741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Economic Development Commission

Meeting Minutes - Final

Chairman

John Vincent

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

6:00 PM

Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Vincent called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Town

Hall Annex Building. Chairman Vincent welcomed all to the Hybrid Meeting.

II.

ROLL CALL

Present were Juliet Hodge (Director of Planning & Development), Mayor Allyn, Gary Paul

(Town Council Liaison-via Zoom) .

Commission Members Present:

PresentCommissioner

Chair John Vincent

Commissioner Carol Ann Schneider

Commissioner Michael Dreimiller

Commissioner Peter Hary

Commissioner Richard D. Tashea

Jessica Buhle (6:03pm)

III.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Draft Minutes February 2, 2023

MOTION to approve the Regular EDC Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2023. Motion

Passed by the following vote.

RESULT: APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

MOVER: Dick Tashea

SECONDER:Carol Schneider

AYE: 5 Dreimiller, Hary, Schneider, Tashea, and Vincent

III.

IV.

CITIZEN'S COMMENTS

Present - Naomi Rodriguez, Paul Maugle: No comments.

PRESENTATIONS / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

Gales Ferry Intermodal - Conceptual Presentation

Alan Perrault (Gales Ferry Intermodal/Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting), Chase Davis

(Gales Ferry Intermodal/Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting), Mike Cherry (Gales Ferry

Intermodal Community Liaison), Jeffrey P. Motti (GeoSubSea LLC) were present to give an

overview of the conceptual plan for the redevelopment of the former DOW Chemical property.

Alan Perrault gave a presentation about Gales Ferry Intermodal’s current development plans for

the Allyn’s Point property.

They are preparing a site plan application to build an approximately 20,000 sq ft operations and

repair facility for Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting and for Sterling Equipment. It will

be used for equipment maintenance and repair as well as affiliated office support space. No more

than 20 employees onsite. It would be about 400 feet away from Rt. 12. Backside of the building

will be 45-50ft from nearby houses would have no service doors.

American Styrenics were inherited at a zero base rent when the property was purchased so they

don’t generate any revenue for Gales Ferry Intermodal. It’s important to make this site

self-sufficient. Their building is about 28,000 sq ft.

He mentioned that most of the utilities (electric and gas) on the northern side of the site were cut

off at Rt. 12 when the buildings were raised when they closed the site. Looking into installing

solar panels to offset electrical costs.

In the process of restoring the Allyn House that’s on the site which dates to 1790. Working with

the Town Historian.

This is probably a 20-year plan. If they can build another 250,000 sq ft over that time he

estimated that it would generate 4 or 5 times the tax revenue that the site does now.

Mike Cherry estimated that the new building alone would generate about $450,000 in tax

revenue for the Town.

Naomi Rodriguez asked for clarification on the new building’s location.

Buhle asked if there was still onsite sewer treatment and, if so, would it be available all of the

buildings on this site? She would like to see a brewery there. Perrault stated that is most likely

what would be done. Cherry pointed out that there were environmental use restrictions on the

property and that a brewery probably isn’t a marine industry.

Rodriguez asked about Decatur Hill which Dow used to allow access to periodically. Perrault

stated that they are preserving that area where the Fort was.

MAYOR'S REPORT

Thanked the commission for the recent ribbon cuttings for My Pet’s World and Dollar General.

He thought they both went very well.

VI.

PLANNER'S REPORTS

Sal Monarca put in his application for the 13 apartments in back wing of the former Ledyard

Center School. It hasn’t cleared Ledge Light yet which might be a hurdle for them.

Subdivision regulations are being changed to match zoning regulations. Public hearing starts on

Thursday, March 9th.

Also looking at slight revisions to the short-term rentals regulations due to a recent court case

that said that you couldn’t require that the host be domiciled at the house. This probably won’t

come before the commission in public hearing form until April most likely.

5 new houses, with several more on the way. Development has started on 26 houses on Vinegar

Hill.

Still working through application for the Stoddards Wharf Rd. development.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

Final Strategic Plan

The final version has been shared with the Town Council. Dreimiller will contact Justin Dube to

have it added to the EDC’s page on the Town’s website as well as putting a short item in the

next Events magazine.

Business Directory - Update

P. Hary reports that everything is included and is done pending final comments from everyone.

He will share the document with everyone via email. M. Dreimiller has created a draft of an

online form for submissions.

Video Update

P. Hary says everything is on track. Expects to have a meeting with them the middle of next

week. The video photographer he contacted will allow us to select 5 second clips for $100/per

clip. He thinks one clip per chapter in the video would be good, so probably $500.

Ledyard Events magazine to businesses update

Commissioners were given copies to distribute to businesses. Mayor Allyn said that they had

made an inquiry with the publisher about purchasing an extra 50-100 copies per issue. P.

Hary asked what the advertising rate was and the Mayor thought it was $400-$500 per year

for a quarter page ad in 4 issues. Paul Maugle said he would like some for his business.

Ribbon cuttings completed

Two ribbon cuttings were held on Feb. 18th at My Pet’s World and Dollar General.

XI.

NEW BUSINESS

EDC's Budget Meeting March 9th.

Known expenses:

SeCTer membership - $6,300

Eastern CT Chamber - $300

Ribbon Cuttings - $200 ($20-$25 per event)

Mayor Allyn stated that he put $8,461 in the budget for the EDC.

M. Dreimiller asked about funding for some of the Strategic Plan goals - pre-permitting sites and

curb appeal improvements. J. Vincent stated that he talked to a surveyor and asked what it would

cost for a survey and site testing. It would cost about $5,000 minimum. The Mayor pointed out

that the Town’s Grand List only grew by 1.3% so there’s not a lot of money to go around. He

suggested that a good property that deserves attention would be the former Lou’s Garage which

he believes needs to be cleaned up. He will see if he can get information from the State about

possible remediation options.

Discussion about the curb appeal goal included suggestions of flower boxes. The Mayor pointed

out that the Beautification Committee did fundraising for the daffodils that they planted around

town. J. Buhle suggested that the EDC offer to match the funds spent by the business. R. Tashea

suggested that students in the school build the flower boxes, and P. Hary suggested the Boy

Scouts could also do that. Mayor Allyn said that he might have some contingency funds that we

could use for this.

Any New Business proper to come before the Committee

Yale/Harvard Regatta Festival Update

J. Buhle said she has started working on this year’s Regatta Festival. Already has 5 vendors

and 2 food trucks lined up. Created an event on Facebook. There won’t be a laser show due

to lack of a sponsor. Is selling sponsorships ads ($40-$250) on the website.

Agricultural Committee Invitation

The EDC has been invited to attend their next meeting on Tuesday, March 21st at 6:00pm.

Tashea said that he would be attending.

ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Commissioner Tashea, seconded by Commissioner Buhle, to

adjourn at 7:12pm. The motion carried by the following vote:

RESULT: APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

MOVER: Jessica Buhle

SECONDER:Dick Tashea

AYE: 6 Buhle, Dreimiller, Hary, Schneider, Tashea, and Vincent

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

Town.