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First Selectman's Report January 31, 2025

Posted on: January 31, 2025 - 4:25pm
Colchester residents voted to form a Bacon Academy Athletic Complex Renovation Building Committee

Bacon Academy Athletic Complex Renovation Building Committee
Last night, at a Special Town Meeting, Colchester residents voted to form a Bacon Academy Athletic Complex Renovation Building Committee. Close to 100 people were in attendance and voted to form the committee that will be charged with overseeing the design and anticipated referendum on a project to improve the Bacon athletic complex and potentially parts of the RecPlex.

The committee’s charge follows:

The Committee shall obtain professional design documents and estimates for a project utilizing the final recommendations of the Recreation Needs and Coordination Committee, as presented to the Board of Selectmen in January 2025. 

Said project shall include:

  • Renovation of the Bacon Academy athletic complex including artificial turf fields at the stadium, multipurpose/baseball fields; renovation of the Bacon softball field to support natural turf
  •  Drainage improvements to the BA athletic complex
  • Lighting improvements to the BA athletic complex
  • Accessibility improvements as necessary to the BA athletic complex

Said project may include:

  • Replacement and/or removal of tennis courts at Bacon Academy and RecPlex
  • Any other elements identified in the Recreation Needs Committee January 2025 report

The Committee shall work with a professional architect and/or estimator to prepare a scope of elements and associated pricing. In collaboration with the Board of Selectmen, the Committee shall be responsible for bringing forward a final scope for an anticipated public referendum and for management of the project following a successful referendum.

Applications can be found here: https://www.colchesterct.gov/our-community/pages/ba-athletic-complex-ren...

The Board of Selectmen anticipates interviewing candidates for the committee in February. An RFP for design services is being prepared by Public Works currently.

Colchester Budget Survey

2025/2026 Budget Public Hearing
The Board of Finance will hold its first public hearing on the 2025/2026 budget on Monday, February 3 at 6:30 PM. Residents can participate in-person at Town Hall or via Zoom. The purpose of this session is to provide feedback before the Town and Board of Education budget proposals are presented.

This week is also the last week to complete the 25/26 Board of Finance budget survey. The survey will be open through next Friday, February 7.

Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L3QMSCY

Colchester development Linwood ave

New Development: 131 Linwood Ave
Last week, Town officials held a preconstruction meeting with Galaxy Development representatives regarding new construction at 131 Linwood Ave. A new building, custom-built to house a Chipotle with a pick-up window, is under construction now. Construction is expected to be completed around September 2025.

Colchester development Linwood ave

Colchester Freezin for a Reason

Freezin’ for a Reason
The annual Freezin’ for a Reason fundraiser is one week away. Each year, Greg Cordova, Rob Sucheck, and Fred Brown spend a cold February weekend camping on the Colchester Town Green to raise money for the Colchester Fuel Bank. This year, the guys will be on the Green from 2:00 PM on Friday, February 7 to noon on Sunday, February 9. Donations can be made in-person or online at paypal.com using [email protected].

Shout out to our Public Works/Grounds Crew for helping to get prepared for the event by stocking up on wood that will keep the team warm next weekend.

Colchester Public works preparing for Freezin for a Reason event

Colchester Community Theatre prepares for Newsies

Colchester Community Theatre Presents: Newsies
The CCT team is hard at work on rehearsals for their annual play. This year is Disney’s Newsies! I stopped by this week for rehearsal and got to see this year’s crew in action as they practiced their lines, planned blocking, worked on sets, and prepped costumes. I’m excited to see the full play when Newsies debuts at the Bacon Academy auditorium in February. Come check it out…as always, you might get to see a familiar face…!

Colchester Community Theatre will be performing Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical from Friday, February 14 to Sunday, February 16. Tickets are already on-sale online at https://www.colchestercommunitytheatre.com/.

Colchester Community Theatre prepares for Newsies

WJJMS Comedy Fundraiser
The WJJMS PTO is hosting a comedy night at the Bacon Academy auditorium on Friday, February 21. Doors open at 5:30 and the show starts at 6:30 PM.

William J Johnston Middle School PTO Fundraiser

Colchester Giving Garden Funraiser

Colchester Giving Garden Fundraiser
The Colchester Giving Garden is an all-volunteer vegetable garden here in town that has been growing and donating all of the fresh produce to our town food bank and area soup kitchens over the last twelve years. The Giving Garden group have donated over 17,000 lbs. of food to those in need right here in our community since we began in 2013. In April we will be starting our new 2025 season and all are welcome to join in.

The Giving Garden has been chosen by our local Stop and Shop store to be the February recipient of their “Bloomin’ 4 Good “ fundraiser promotional!

For every “Bloomin’ 4 Good” bouquet sold during the month of February the garden will receive a one dollar donation. This is an easy way to support the garden as well as enjoy a lovely fresh bouquet for yourself or someone special. We hope you’ll consider this fundraiser for the garden during February. The promotion is only good at our local Stop and Shop at 99 Linwood Ave.

For more information about the garden you may write to our email address at:
[email protected] or attend our start up meeting on Wednesday, March 12th at the Cragin Library at 6:30 pm. 

Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester