Clinton Town Council Regular Meeting - October 15, 2025
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Clinton Town Council Regular Meeting - October 15, 2025
The Clinton Town Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in the Green Room. The meeting included public comments on safety concerns in the Shore Road neighborhood, approvals of routine items, an update on the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), authorization to sell a retired fire department boat, the finance director's report, and a town manager's salary adjustment. The council also received updates on various town projects and initiatives.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (October 1, 2025): Motion made, seconded, and carried unanimously.
- Liquor Exemption for Clinton Art Society: The council approved a request for a liquor exemption for a holiday party on December 4, 2025, subject to the applicant obtaining a temporary permit from the police department and providing proof of insurance. The motion carried unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Nancy Barrow (84 Shore Road): Expressed concerns about personal safety on Shore Road due to lack of emergency vehicle access on Beach Park Road during bridge repairs, and flooding on the causeway. She requested speed bumps and better emergency planning.
- Michelle Rodriguez (Shore Road resident): Described unbearable traffic, speeding, reckless driving, and lack of police enforcement. She recounted a personal incident where a truck nearly hit her, and noted that a neighbor's dog was killed and a human life was lost due to delayed emergency response. She demanded proactive policing and speed bumps, stating that other towns have successfully implemented them.
- Linda Hughes (91 Shore Road): Shared a tragic story about her son-in-law who died on October 3, 2025, after a severe asthma attack. The ambulance from Madison was delayed due to the bridge closure, and Clinton lacks paramedics. She urged the town to address the safety issue.
- Mary Reichler (Southern Crossway): Complained about a stop sign where drivers do not stop, flooding, and speeding on Shore Road. She requested action.
Discussion Items
- Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Update: Abby (staff) presented the draft POCD, which was developed over a year with extensive public input (436 survey responses). The plan focuses on themes: reinforcing downtown, economic growth, waterfront resiliency, housing, infrastructure, open space, and arts. The council discussed the referral process, timeline (65-day comment period), and options for public hearings. The council agreed to collaborate with the Planning and Zoning Commission on a joint public hearing and to provide individual comments via the town manager within two weeks.
- Authorization to Sell Retired Fire Department Marine Vessel: Fire Chief Mike discussed the vessel's condition (only the hull has value; motors and electronics are non-functional). The council opted to sell via Municipid (an online auction platform) with a minimum bid set at scrap value for aluminum, avoiding the cost of a survey. The motion to authorize sale through the town manager carried.
- Finance Director Report (Bob): Provided the 2025-26 expenditure and revenue budget update for three months. No red flags; tax collections steady, building fees collected 50% of budget, investments stable but interest rates declining slightly. The unassigned fund balance is projected at 20.5% of budget, with a maximum of $1.5 million available for the 2026-27 budget. The contingency account remains unchanged. APA funds are diminishing.
- Town Manager's Salary Adjustment: Motion to increase the town manager's base salary by 3.75% based on the council's performance evaluation. Motion carried unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All consent calendar items (minutes approval, liquor exemption) approved. Salary adjustment approved. Authorization to sell the fire boat approved.
- POCD Next Steps: Council members will submit individual comments to the town manager within two weeks (by October 29). The town manager will compile a collective response. A joint public hearing with Planning and Zoning is planned for December 11 or 15, 2025.
- Shore Road Safety Concerns: The town manager will schedule meetings with police, fire, and emergency management to address the issues raised. The council noted that these concerns fall under the police commission and will be followed up. The council also discussed the importance of clarifying to public commenters that the council does not respond during the meeting but will take comments under advisement.
- Library Project Update: The council decided to invite Mary Beth (library director) to a regular meeting to provide an update before scheduling a funding workshop.
- Other: The town manager reported that the traffic safety camera ordinance is under review by the town attorney, the sidewalk project on Route 1 is at 30% design with meetings scheduled with concerned property owners, and the Pearson School Apartments project is on schedule for a 2026 construction start.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the town council regular meeting Wednesday, October 15th in the green room, and we'll start with a flash led by Mike. And to the Republic for which it stands. He's probably watching. I'm gonna read so I don't miss anything. Okay, of course. My name is Nancy Barrow and I live at 84 Shore Road. I've been a resident here for 25 years, 21 as a seasonal resident, and the past four years as a full-time resident. I built a I built a new home. I came to Clinton because I found it a welcoming community. However, I am now increasingly concerned about the personal safety in the Shore Road neighborhood, which now is more full-time seniors and retirees as our demographics have changed. While we appreciate the bridge repairs, there is an apprehension regarding the lack of emergency vehicle access on Beach Park Road. For years, requests for temporary speed bumps on Shore Road were denied by the town due to the concerns about delaying emergency vehicles. Additionally, the causeway often floods during storms, raising questions about evacuation route should they become necessary. This is safety issues. Thank you. No, no, I've I'm not. I don't think she was waiting for that. No. Good evening. My name is Michelle Rodriguez. I'm a permanent resident on Shore Road. I'm here to say talk about the same issue. Let me see. Since the bridge closure of Beach Park Road, which seems to be another thing that needs to be addressed, the traffic has become unbearable. Vehicles are rerouted through our neighborhood, and what used to be a quiet residential area has turned into a high speed thoroughfare. The speeding, the reckless driving, the rudeness of the vehicle operators, along with the total disregard for the people who live here and walk, have reached an unacceptable level. We know where the drivers come from and what they drive. We have made numerous complaints to the police department as well as the chief, many of us, not just once, but the response has been minimal and condescending. Officers show up after a complaint with a drive-by, making their presence known, but not when it's needed, and then they disappear. That is not enough. The effort put forth by the police to address these ongoing issues is not acceptable at any level. Enforcement needs to be proactive, not reactive. We need to see a police presence during the times that matter most, during the morning rush hour, when people leave for work, and again in the evening when they are returning home. This is when the road is most dangerous. I want to share a personal incident that underscores just how serious this has become. I was standing with my dog well on the side of the road in front of my house, watching a black truck speeding up towards me. I gesture to him to slow down, just in this manner. Instead, he sped up and in his side mirror grazed my shoulder. Luckily, I pulled back out of the way, or he could have been seriously injured or even killed me. Instead of showing any remorse, he gave me an obscene gesture and sped off. I was too shocked and shaken even to get his license plate number. Sadly, my experience is not unique. A neighbor's husband lost his life due to delays in the arrival of an emergency vehicle, and a neighbor's dog was killed by a motorist speeding by. A tragedy that could easily have been a person, but a tragedy nonetheless. This is not a matter of inconvenience, it's a matter of safety, our safety. We are taxpayers, long-standing residents of this community, and we deserve to be heard and protected. We are requesting speed bumps, either temporary while the construction continues or permanently placed on shore road. Other towns, New Haven, East Haven, have already done this successfully, even on busy roads. The arguments about emergency vehicles or plows simply don't hold up.
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