Deep River Board of Selectmen Meeting - September 8, 2026

The Deep River Board of Selectmen convened on September 8, 2026, calling the meeting to order at 6:01 PM. No agenda or official minutes were available; this summary is based solely on the raw transcript, which is fragmented and includes references to poor audio quality. Major topics included a petition for a zoning enforcement ordinance, the tax collector position, contractor performance on Kelsey Hill, and community outreach for the schools.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was tabled to the next meeting; board members were invited to submit corrections.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident presented a petition supporting an ordinance for zoning enforcement and regulations, stating that a candidate was never given a hearing, brought forth, or discussed further. The resident urged the board to find a resolution sooner rather than later before the town ends up in court spending tens of thousands of dollars.
• Residents raised concerns about Kelsey Hill and Wittell Road, describing the impact of jake brakes and heavy truck loads on the roads and warning that the road will eventually need reconstruction.

Discussion Items

• Zoning Enforcement Ordinance: The board discussed a draft ordinance, modeled on an ordinance from Clinton, Connecticut, that would give the zoning enforcement officer authority to issue fines and tickets for zoning violations - authority the officer currently lacks. The town attorney advised adding one sentence to the draft. A board member expressed support for the intent and overall content and noted they had spoken with the Clinton town manager. Several members stressed the importance of vetting the ordinance through the Planning and Zoning Commission, a public hearing, and a town meeting before adoption; one cautioned that moving too quickly to a town meeting would make residents feel something was being pulled over on them. A request was made for the Planning and Zoning chair to read the ordinance word for word to confirm the circulating copy matches the version that went through the commission's process. It was also confirmed that the ordinance has not yet gone to the land use attorney.
• Tax Collector Position: The board debated whether the tax collector position should remain elected or become appointed. Supporters of appointment argued that the current part-time, elected role with no benefits makes it difficult to attract qualified candidates and that the town has no successor when the current official retires. One speaker noted that the Democrats have not fielded a candidate in over 20 years and urged the board to work together as a community rather than argue. Another speaker stated they respectfully disagree and believe the position needs to remain elected, as voters should retain the power to remove an unsatisfactory officeholder. A four-year term was suggested as a compromise. The item was tabled.
• Kelsey Hill Contractor Issues: The board reported that feedback on the Kelsey Hill contractor was not too positive. Members planned to meet, write a letter to the company to address problem areas, and go on record about the issues so the contractor's performance can be considered in future bidding.
• Committee Appointments: Two appointment spots were tabled to the next meeting. The EDC currently shows a full roster, but one member is inactive and expected to resign.
• Community Outreach for Schools: The board shared details of upcoming community engagement meetings on the future of the schools, with four meeting options scheduled at different times and locations in Essex, Chester, and Deep River. Residents may attend any session. Community members were encouraged to contact Sage Novak and sign up through the shared link.
• Budget Overages and Recusal: A board member expressed concern that projects consistently exceed bids, citing a prior bid of $21,000 with over $4,000 in overages, and stated that the townspeople do not see these charges. The member also argued that recusals from one-time votes should be consistent across all board members. A question was raised about whether the Deep Grant needs to be updated for a change order.
• 245 Kelsey Hill Project: A speaker noted the project at 245 Kelsey Hill, stating plans are available online, and expressed concern about timber and lumber being brought in from elsewhere while indicating general support for the project.

Key Outcomes

• The board added the zoning enforcement ordinance and a recap of the August 19th Planning and Zoning meeting to the agenda for discussion.
• The consent calendar was tabled.
• The tax collector position discussion was tabled to a future meeting.
• Two committee appointments were tabled to the next meeting.
• The board agreed to write a letter to the Kelsey Hill contractor and go on record about the contractor's performance.

Note: This transcript is incomplete, and some sections have unclear speaker attribution due to poor audio quality; statements could not always be tied to specific speakers.