First Selectman's Report: 2025 Year-In-Review
Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! As we begin the New Year, I invite you to take a look back at the year behind us.
Colchester Year-In-Review 2025
2025 was a huge year for the Town of Colchester as we welcomed new businesses; invested in public works including roads, water and sewer infrastructure, and the Recreation Complex; secured new grants to fund economic development and public safety initiatives; marked the first year of the new Colchester Senior Center on Lebanon Ave; made progress on important community projects like Norton Park, the Youth Center renovation and more, while the Athletic Complex Building Committee began planning for the future of Colchester’s recreation needs.
Town Projects in 2025
In 2025 made significant progress on several long-term projects and obtained grant funding for new community improvements.
Norton Park
After a decade, Norton Park's groundbreaking was finally held in January 2025. Phase 1 construction began in the spring and environmental clean-up of the old mill site at Norton Park began in the fall. Engineering and architectural design for this portion of the park will begin in January 2026. The project has been entirely funded by grants and donations.
Sablitz Preserve
In June, the Town celebrated National Trails Day with the opening of the new Sablitz Preserve trail system. Sablitz Preserve is a new 70-acre park on Route 16, across from Skinner Road, that runs along Pine Brook. Thanks to Dan Hickey and the Colchester Grounds Crew.
Youth Center Renovations
Major grant-funded renovations are currently underway at the Youth Center. Replacement of the porch was completed this spring and building-wide renovations began late this fall. The project includes a complete structural rehabilitation, a more open floor plan, and renovation of the third floor to make this space usable for the first time in decades. The Youth Center will reopen in September 2026.
Lebanon Ave Airline Trail STEAP Grant
This summer, the Town of Colchester received a nearly $1 million Small Town Economic Assistance Program Grant to improve the airline trailhead on Lebanon Ave along with sidewalks on Mill Street. The grant will help create a more attractive and welcoming walkable/bikeable community entrance to benefit small businesses and residents as part of the revitalization of Lebanon Ave. The project design phase is underway and will continue into 2026 with construction expected in early 2027.
Community Wi-Fi Grant
This fall, the Town was also awarded a $370,000 Community Wi-Fi Grant to create Wi-Fi access points in public areas like the Town Green, Recreation Complex, and more. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
Water Infrastructure Project & Grant
Repairs to the public water filter plant on Taintor Hill were approved this summer along with other needed repairs such as water tower lead paint remediation. Work to repair the broken filter vessels, funded in part by the CT DWSRF program, began this summer. The project will ensure the Town has adequate water supply for future economic growth while also improving water quality.
Athletic Complex Building Committee
In January 2025, the Recreation Needs Committee presented recommendations to the Board of Selectmen to make major improvements to the Bacon Academy athletic complex and Town RecPlex. At Town Meeting, close to 100 residents voted to form a Building Committee charged with implementing the recommendations in a project to be voted on at referendum.
This summer, the Athletic Complex Building Committee received bids on engineering and design work. The Town hired FieldTurf to complete the design and the committee presented its proposals in December. The project includes renovation of the entire outdoor complex at Bacon Academy plus the replacement of tennis courts at the Town RecPlex, expanded pickleball courts, and SplashPad renovations.
A public hearing on the proposal will be held on Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00 PM at the WJJMS black box theater. The committee hopes to bring the project to a public referendum in February.
Public Works in 2025
Significant road work was completed throughout summer and into fall including chip sealing all or portions of the following roads: McDonald Road, Marvin Road, Old Hebron Road, and River Road. Cato Corner and Prospect Street were milled and repaved. All dirt roads were re-graded. Over 30 miles of road center line painting were completed. Deteriorating catch basins were replaced throughout town. In September, crews quickly helped repair a defective pedestrian bridge on Norwich Ave after it was closed by CTDOT.
Colchester’s Grounds Crew completed the second year of the new grass maintenance program at the RecPlex. Irrigation was also installed on field R8. Crews helped complete new trails at Sablitz Preserve and replaced footbridges at Ruby Cohen.
The new litter pick-up program, funded entirely by the CT Nip Bottle Deposit, removed over 20 truck-loads of roadside litter in 2025 at no cost to Colchester taxpayers.
Public Safety in 2025
Colchester Fire & EMS saw an 11% increase in call volume for 2025, with nearly 2,500 as of December 29. Of these, 1,739 calls were EMS-related and 728 were Fire-related. The average response time for fire calls was 7:52, and for EMS 7:44 . Staff and volunteers completed 6,251 training hours and responded to 19 structure fires - six in Colchester and 13 mutual aid.
One additional full-time firefighter will join the crew after the New Year.
Thanks to a $50,000 grant, the updated emergency operations center was completed and used for the first time in the statewide emergency preparedness exercise this September.
In 2025, the Colchester Police Department demonstrated a strong commitment to community safety, engagement, and professional excellence by conducting approximately 1,800 traffic stops to improve road safety, responding to nearly 9,000 calls for service, maintaining an active School Resource Officer presence, and participating in over 50 community events such as Touch a Truck and National Night Out alongside Colchester Fire & EMS.
Colchester Police collaborated closely with Social Services and the Senior Center, supported charitable causes like the Terri Brodeur Walk for Cure, achieved Tier-2 State Accreditation, and continued extensive officer training in areas including active shooter response and investigative techniques. With the support of DUI and Rural Road Enforcement grants, the department remained focused on reducing roadway fatalities and was awarded a federal COPS grant to add another officer, while also encouraging qualified candidates to apply and join in the mission to keep Colchester safe and welcoming for all.
Colchester Senior Center: Year One
The new Colchester Senior Center opened in late December 2024 just weeks before the New Year. The new building has enabled an expansion of programs, services, membership, and hours of operation. Membership has grown by close to 800 people - averaging three new members per day of operation.
In February, CSC opened its Fitness Center and has since welcomed over 250 members using the fitness room. The Town also joined Silver Sneakers and Renew Active which covers membership fees for eligible beneficiaries. A new wheelchair accessible van was purchased this spring with 80% of costs covered by a DOT Section 5310 grant.
Social Services hours are now offered by appointment on Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings at the Senior Center. Judge of Probate hours are also being held monthly at the Senior Center.
In September, the CSC launched “Wellness Nights” with extended hours to 8PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The evening hours include unique programs and fitness room access. The new program is funded entirely by revenue from the state’s municipal cannabis tax.
After hours, the new CSC has also provided a new space for Parks and Recreation programs and other events. In 2026, Winter Farmers’ Markets will be held each Saturday starting January 24th.
Businesses and Economic Development in 2025
Colchester’s business community continued to grow in 2025. New businesses like Folklore and Fable Booksellers, ARK Distillery, Big’s Kitchen, Soup of the Day Cafe, the Good Earth Gift and Garden, and Chipotle all opened their doors in 2025.
Colchester also joined the CT Main Street Center in 2025 thanks to a grant from Colchester Cares to support efforts to continue enhancing Colchester’s downtown.
In addition to brick-and-mortar locations, home businesses continued to grow in Colchester as well with almost 150 new business filings according to CT Secretary of State records for 2025.
2025 in Finances
2025 was another strong year for Colchester in finance, coming off the restructuring of the Town Finance department in 2024. In February 2025, the Town hired its new permanent Finance Director Marina Pandolfi. The Town budget focused on maintaining stable operations and creating new efficiencies to save taxpayer dollars such as consolidating water/sewer billing into the tax office, a new cost-saving regional animal control program, and utilizing cannabis tax revenue to fund Youth Services and Senior Center programming.
Our Community in 2025
2025 saw many great community events and I want to thank the residents, organizations, volunteers, and employees who made it all possible.
From our Veterans’ organizations who organized this year’s Memorial Day Parade; to the Lions’ Club hosting the Carnival on the Green and other events; Youth Services and Parks and Recreation programs and events; Garden Club beautification efforts around town; support for the Food Bank from the Colchester Giving Garden and other volunteers organizations; the Colchester Community Theatre’s performance of Newsies at Bacon Academy; donors at Colchester Cares supporting a variety of local causes; Colchester Choir and Orchestra shows; Farmers Markets on the Green; a new outdoor classroom at Bulkeley Hill Preserve by the Colchester Land Trust; great progress by the Historic Bacon Academy Trustees and local donors to begin restoration of Historic Bacon; elected and appointed volunteers on boards and commissions; new business ribbon cuttings by Colchester Business Association and more….
There were too many events and too many people to name them all - but I know their efforts make Colchester the special community that we all know and love.
I can’t wait to see you all again in 2026!
Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
Colchester First Selectman