741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Historic District Commission

Meeting Minutes

Chairman Ty Lamb

Regular Meeting

Monday, September 16, 2024

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 William Barnes

Commissioner Douglas Kelley

Chairman Ty Lamb

Present

Commissioner Kelly Lamb

Alternate Member Karen Parkinson

Alternate Member Vincent Godino

Alternate Member Kenneth Geer

Commissioner Ammie Chittim

Excused

Also in attendance was Tom Baudro, he spent 16 years on the Planning Commission.

III.

IV.

APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Ms. Parkinson was appointed as a voting member.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE the Regular Meeting Minutes from July 15, 2024, as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Karen Parkinson

SECONDER:

Barnes Kelley Lamb Lamb Parkinson

Godino Geer Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

VI.

TOWN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT

Town Council Liaison - Councilor Tim Ryan.

Not report. Councilor Tim Ryan was not in attendance.

VII. CHAIRMAN REPORT

General Report.

Since the last Historic meeting in July there has been some recurring lead issues at the Nathan

Lester home, Mayor Allyn III is involved.

Ms. Chittim who is absent tonight, leads the Preservation Committee, description of the strategic

gardens. Ms. Parkinson will discuss her project and her attendance at the Land Use Committee

meeting.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Financial Report.

Chairman Lamb discussed current balances of the following accounts. He believes the amount

that was given to the Commission on September 10, 2024, to be inaccurate. Chairman Lamb will

speak with Matt Bonin, Finance Director.

Sawmill Donation account - $8,000.00, seems accurate.

ARPA - There seems to have more funds than expected. Will need to create a new Purchase

Order to update the value.

Issues with missing invoices from Holdridge’s. The Commission continues to have issues with

the timing of invoices and payment.

Currently there are Sawmill invoices for Electrical.

Need to obtain the Quiet Corner balance.

There are a several Sawmill purchase orders, need to confirm receipts.

ARPA milestone payments are being updated.

The Sawmill siding and Black Smith Shop purchase orders were issued.

Chairman Lamb asked the Commission to please bring it to his attention if any purchase orders

are missing.

Strategic plans, Committees will be going into budget time. Chairman Ty asked for Committees

to update budgets to be presented at the next meeting. The Town has capital accounts. Long term

visions to be brought up for discussion to present later to the Town.

VIII. CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence.

Mr. Kelley Email regarding Mount Decatur email. See attached.

IX.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Sawmill Committee - Mr. Barnes.

Applying for State application (certification) - The cost for a company to assist with the

application was huge. Mr. Ganong, Mr. Godino and Mr. Barnes put the application together

instead. The application was approved in three days. The Commission will ask the Town

Engineer to sign off on the application. Mr. Barnes said it will allow the Commission to get to

the selection process in October. If there are less than three estimates the Commission will need

to go to the Town Council for a waiver.

The Sawmill Fall season will start in October, every Saturday.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Nathan Lester House - Mr. Kelley.

On Saturday, September 7, the Ledyard Garden Club celebrated its 60th anniversary. The

occasion was commemorated in the Great Oak Garden on the Lester House property. A

presentation followed the history of the club, including the garden, and plans for its future. The

Commission wishes the Ledyard Garden Club the very best at this significant milestone and

success in its future. The Commission's partnership with the Garden Club is critical to the

success of the Lester House property.

The restoration work of the East side of the house remains on hold. It will resume once the

caretaker-tenant family has vacated the quarters behind the museum. The results of the Ledge

Light Health Department report have been reviewed by the Town administration. It is not

possible to remediate the quarters for continued residence without an outlay which the Town

does not have available. The next step details are pending after the primary safety imperative is

achieved.

The Museum continues to be in use and is not subject to the Health Department restrictions.

Cautionary cleaning will continue.

Other options will need to be explored, without a caretaker in the house. The top priority is to get

the caretakers out of the house safely, then create a plan of action going forward. Possibility to

work with Grant writers to further enhance the house usages. Long term project.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Research/Preservation - Ms. Chittim.

Big items: developing strategic plans. Education and research ideas.

Lambtown Park- Ms. Parkinson, received an offer from the Ledyard Football team to assist.

Need to start with "dig safe". Co-ordinate with the Beautification Committee and the Garden

Club.

Signs- 9 miles house, house on Whalehead Road (Mark Stoddard), Latham house on Shewville

Road. Trail section signs.

Spicer Site - Attended the last Land Use meeting. Ms. Parkinson showed a whiteboard map she

has been working on detailing the Spicer area. The site has interesting markers. Some

miscommunication happened showing the 4.4 acres vs. an actual survey. Chairman Lamb's

impression is that the current Town Council members are in favor of the concept. Need to have

an official survey completed. There is a little uneasiness about the Commission administrating

this property. Chairman Lamb will verify with Councilor Gary Paul and the Land Use

Committee to the agreed to path.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Center School - Mr. Geer.

Chairman Lamb reported that 26-46 people came to visit the school when it was recently

opened. Talks were held of the one room school room and the Lambtown Road School House.

Mr. Baudro spoke of the consolidated school project. No new buildings could be built during the

war. The first consolidated school was opened in September 1949. After the Nautilus was built

at Electric Boat the Town's population grew quickly.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Social Media - Ms. Lamb.

Not a lot of activity. There is a total of 158 followers 76.4% woman and 23.6% Men. 79 of the

followers are from Ledyard and 5 from Gales Ferry.

Will be posting the hours for the Sawmill, which is every Saturday in October from 1:00-4:00.

Will continue to post occasional historic pictures of “around town” and updates of the

Commission's historical sites.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

OLD BUSINESS

Any Other Old Business to come before the Commission.

Mount Decator - The Commission agreed that it should have weighed in during the Planning and

Zoning meeting last spring. Two applications have been submitted and withdrawn. Mr. Kelley

typed out an email to be sent out regarding the effect with the Commission.

Housing units in Gales Ferry - Mr. Kelley attended the Inland/Wetlands meeting. There was

general concern regarding how it will affect the Gales Ferry district.

Chairman Lamb said the Commission needs to work more with other Town Committees to be

more proactive. The Commission needs to have more vision as well as 5-, 10-, and 50- year

plans.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

XI.

NEW BUSINESS

Any Other New Business to come before the Commission.

The Farmer's Market is becoming larger. The 2024 season has completed. Idea for the

Commission to have a booth at the market in 2025.

The Town Library asked the Commission to set up a booth on October 5, 2024, for the Ledyard

Library History Day and the Library's anniversary.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

XII. ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 8:00 p.m.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Ty Lamb

RESULT:

MOVER:

Karen Parkinson

SECONDER:

Barnes Kelley Lamb Lamb Parkinson

Godino Geer Chittim

AYE

EXCUSED

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

Town.