Clinton Town Council Regular Meeting – February 18, 2026

The Clinton Town Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Green Room. The council approved minutes, appointments, financial items, and received reports from the town manager and committee liaisons. Key topics included a sidewalk project revision, a new HR audit, the revival of the Veterans Advisory Committee, and updates on affordable housing and municipal projects.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dylan Walter (Vice Chair of the Chamber of Commerce and EBC) expressed confusion and concern about a potential partnership with the Madison Chamber, stating he had not been informed of developments and felt the previous chamber should have been included.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: Approval of the January 21, 2026 meeting minutes – motion carried unanimously.
• Tax Suspense List & Fire Department Abatement: The tax suspense list totaling $72,340.44, deemed uncollectible but not written off, was approved. The fire department abatement list for 62 members (cumulative 1,200+ years of service, average 20 years) was also approved – both motions carried unanimously.
• Line Item Transfer: A transfer related to federal and public works union contracts, previously approved but never transferred from contingency, was approved unanimously.

Appointments

• Zach Plord was appointed as the town representative to the River Cog Regional Planning Commission (motion carried unanimously). Plord noted the importance of regional involvement due to the new Connecticut Housing Bill.
• The reappointment of Matthew Granfield was deferred as he was not present.

Discussion Items

• Financial Report (Bob): Revenues remain stable, though interest income is declining as interest rates drop (approximately one full point over the past year). Expenditures show no major problems, but winter maintenance transfers are pending; the Public Works director prefers to wait until March. The town is 75% through classifying legal transactions by case file. After the approved line item transfer, the contingency account stands at $121,000, which will also be used for winter maintenance and legal fees. The fund balance prediction is unchanged. Councilmember Chris noted that snow plowing/sanding is $21,000 over budget and overtime is $17,000 over budget as of the latest liaison report.
• Town Manager's Report:
  • Town Clerk position reposted after the selected candidate declined.
  • Traffic safety enforcement device: a public email (inquiries@ClintonCT.gov) has been created for questions; a public information session will precede the public hearing.
  • Parks and Rec: Bo Potter (42 years of service) will retire at the end of April; a replacement search will begin. The town will conduct an HR audit with McInnous Inc. of Milford (approx. $7,000–$8,000) to identify deficiencies and strengths.
  • Veterans Advisory Committee: Revived after being dormant for years. First 'Coffee and Connections' gathering scheduled for Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 10:00–11:30 a.m., with a follow-up on April 20. Surveys will be distributed to veterans to identify community needs. There are approximately 600 veterans in Clinton receiving the tax credit.
  • Parks and Rec Clerk: Georgia Wokowski started this week.
  • Sidewalk Project: Final design underway for sidewalks west from downtown along Route 1. The state DOT rescinded an offer to fund 80% of additional drainage work, so that drainage component will not proceed. Instead, the extra work will include a crosswalk at Pearl Street and an additional crosswalk west of North High Street. The total cost of the revised extra work is $44,860 (town’s 20% share = $8,972), down from $74,170. The town’s share for the extra work decreased from $14,834 to $8,972.
  • CMDA: The town is in the queue with about 25 other municipalities; no firm timeline yet.
• Council Liaison Reports:
  • Police Department (Dennis): Exploring cooperation with Old Saybrook similar to existing collaborations with Madison and Guilford.
  • Parks and Rec (Chris): Bo Potter’s retirement noted; beach playground project expected in the spring; municipal auction generated over $28,000 in revenue, part of which will be used to replace equipment (request coming in March); basketball program numbers are down slightly.
  • Planning & Zoning (Chris): A public hearing is scheduled for March 9, 2026, on an 830(g) affordable housing application at Liberty Place and the DPW facility on Nod Road. A compromise was reached with the Boulder Lake tax district. Additionally, the Hope Zenolith project at Pearson (leased building) aims to start construction in June 2026; the town needs a clear schedule to manage events on the front lawn.
• Other: Chairman’s report was not given due to absence. Council discussion yielded no items.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes of January 21, 2026 approved.
• Zach Plord appointed to River Cog.
• Tax suspense list and fire department abatement approved.
• Line item transfer approved.
• HR audit contract to proceed with McInnous Inc.
• Sidewalk project revised scope accepted; drainage work dropped due to state funding withdrawal.
• Veterans Advisory Committee first event scheduled for March 26.
• Various projects (Pearson, affordable housing, beach playground, sidewalk) on track with noted timelines.
• No votes on policy matters; all actions were routine approvals.