741 Colonel Ledyard Highway  
Ledyard, Connecticut 06339  
TOWN OF LEDYARD  
Agricultural Commission  
Meeting Minutes  
Chairman  
Bruce Garstka  
Regular Meeting  
Tuesday, October 21, 2025  
6:00 PM  
Town Hall Annex-Hybrid Format  
I.  
CALL TO ORDER  
The Regular Meeting was called to order by Chairman Garstka 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  
Excused  
III.  
CITIZENS COMMENTS  
None present.  
IV.  
1.  
COMMENTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS  
Comments of Commission Members.  
None.  
V.  
1.  
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS  
Informational items.  
Chairman Garstka said the annual membership fee for the Connecticut Farm Bureau is due, he  
asked the Commissioners if they would want to renew.  
Motion to approve payment of $200.00 to the Connecticut Farm Bureau for the annual  
enrollment fee.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Bruce Garstka  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Russell Holmberg  
SECONDER:  
6
Angelini Yuhas Martic Garstka Holmberg Marelli  
AYE  
1
Thorne  
EXCUSED  
VI.  
1.  
REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from September 16, 2025, as written.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Bruce Garstka  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael E. Marelli  
SECONDER:  
6
1
Angelini Yuhas Martic Garstka Holmberg Marelli  
Thorne  
AYE  
EXCUSED  
VII. OLD BUSINESS  
Approval to recommend criteria for the leasing of the Clark Farm and for the property across  
from Rose Hill Road.  
1.  
Chairman Garstka attended the last Land Use/Planning/Public Works Committee meeting with  
Mr. Marelli. Permission was given to the Agricultural Commission to list the criteria for leasing  
the Clark Farm property. If approved, the Land Use/Planning/Public Works Commission will  
forward the criteria to the Town Council for approval. The main objective is to keep prime  
farmland in agricultural production.  
Chairman Garstka asked the Commissioners to assist creating of a list of criteria.  
Chairman Garstka proposed criteria:  
- In lieu of a financial investment in a lease, the person responsible for maintaining the fields  
would be required to also maintain the stone walls and some of the additional fields that have  
been overtaken with invasive plant species.  
- Open to Ledyard residents first.  
- Minimal impact (reduce likelihood of lawsuits).  
- Access to the Tri-town trail would be maintained.  
- Potentially a five-year lease, to ensure that the investment in fertilizer, lime and equipment is  
returned.  
Mr. Holmberg proposed criteria:  
- Having a dollar value on the land might help to weed out certain individuals that are not ideal  
stewards of the land.  
- If the lease is broken because the land is not maintained sufficiently, there could be  
quantitative/measurable goals for the lease to be upheld.  
- Perhaps it should be explicit and leased only as a hay lease.  
- Do other towns such as Lebanon have hay leases we can use as an example?  
Before next meeting the Commissioners will plan to research hay leases from other local towns.  
Chairman Garstka said he would like to finalize the lease criteria during next meeting.  
Ms. Parkinson suggested applying for state/grant funding to repair the low water crossing to  
improve access to other fields.  
Any other Old Business to come before the Commission.  
None.  
2.  
VIII. NEW BUSINESS  
Motion to APPROVE the Agricultural Commission 2026 Calendar Year Meeting Schedule as  
1.  
written.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Bruce Garstka  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Katie Yuhas  
SECONDER:  
6
1
Angelini Yuhas Martic Garstka Holmberg Marelli  
Thorne  
AYE  
EXCUSED  
Any other New Business to come before the Commission.  
None.  
2.  
IX.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 6:44 p.m.  
APPROVED AND SO DECLARED  
Bruce Garstka  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Katie Yuhas  
SECONDER:  
6
1
Angelini Yuhas Martic Garstka Holmberg Marelli  
Thorne  
AYE  
EXCUSED  
DISCLAIMER: Although we try to be timely and accurate these are not official records of the  
Town.