First Selectman's Report: May 22, 2026
Referendum Results
This week, Colchester voters showed up in the highest turnout referendum in recent history with a clear message: No - Too High. Both the Town and Board of Education budgets were defeated by a significant margin. (See my full statement here)
Voters have spoken on both budgets. Now, the Board of Finance must find ways to better balance our Town and Education needs with the financial needs of Colchester property owners and voters.
I ran for First Selectman to bring people together. Sometimes that means leading; in times like this, it means listening. I am proud of the progress we made over the last two and half years, but this situation calls for a different approach.
Last night, the Board of Finance met to begin considering what cuts they will make to the proposed Town and Board of Education budgets.
Board of Finance Education Budget Discussion Recap
The Board of Finance focused much of their discussion on the Education side of the budget. (The BOE also released their forensic audit report this week). BOF Chair Karen Belding recapped the workshops prior to the referendum in which the Board of Finance cut $1 million from the Board of Education request. Board members discussed further cuts ranging from $435,000 to $2 million. A majority of Board members settled in the $1 million to $1.5 million range. The Board agreed to continue discussions on this next week and to get more public feedback before finalizing their decisions.
Board of Finance members noted they do not have line item control over the Board of Education budget and can only provide a bottom line number to the BOE. This is due to state statute. However, some members encouraged the Board of Education to look at cutting administrator-level positions.
Town Budget Discussion Recap
The second part of the meeting focused on the Town budget. I presented options for reductions to cut costs as demanded by Town residents including the following:
- Eliminate new firefighter position with start date of January 1, 2027 ($33,120)
- Eliminate part-time custodian ($17,915)
- Eliminate seasonal grounds maintainer ($20,211)
- Eliminate part-time coverage for Planning Department Land Use Assistant ($6,500)
- Eliminate Youth Center part-time position and seek alternate funding if possible ($9,000)
- Eliminate increase to library materials budget for books and audiobook licenses ($10,000)
- Close Cragin Library on Tuesday nights starting July 1 ($9,984)
- Eliminate Public Works asset management software ($15,000)
|We also discussed more aggressive measures that I cautioned against unless public feedback identifies these as areas to consider. These included cuts to the road maintenance budget. In the upcoming fiscal year, this would mean not chipsealing Waterhole Road and Boretz Road. Other topics included reducing tree removal services and significantly reducing services at the Transfer Station. I do not endorse any of these options and Board members were generally skeptical as well. However, these could save over $200,000 and we agreed to present them here as options so that residents can let the Board of Finance know if they deserve further discussion.
Mill Rate Impacts
The BOF also discussed mill rate impacts at the hypothetical threshold of a $1 million cut to the Board of Education and $135,000 to the Town. This would reduce the proposed mill rate to 31.30, an increase of 1.38 mills (4.6%). This also includes the new state aid revenue as discussed by the Board of Finance on May 13. This is down from the increase originally sent to Town Meeting which was 32.38, an increase of 2.46 mills (8.2%).
I remain ready to work with the Board of Finance to make cuts on the Town side. Together, we must find ways to listen to the voice of the community and bring an affordable mill rate to referendum. The Board of Finance has extended their timeline for a second referendum in order to hear more feedback from residents. They are now aiming for a June 17 referendum.
The Board of Finance will meet again on Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall and via Zoom to consider finalizing budget cuts, pending resident feedback on the Town, Board of Education, and the mill rate. Please make your voices heard.
Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony
The Colchester Memorial Day Parade will be held this Sunday, May 24 at 12:30 PM. This year’s theme is “Colchester Honors 250 Years of Heroes” as we also celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary.
In the event of rain, the Parade Committee will make a decision on whether to hold the parade by 10:00 AM. If the parade is cancelled due to the weather, an indoor ceremony will be held at the Colchester Senior Center beginning at 12:30 PM. Please check ColchesterCT.Gov or the First Selectman's Office Facebook Page in the event of rain.
This year’s Parade Grand Marshal is former Colchester resident Paul Spedaliere. Paul served in the US Navy from 1981 to 2022 when he retired at the rank of Chief Electronics Technician. Paul previously served as the National Vice Commander of the American Legion and currently serves as Manager of Veterans Advocacy and Assistance with the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs.
Founder’s Day 2026
On Wednesday, the Bacon Academy Board of Trustees held Founder’s Day, honoring Bacon Academy founder Pierpont Bacon and celebrating a Bacon Academy graduate for their accomplishments and contributions. On Wednesday, Colchester resident Ron Goldstein (Class of 1985) was presented with the Founder’s Day Award. Speakers highlighted Ron’s service as a member of the Town’s Charter Adoption Committee, Board of Finance, and Board of Education, and his many roles in Colchester Community Theatre productions.
As First Selectman, I want to thank Ron for being a trusted advisor to many First Selectmen who have sat in this office regardless of political party. As an attorney, Ron’s sharp legal mind for local policy and institutional knowledge are already invaluable but Ron also brings sage wisdom and a moral compass that have kept his number on the First Selectman’s Office desk speed dial for over 20 years.
Colchester Choir & Orchestra Spring Concert
Join us for the Colchester Choir and Orchestra Spring Concert on Saturday, May 23 at 6:30 PM at the Bacon Academy Auditorium, featuring the Glenn Hansen Orchestra! Admission is free!
Lions’ Night of Giving Thanks
Last week, the Colchester Lions Club distributed over $16,000 to 24 community organizations. These include Bacon Academy Project Graduation, Bacon Academy Board of Trustees, Colchester Dog Park, Colchester Garden Club, Colchester Giving Garden, Colchester Fire & EMS, Colchester Hayward Volunteer Fire Company, Colchester Senior Center, Norton Park Committee, the Colchester Veterans Honor Guard, and more. Thank you to the hard working volunteers and support from the community during the annual appeal, annual Breakfast, Carnival, Craft Show, and pierogi booth at the Hebron Fair.
Dog Licensing and Top Dog Contest
Join us for our 34th Annual “Top Dog” Contest to win the coveted #1 dog tag from the Colchester Town Clerk’s Office and a basket, generously donated by Wagging Tails Pet Shop in Colchester. In order to enter into the contest you must pre-register your dog for the 2026 -2027 license year. Return the application with payment to our office by 4:30 on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The drawing will be held Friday May 29, 2026 and the winner will be notified. The application can be found on our website at here https://www.colchesterct.gov/town-clerk/news/2026-top-dog-contest
National Trails Day Events
Colchester is celebrating National Trails Day on Saturday, June 9 with two events! At 10AM, Colchester Parks & Recreation will be hosting walking tours of Sablitz Preserve. I’ll be hosting the guided tours that morning and hope to see you there!
Starting at 9AM volunteers from Casella Waste will also be hosting a clean-up event on the Airline Trail, starting with the Lebanon Ave spur.
Giving Garden Fundraiser
The Colchester Giving Garden has begun its 14th season of growing and donating fresh vegetables to our town food bank and area soup kitchens. Mel’s Downtown Creamery is sponsoring a fundraiser for the garden on Monday, June 1 from 5PM to 9PM. Mel’s will be donating a portion of the evening’s sales to the Giving Garden! It’s a great way to support the garden and have a cold treat on the first day of June!
To help out the Giving Garden, I’ll be picking up an ice cream scoop again for this fundraiser and working behind the counter to scoop your ice cream. Come stop in to support the Giving Garden!
Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester