First Selectman's Report: May 1, 2026
Welcome Acting Superintendent Judy O'Meara
This week, the Colchester Board of Education voted to appoint CES principal Judy O'Meara as Acting Superintendent of Colchester Public Schools.
Today, Mrs. O'Meara released the following message to families and community members
I am looking forward to working with Mrs. O'Meara and strengthening the partnership between the Town and school district. By working together, we can build a stronger Colchester for all of us. Our schools are critical to our Colchester community, and we are lucky to have her leadership at the helm at this time!
Annual Budget Meeting: Wednesday, May 13
Referendum: Wednesday, May 20
This week, the Board of Finance held public hearings on adjusted budget proposals for the Town of Colchester and Board of Education. The Board voted to send both budgets to Town Meeting — scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at 7:00 PM — and referendum — scheduled for Wednesday, May 20.
The proposed Town budget is set at $19,521,660.
Key drivers of the Town budget are:
- Contractually obligated wage increases for employees
- Increased health insurance costs to cover projected claims
- Increased contractual services, supplies, etc and to keep up with inflation
The Town budget also:
- Completes the Board of Finance plan to bring all Colchester Fire & EMS shifts to equalized staffing effective January 1, 2027
- Leverages grant funding and upcoming retirements to improve police coverage without budgetary impacts. The goal is to assign a full-time dedicated traffic officer to combat speeding and improve road safety.
There are no new major projects or capital plans included in the budget. The proposed budget focuses on completing projects that are already funded, including grant funded projects, such as the Youth Center renovation (funded by ARPA), Norton Park (funded by CT DEEP and DECD), and the 2025 water infrastructure projects (funded under CT DWSRF loan and grant program). There is a one-time $10,000 expense to migrate the Town website in 2027 due to the expiration of the current hosting platform.
Budget contributions to other capital items such as road improvement, vehicle replacement plan, technology replacement, and open space preservation and more are all flat-funded for FY26/27. The annual contribution to Facilities and Grounds Reserve was cut by $25,000. Likewise, the contribution to the Equipment Reserve was cut by $25,000.
During the budget process, the Board of Finance identified savings in the police department budget and reallocated $10,000 to the Cragin Memorial Library budget to purchase library books and materials.
The proposed Board of Education budget was set at $50,868,807.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the Board of Education reviewed reductions made to their budget over the last several weeks, including $340,000 cut by the Board of Education from the superintendent’s proposed budget and an additional $1 million cut by the Board of Finance. This included pay freezes for school administration and central office staff and reduction of 14 full-time personnel.
Acting Superintendent Judy O’Meara and BOE Chair Stefanie Tracey-Calash also reviewed hypothetical impacts at the request of the Board of Finance to show what further reductions would look like at various thresholds.
The Board of Finance has also approved utilizing $750,000 from the unassigned fund balance to reduce tax impacts for the upcoming fiscal year.
If approved, based on current revenues, the estimated mill rate would be 32.38 — an increase of 2.46 mills. This week, the State of Connecticut announced a legislative deal for additional funding to be sent to Connecticut towns and schools. Final numbers have not yet been provided but this revenue is intended to be used to lower property tax rates. An updated mill rate calculation will be provided as soon as these numbers are available.
Click here to view related budget documents:
Colchester Bike Rodeo - May 2
We are excited to host a Bike Rodeo for students in grades K–5, offering a fun and educational opportunity for young riders to build confidence and learn essential bicycle safety skills. The Bike Rodeo will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 10am.
This free event will feature hands-on safety instruction, obstacle courses, helmet fittings, and interactive skill stations designed to teach children the rules of the road in a safe and supportive environment. Participants will rotate through stations that include proper helmet fitting and safety checks, basic bike handling and maneuvering skills, traffic sign recognition and safe street crossing, starting, stopping, and signaling techniques, and fun agility and obstacle challenges. Local safety professionals and community volunteers will be on site to provide instruction and
encouragement. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Register with Colchester Parks and Recreation at www.colchesterct.gov/recreation-department though walk-ins will be welcome as space allows. For more information, please contact the Recreation department at (860) 537-7297 or email us at [email protected].
*Participants must bring their own bicycle and helmet.
Let’s ride toward a safer, healthier community—one pedal at a time!
- When: Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 10am
- Where: Guardian Angels/St. Andrews church parking lot, 128 Norwich Ave., Colchester, CT.
Sponsored by: Colchester Police, Colchester Land Use, and Colchester Parks and Recreation
SplashPad Renovation Coming…
A splashpad renovation is coming! As part of upcoming improvements to the RecPlex, the splashpad will be completely redone including and expanded fixtures! Right now, we are unable to open the splashpad due to mechanical issues. We recognize that this might be disappointing, but we are confident that it will be worth the wait when we re-open with a new splashpad. The current splashpad is over 25 years old and has long outlived its life expectancy. We can no longer get parts to make repairs or updates. The new splashpad will be appreciated for many summers to come. If you have any questions, please contact Colchester Parks and Recreation at (860) 537-7297 or Colchester Public Works at (860) 537-7288. Thank you for your patience and support.
Colchester History Museum Repairs
Our grounds crew recently completed repairs to the stone steps at the Colchester History Museum. Over time the steps had shifted and settled, creating an uneven surface. Our crew carefully reset the stone, improved the base and restored a safe, stable entryway while maintaining the
original character of the site.
Day Pond Road Repaving
The State of Connecticut will be repaving Day Pond Road and a segment of Peck Lane with work tentatively scheduled to occur between May 11 and May 15. Please use caution in this area as there may be impacts to traffic on Route 149, particularly at the intersection with Peck Lane by Westchester Congregational Church.
Memorial Day Parade
Applications to join the 2026 Memorial Day Parade are available on the Town website. The application form, instructions and the drop off/route map for participants are all available here.
This year's theme is "Colchester Honors 250 Years of Heroes" with prizes awarded for Best Marching Unit, Most Original Theme Float and Most Patriotic Float.
Spring Clean-Up Thank You
The Colchester Parks and Recreation Department extends its sincere appreciation to the many dedicated volunteers who participated in this year’s Spring Clean-Up. Thanks to the time, energy, and community spirit of residents of all ages, parks, trails, and public spaces across town
received a much-needed refresh in preparation for the warmer months.
Volunteers worked together to collect litter, clear debris, and enhance the beauty of shared outdoor spaces. Their efforts not only improved the appearance of the community but also helped protect the local environment and promote civic pride. Together, we provided at least 150 volunteers and over 500 hours of manpower to clean up Colchester. The fiscal impact is estimated at $12,500 in savings to Colchester taxpayers (if town employees had to clean up the garbage).
This event is a great example of what makes Colchester such a special place. When neighbors come together to give back, the impact is
immediate and meaningful. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who volunteered their time.
The Spring Clean-Up would not have been possible without the support of local families, community groups, and individuals who took part in the effort. Their commitment to maintaining clean and welcoming public spaces helps ensure that Colchester remains a vibrant and enjoyable place for all.
We encourage residents to continue caring for local parks and to stay involved in future volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
Bacon Academy Hall of Fame!
Last Friday, Bacon Academy hosted its first-ever Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The Hall of Fame Committee honored its first round of inductees including Stephen F. Austin, Amy Davis, Ron Goldstein, Annette Jervasi, Dolores Sawchuk, Dave Shea, Lyman Trumbull, Dr. John R. Watrous, Ron Wotus, and the 1981 Boys Basketball Team. Congratulations to all of the year-one inductees!
Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester