741 Colonel Ledyard Highway  
Ledyard, Connecticut 06339-1551  
(860) 464-3203  
TOWN OF LEDYARD  
Town Council  
council@ledyardct.org  
Meeting Minutes  
Chairman S. Naomi  
Rodriguez  
Special Meeting  
Wednesday, June 18, 2025  
6:00 PM  
Town Hall Council Chambers  
In-Person: Council Chambers Town Hall Annex  
Remote: Information noted below:  
Join Zoom Meeting from your Computer, Smart Phone or Tablet:  
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86382961988?pwd=s6hrrXvpgBJkH5k2bdh2cG3PNps8bd.1  
Audio Only: Telephone: +1 646 558 8656; Meeting ID: 863 8296 1988; Passcode: 427157  
I.  
CALL TO ORDER  
IC.hairman Pro-tem Barnes called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. at the Council Chambers,  
Town Hall Annex Building.  
Chairman Pro-tem Barnes welcomed all to the Hybrid Meeting. He stated for the  
members of the Town Council and 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.  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
ROLL CALL  
III.  
Councilor William Barnes  
Councilor Jessica Buhle  
Present:  
Councilor Kevin Dombrowski  
Councilor Carmen Garcia-Irizarry  
Chairperson S. Naomi Rodriguez  
Councilor Tim Ryan  
Councilor Tony Saccone  
Councilor Gary St. Vil  
Councilor April Brunelle  
Excused:  
XIV. BUSINESS OF THE MEETING  
Chairman Pro-tem Barnes stated the purpose of tonight’s Special Meeting was administrative to  
address some discrepancies and to adopt a Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget.  
Chairman Pro-tem Barnes explained because this was a Special Meeting they would not be  
receiving public comment this evening, although they welcome residents those who were here  
in-person and attending online.  
MOTION to adopt the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget in the amount of $70,364,977  
comprised of:  
1.  
·
·
General Government: $29,902,735_  
Board of Education: $40,462,242.  
Moved by Councilor Garcia-Irizarry, seconded by Councilor Saccone  
Background Information: Background Information: Subsequent to the Town  
Council’s June 11, 2025 actions the following information was noted:  
· 6/11/2025 Floater Salary was reduced by $9,692 - This position is in the Town Hall and  
Library Collective Bargaining Unit; and therefore, the salary cannot be reduced per the  
Labor Contract.  
· 6/11/2025 Board of Education Capital was reduced by $45,000 - There was no funding  
coming from the Tax Levy for Board of Education Capital. Therefore, this reduction  
would not have provided a reduction to the budget. Superintendent Hartling has agreed to  
reduce the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Board of Education Operating Budget by $45,000.  
vMOTION tAomend the Motion to make the following Budget Allocation Adjustments:  
Account #  
1011-0201-51305  
Title  
Reinstate (change from 6/11/2025)  
$28,692  
Town Hall Floater $9,692  
Account #  
10140107-56301  
Title  
Sand and Salt  
Reduction  
$9,692 $115,308  
(change from 6/11/2025)  
Board of Education  
(6/18/2025)  
Change from Capital Budget ( 6/11/2025) To Operating Budge  
Reduce the Board of Education Operational Budget by $45,000  
Moved by Councilor Dombrowski, seconded by Councilor Garcia-Irizarry  
Discussion: Councilor Garcia-Irizarry stated that Public Works Director/Town Engineer  
Steve Masalin told Chairman Rodriguez that at the end of the winter he was able to fill the  
Sand & Salt Shed, noting that the town was stocked up. Therefore, she stated that reducing  
the Sand & Salt Budget line by an additional $9,692 should not affect next year’s Winter  
Operations Budget too much.  
VOTE  
5 - 3 Approved and so declared (Barnes, Dombrowski, Ryan not in favor)  
Chairman Pro tem Barnes called for a Vote on the Main Motion as follows:  
MOTION to adopt a Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget in the amount of $70,364,977  
comprised of:  
·
General Government: $29,902,735_  
· Board of Education: $40,462,242_  
Moved by Councilor Garcia-Irizarry, seconded by Councilor Saccone  
Discussion: Councilor Dombrowski stated that he did not think the Town Council  
was doing the residents justice based on the results of both Referendums ( May 20 &  
June 10, 2025), which was the reason he voted “No” on the Amendment this  
evening. He stated that he thought they should have made a more significant cut to  
the Board of Education’s increase. He stated although he does not like to cut the  
education budget; that the General Government has taken the brunt of the budget cuts  
throughout this year’s budget process.  
Councilor Ryan attending remotely via Zoom, noted Councilor Dombrowski’s  
comments and he stated as most people were aware, both in the audience and on the  
Town Council, that he believed that more could be done to reduce the Board of  
Education’s increase. He stated that he was dismayed that the decision was to  
continue to cut the town’s budget when the General Government’s Budget was now  
in a negative; noting in other words, the General Government’s Budget was now at a  
decrease from the current budget year (fy 24/25). He stated it was concerning to him  
that the Town Council wanted to potentially impact the services that serve everybody  
in the town. He stated that it was foolish that they were not trying to reduce the tax  
increase they were putting on their taxpayers.  
Councilor Ryan continued by stating although the State has not yet approved their  
Budget and the Governor has not yet signed it, that he was extremely nervous with  
what was looming in Hartford and with what Ledyard would have to deal with during  
the next 2 to 3 budget cycles. He stated that they had a chance to kind of blunt that  
with this year’s budget; however, they did not take advantage of that opportunity.  
Councilor Ryan stated not to belabor this; that his reasons for voting “No” have not  
changed over the last two votes.  
Background Information: With these Allocation Adjustments the Fiscal Year 2025/2026  
Budget would call for a 1.93 Mil Rate Increase  
VOTE  
5 - 3 Approved and so declared (Barnes, Dombrowski, Ryan not in  
favor)  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Carmen Garcia-Irizarry  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Tony Saccone  
SECONDER:  
AYE:  
5
3
1
Buhle, Garcia-Irizarry, Rodriguez, Saccone, and St. Vil  
Barnes, Dombrowski, and Ryan  
Brunelle  
NAY:  
EXCUSED:  
Mil Rate - Fiscal Year 2025/2026  
MOTION to rescind the Town Council’s action of June 11, 2025 setting the Fiscal Year  
2025/2026 Real Estate and Personal Property Mil Rate of 37.16 and a Motor Vehicle Mil Rate  
of 32.46.  
2.  
Moved by Garcia-Irizarry, seconded by Councilor Saccone  
Discussion: None.  
Background Information: With the Budget Adjustment to move the Board of Education  
$45,000 reduction from the Capital Budget, which resided on the General Government  
side of the budget ledger, to their Operating Budget, the final calculation for the Mil Rate  
was reduced by 0.02 mils. Therefore, the June 11, 2025 action needed to be rescinded to  
approve the corrected the Mil Rate.  
VOTE  
8 - 0 Approved and so declared  
* MOTION to set Fiscal Year 2025/2026 a Real Estate and Personal Property Mil Rate of 37.14;  
and a Motor Vehicle Mil Rate of 32.46.  
Moved by Councilor Garcia-Irizarry, seconded by Councilor Saccone  
Background Information: Since the June 10, 2025 Second Referendum the Fiscal  
Year 2025/2026 Real Estate and Personal Property Mil Rate increase has been  
reduced from the projected 1.99 to 1.93. A 37.14 Mil Rate would be required to  
support the Fiscal Year 2025/2025 Budget.  
Also, for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 the State’s Car Tax Cap of 32.46 mils has  
remained the same as the previous year. Because the Car Tax Cap would result in  
a loss of tax revenue for several towns, the State has been providing funding to  
Municipalities to offset the loss of their Municipal car tax losses.  
VOTE 5 - 3 Approved and so declared (Barnes, Dombrowski, Ryan not in favor)  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Carmen Garcia-Irizarry  
Tony Saccone  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
5
3
Buhle, Garcia-Irizarry, Rodriguez, Saccone, and St. Vil  
Barnes, Dombrowski, and Ryan  
AYE:  
NAY:  
1
Brunelle  
XV. ADJOURNMENT  
Councilor Garcia-Irizarry moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilor Saccone.  
EXCUSED:  
VOTE:8 - 0 Approved and so declared. The meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.  
_____________________________________  
Transcribed by Roxanne M. Maher  
Administrative Assistant to the Town Council  
I, William Barnes, Chairman Pro-tem 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 June 18, 2025.  
____________________________________  
William Barnes, Chairman Pro-tem  
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.