that the updates to both of

the Library job descriptions on tonight’s Agenda were to just realign them with the appropriate

skill sets.

Councilor Barnes questioned a whether items such as Job Descriptions could be included on the

Consent Calendar. Administrative Assistant Roxanne Maher explained that typically the items

that are placed on the Consent Calendar were “routine items” that did not require any discussion,

such as the refund of overpaid taxes. However, she stated that Job Descriptions were not

considered routine because of the many facets associated with either creating a new position or

updating existing job descriptions. She noted that typically questions regarding changes in job

descriptions were related to whether they were union positions and if the union approved of the

changes (increase or decrease in duties and responsibilities); whether the changes in duties and

responsibilities warranted an increase in pay, and whether funding was in the budget to cover the

additional salary.

Councilor Barnes questioned whether these two job descriptions were union positions and if the

union had approved of the changes (increase or decrease in duties and responsibilities); whether

the changes in duties and responsibilities warranted an increase in pay, and whether funding was

in the budget to cover the additional salary.

Ms. Dias responded to Councilor Barnes’ questions stating that both positions were in the Town

Hall and Public Library Union, the union approved the changes before the job descriptions were

presented to the Town Council. She explained that the salaries were actually being swapped,

noting that currently the Library Technician II - Youth Services had a higher salary than the

Administrative Assistant. She stated because the Technician responsibilities were being moved

to the Administrative Assistant & Head of Technical Services position. Therefore, she stated that

salary for the salary for the Library Technician I - Youth Services the same as the Library

Technician I- Reference Position. She stated that funding was included in the budget to address

the changes in salaries.

VOTE

6 - 0 Approved and so declared

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

April Brunelle

RESULT:

MOVER:

Adrienne Parad

SECONDER:

Barnes, Brunelle, Garcia-Irizarry, Saccone, St. Vil, and Parad

Buhle, Dombrowski, and Ryan

AYE:

EXCUSED:

MOTION to approve the proposed revisions to the Library Administrative Assistant & Head of

Technical Services job description as presented in the draft dated September 2025.

Moved by Councilor Brunelle, seconded by Councilor Barnes

Discussion: (see above - Item #2)

VO- 0TAEp6proved and so declared

General Items

Registrars of Voters - Early Voting.

Moved by Councilor Brunelle, seconded by Councilor Parad

Discussion: Chairman St. Vil stated the town received a letter from the Secretary of State late

last week, which required immediate action, which was the reason they were addressing the

grant in the Mayor’s absence. He explained the Secretary of State would be providing grant

funding to Municipalities based on a formula. He stated Ledyard would be receiving $10,026.07

to help with expenses related to Early Voting activities. He noted that the grant required the

Registrars to identify how the grant funding would be used. He stated tonight’s action was to

authorize the Mayor to accept the Grant Funding on behalf of the town.

Councilor Parad stated in reading the Secretary of State’s letter that it was her understanding that

the Grant Funding was based on how many residents were using the Early Voting and that it was

not based on how many voters a municipality had. Therefore, she suggested that they may want

to encourage their voters to Vote Early in an effort to continue to receive the Grant Funding from

the Secretary of State’s Office to support this effort in the future.

Chairman St. Vil stated the Grant Funding was allocated to execute the work related to the Early

Voting, noting that it would be the Registrar’s responsibility to advertise the Early Voting Dates.

He stated although he had to do some homework on how advertising the Early Voting worked,

that he was aware that the various political parties were part of the effort to educate the

community. He stated that the Community Relations Committee for Diversity, Equity, &

Inclusion was potentially another mechanism to educate the community on Early Voting. He

stated that he was willing to entertain other ideas to ensure Ledyard used Early Voting at least as

much as they have in the past, if not more this year.

Councilor Garcia-Irizarry questioned whether the Town Council could invite the Registrars to

their next meeting to give a presentation on how Early Voting and Absentee Voting worked. She

stated by having that information in the Town Council minutes would be resource for residents

to refer to.

Chairman St. Vil noted when he was serving on the Community Relations Committee for

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion there was an effort to create a central depository on the town

website for the Departments to provide documentation regarding how they operate and the

services they provide. He questioned the status of that initiative and whether the Registrars have

completed that effort. Councilor Brunelle stated that the MIS Department created a Ledyard

Academy Link on the town’s website and as Department’s were submitting their Presentations

that they were being uploaded to the Ledyard Academey link. She stated that she did not recall if

the Registrars submitted their presentation yet.

Councilor Brunelle noted at their September 17, 2025 meeting the Community Relations

Committee for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion agreed to send out a reminder to the Department

Heads to ask for those who have not yet submitted their presentations to do so by October 15,

2025.

Councilor Brunelle went on to state if the Registrars have already submitted their Presentation that

they could highlight their presentation. However, she stated if the Registrars have not submitted

their presentation that perhaps they could ask them to come to the next Town Council meeting, as

Councilor Garcia-Irizarry suggested, to give a presentation regarding Early Voting and Absentee

Voting.

Chairman St. Vil stated if the Registrars have not yet submitted their presentation to be included on

the Ledyard Academy link that perhaps he could work with the Mayor and Administrative Assistant

Roxanne Maher to invite the Registrars to the next Town Council Meeting to give a brief

presentation regarding the Early Voting Timeline as an informational opportunity for the

community. He asked Ms. Maher whether she had any thoughts regarding this approach.

Administrative Assistant Roxanne Maher noted that she talked with the Registrars on September 25,

2025 about the Secretary of State’s Grant Funding relative to their list of expenses they would be

using the grant funding for. She stated that the Registrars were working on their Town Governance

Transparency Presentation to submit to the Community Relations Committee for Diversity, Equity,

& Inclusion to be added to the Ledyard Academy Link. She also noted that the Registrars were

required to publish Public Notices regarding Early Voting in the newspaper, and that the information

would also be posted on the town’s website. Chairman St. Vil asked Ms. Maher to invite the

Registrars to attend the October 8, 2025 Town Council meeting to give a brief overview, noting that

they could give the presentation via Zoom; and would not need to attend in the meeting in-person.

Councilor Saccone stated last year the Registrar Diana Mann brought a detailed list of how they

planned to spend the Secretary of State’s Early Voting Grant Funding. He stated that last year most

of the money was going to be used for the hours to support/staff the Early Voting location . He

stated in preparing the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget that they were concerned about whether the

State was going to provide funding again this year for the Early Voting Program; therefore, he stated

the Town should accept the State’s Grant Funding because most of the time these mandates go

unfunded.

Councilor St. Vil acknowledged everyone who adjusted their schedules to attend tonight’s Special

Meeting. He stated that unfortunately the Town Council did not have a quorum for their September

24, 2025 meeting, noting that their participation this evening was greatly appreciated. He stated

without the Town Council meeting tonight that the town would not have been able to meet the

deadline to confirm their grant request to the Secretary of State’s Office by September 30, 2025.

Councilor Barnes thanked Administrative Assistant Roxanne Maher for her diligence to bring the

Secretary of State’s September 19, 2025 letter to the Town Council’s attention and for working with

all parties to get this item on last week’s Town Council’s September 24, 2025 Agenda. He stated the

Town Council would have acted on the Early Voting Grant last week, however, because of people

being out the Town Council did not have quorum.

Councilor Barnes stated in talking with the Registrars that he was aware that the Early Voting

created an additional manpower burden on the town. Therefore, he stated that it was nice to receive

some relief from the Secretary of State’s Office, and that the town should take advantage of the

grant funding. He proceeded to state before they vote tonight on this item whether Councilor

Saccone could provide the allocations that was reviewed by the Finance Committee. Councilor

Saccone stated that the allocations for the Early Voting Grant Funding was included in the Finance

Committee Minutes, and the Town Council Minutes. He also noted that the cost of Early Voting was

discussed during the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget Work Sessions.

Councilor Barnes requested clarification, noting that the allocation of how the 2025 Secretary of

State’s Grant funding was not discussed by the Finance Committee prior to coming before the Town

Council. Chairman St. Vil noted that Councilor Saccone was referring to the Registrar’s historical

expenditures for Early Voting. He stated that Administrative Assistant Roxanne Maher spoke with

the Registrars and the Town Clerk and that they collectively were identifying how the Grant

Funding in the amount of $10,026.07 $10 would be spent; which was the deliverable Ms. Maher

mentioned would be attached to the signed acknowledgment to receive the grant funding.

VO- 0TAEp6proved and so declared

IV.

ADJOURNMENT

Councilor Barnes moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilor Brunelle.

VOTE:6 - 0 Approved and so declared. The meeting adjourned at 6:41 p.m.

_____________________________________

Transcribed by Roxanne M. Maher

Administrative Assistant to the Town Council

I, Gary St. Vil, Chairman of the Ledyard Town Council,

hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and

correct copy of the minutes of the Special Town Council

Meeting held on September 29, 2025.

____________________________________

Gary St. Vil, Chairman

DISCLAIMER:

Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the Town.

The Town Council's Official Agenda and final Minutes will be on file in the Town Clerk's

Office.