741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Historic District Commission

Meeting Minutes

Chairman Ty Lamb

Regular Meeting

Monday, October 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Town Hall Annex -Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

The Regular Meeting was called to order by Chairman Lamb at 7:00 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Commissioner Douglas Kelley

Alternate Member Vincent Godino

Alternate Member Kenneth Geer

Chairperson Ty Lamb

Present

Commissioner Karen Parkinson

Commissioner Kelly Lamb

Excused

Commissioner Ammie Chittim

Alternate Member Rebecca Watford

Alternate

III.

IV.

APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Mr. Geer and Mr. Godino were appointed as voting members.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

None.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE the Regular Meeting Minutes from September 16, 2025, as written.

Motion to APPROVE Regular meeting minutes from September 23, 2025, as amended to change

"Ms. Roxo's" name to "Ms. Ericson".

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Karen Parkinson

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kenneth Geer

SECONDER:

Kelley Godino Geer Lamb Parkinson

Lamb Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

VI.

TOWN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT

Town Council Liaison - Councilor Bill Barnes.

Councilor Barnes shared that Land Use has had some interest in the Spicer Ruins.

VII. CHAIRMAN REPORT

General Report.

Nothing to report.

Financial Report.

Sawmill Donation account - started the fiscal year with $7,232, nothing has been spent and there

are no encumbrances.

Capital Accounts - Three accounts. First one with $18,579, nothing has been spent and there are

no encumbrances. The second account started at $43,378 and has been adjusted to pay Quiet

Corner remainder after all the ARPA funds were spent. The last account (ARPA) started at

$39,765 and now has a zero balance. Chairman Lamb thanked those who helped with all the

ARPA projects. The final balance in Capital is $51,318. Chairman Lamb said later in the

meeting the Commissioners can have a larger discussion on use of the Capital funds.

General Fund - NLH Building maintenance began with $7,500 and spent $995, leaving a balance

of $6,505. Sawmill maintenance account, nothing has been spent and there are no encumbrances.

NLH Operating started with a $4,015 balance, $262 was spent, and has an encumbrance of

$1,452 leaving a balance of $2,300. The Sawmill Operating started with $1605, and spent $540

and has an encumbrance of $394, leaving $670. Miscellaneous account started with $1,500;

nothing has been spent and there are no encumbrances. Chairman Lamb said typically the

miscellaneous account is used for the School House(s), historic signs and preservation research,

etc.

The NLH Donation account - Started at $13,556. There was a $150 donation and an expenditure

of $3,300, leaving a balance of $10,405.

DISCUSSED

VIII. CORRESPONDENCE

RESULT:

Correspondence.

IX.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Sawmill Committee.

Chairman Lamb said there is a need for an alternate building for storage. Mr. Godino asked how

much a structure engineering study would cost; it was answered $2,500. Chairman Lamb asked

if this project is a priority or is there another project that is more important. Where wood is

currently stored is not ideal, since it's too heavy for the shelf. Mr. Geer asked what the wood is

stored for, as opposed to selling it or giving it away. Councilor Barnes said in his experience

generally the wood gets cut and then leaves but over the years sometimes more wood is cut than

needed so the wood gets stored on the shelf rather than throw it away. Councilor Barnes said he

was always in support of a structure to hold wood while lumber was aging or just surplus wood.

Mr. Kelley said that he thinks it would be very useful to have some wood stored at the Nathan

Lester House for possible projects. The other Commissioners agreed that it was a good idea. Ms.

Watford said that Mr. Godino made a beautiful table out of cherry wood from a tree outside of

the NLH. The wood was milled at the Sawmill, then Mr. Godino made a table for the NLH

entryway out of it.

Motion to APPROVE spending up to $3,000 on a engineering study for a storage structure at the

Sawmill.

Ms. Watford reported that she attended the Sawmill's fall opening day, she said there were some

issues with the saw blade since the water level was so low and the wood was wet.

Mr. Godino presented copies of the Ledyard Up-Down Sawmill Dam Condition Assessment for

the Commissioners. The report was written by Mr. Gonang with the objective of evaluating the

dam structure with input from GZA engineering company. Mr. Godino said currently the dam is

in reasonable shape but is at risk of overtopping. Irreparable damage can occur with overtopping

of a foot or more, which can happen with a 50-year storm. There are two remedy concepts. One

is to use overtopping protection, the second is to use an auxiliary spillway off the south end.

GZA gave information on three foundations for possible funding. Councilor Barnes said the

Town funding the dam investment would be a struggle, but grants could change the financial

picture. Chairman Lamb said the Commissioners should build a capital plan request to present to

the Town Council. Mr. Godino said maybe it could be broken down to smaller amounts over

five years. Chairman Lamb will set up a meeting with Mayor Fred Allyn III and/or the Finance

Department.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Vincent Godino

RESULT:

MOVER:

Ty Lamb

SECONDER:

Kelley Godino Geer Lamb Parkinson

Lamb Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

Nathan Lester House - Mr. Kelley.

Mr. Kelley reported that the Fall Festival at the Nathan Lester House held on September 27,

2025, had reasonable attendance. He added that it was only possible because of several

volunteers including Ms. Watford and her entire family. Ms.Chittim held an archeology

demonstration.

Prior to the event the barn was sorted through to remove a couple of years of disorder. Three of

the four sleighs were moved into the carriage shed.

There have been a few camp-out events at the NLH. The biggest one was with the American

Heritage Girls. The AHG undertook one of the volunteer potential projects on the list. The AHG

moved the current campfire and used donations from Eagle Quality Landscaping and rocks from

the grounds to create a 10-foot-long campfire spot with two campfires areas within and

surrounded by skirt of gravel.

One of the AHG inquired about a garden shed from the project list. Mr. Kelley spoke with the

American Heritage Girl and her mother about a year-long project to create a timber frame garden

shed to be used by the Ledyard Garden Club. Tentatively the raising is planned for late summer

2026 or early fall.

Mr. Kelley said most visitors are local and have never visited the NLH before. Sometimes

visitors are from out of state such as the last tour group who were visiting from Michigan. Mr.

Kelley will often highlight local history that ties into State as well as National history such as the

event of September 6, 1781, and the battle of Fort Griswold, he added that these stories resonate

very strongly with visitors.

There have been some issues with the alarm system. Mr. Kelley investigated in response to a fire

alarm in the NLH apartment where the Gales Ferry Fire Volunteer Company was dispatched. It

was a false alarm; there was another false alarm later that night. The firefighters disabled the

alarm for day until Mr. Kelley could meet with the alarm company. Mr. Kelley contacted the

alarm company the next day. The technician went to the house and cleaned the sensors and

replaced a missing motions sensor. On Saturday morning the alarm was set off for the third time,

the Gales Ferry Fire Volunteer Company was dispatched again. Mr. Kelley praised the swiftness

of the Fire Department's response time. Later that day there was a fourth alarm. Mr. Kelley will

meet with the alarm company again to find the source of the issue. Ms. Watford suggested

wrapping the windows may help. Councilor Barnes said yes that may help but the Commission

shouldn't have to, rather the alarm company should replace the faulty alarm with a new one.

Chairman Lamb asked the following questions:

- Were there any quotes on the oil tank? Mr. Geer said he could have someone call to arrange a

visit for a quote. Mr. Kelley agreed.

- Were there any quotes on the tree? Mr. Kelley said it was a busy month and he has not got to

this yet.

- Any quotes on fixing up the Barn area? Mr. Kelley said he received quotes from John Kelly

and the Quiet Corner and a third business who said they will not be able to perfrom the work.

Lastly, Mr. Kelley said he is working on amending the NLH Museum Director Position. Once

that is completed, he will bring the job description back to the Commission for a vote.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Research/Preservation - Ms. Chittim.

Ms. Parkinson said that not much has happened on the Spicer Ruins. She added that she is

purposely delaying going to the Land Use Committee until after the election since there will be

new people on the Committee and they may have a different interpretation of the State Statues

verbiage.

Ms. Parkinson said she for the past 3-4 years she has performed a census on the trails. She puts

out a sandwich board with questionnaires and a plastic box asking trail walkers to complete the

survey. She said this kind of information is helpful when writing grants. She suggested Mr.

Kelly does something similar at the NLH.

Chairman Lamb asked Ms. Watford about redesigning the brochure. Ms. Watford said she spoke

to Mr. Gonang about the Sawmill flyer since she likes how that was designed. Mr. Gonang gave

her the name of the company and an idea of how much it cost. Ms. Watford said she just needs

to gather photographs; the history doesn't need much updating. Chairman Lamb asked Ms.

Watford to redline any changes and then the Commission could review and vote on it, before

sending to the printer. Chairman Lamb suggested looking at Vistaprint since he used them

previously, they were inexpensive and did a great job. Ms. Parkinson said that the Tri-Town

Trail has used ABC printing in Mystic and were very pleased with their work.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Center School - Mr. Geer.

Mr. Geer reported that the school was cleaned after the last event and Ed Lamb still has the key.

Chairman Lamb said he could get the key. Ms. Watford said that she noticed that the Ledyard

Center School House door was starting to rot from the inside. Ms. Watford brought a flag to the

School House.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Social Media - Ms. Lamb.

No report.

OLD BUSINESS

Any Other Old Business to come before the Commission.

Chairman Lamb asked if the Commissioners felt previously discussed archeological dig kits for

$2,000-$3,000 were an appropriate purchase for Commission events. Mr. Kelley said he gave

permission to Ms. Chittim to store supplies at the NLH. Mr. Kelley said that he thinks the

archeological events are worthwhile. He added that recently a member of the Ledyard Garden

Club found something in the yard that resembled a coat hook. He felt it would be valuable to ask

Ms. Chittim to investigate with Commission owned tools. Mr. Kelley said if there are not

enough funds in the Research account to purchase an archeological tool kit, he would be willing

to use the NLH donation account to supplement the rest.

Motion to APPROVE the purchase of an archeological tool kit.

Chairman Lamb amended the motion to add " spending up to $3,000".

Motion to APPROVE spending up to $3,000 on the purchase of an archeological tool kit.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kenneth Geer

SECONDER:

Kelley Godino Geer Lamb Parkinson

Lamb Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

XI.

NEW BUSINESS

Motion to APPROVE the Historic District Commission 2026 Calendar Year Meeting Schedule

as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kenneth Geer

SECONDER:

Kelley Godino Geer Lamb Parkinson

Lamb Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

Any Other New Business to come before the Commission.

Mr. Kelley said during his report he neglected to thank Ms. Parkinson for meeting with the

American Heritage Girls to present her expertise on trail maintenance and the philosophy around

keeping trails.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

XII. ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 8:26 p.m .

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Kenneth Geer

RESULT:

MOVER:

Douglas Kelley

SECONDER:

Kelley Godino Geer Lamb Parkinson

Lamb Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

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

Town.