Community Corner
East Lyme's Ambitious 5-Year Plan
East Lyme's Annual Town Meeting wasn't well attended by residents but big projects were on the agenda.
East Lyme High School's Auditorium was like an echo chamber last night. Besides elected officials, barely a handful of residents turned out for the Annual Town Meeting, during which a five-year plan for the town was adopted by a show of hands.
And a lot of big projects were included in the town's long-term vision for the future. To be clear, only those that have previously been approved by voters, such as the water connection between East Lyme and New London, are poised for action. Also, nothing that is in the plan that is included in the budget for the next fiscal year will move forward unless the voters approve the budget as proposed.
But it's worth a look to see what the town has in mind going forward.
The Big Projects
A few of the biggest projects included in the town's plan would be paid for by bonds. These include:
- Sidewalk construction (Gorton Pond along Route 161)—which the town anticipates will cost $200,000 this budget year and $550,000 over five years.
- Road improvements, which the town expects to cost $900,000 a year every year for five years for a total of $4.5 million.
- Purchase open space: $250,000 a year for the next five years, for a total of $1,250,000.
- The regional water interconnection from East Lyme to New London: $8 million this budget year.
East Lyme's "To Do" List
The items topping the town's "to do" list are those that must be done for health and safety reasons or those that are required by state or federal law. They are as follows:
- Townwide heating and airconditioning replacement: $37,000 this budget; $185,000 total cost over five years.
- Various town roofs need replacing: $50,000 this budget; $250,000 total cost over five years.
- Putting money aside for the next revaluation: $40,000 this year; $579,250 total cost over five years.
- Police vehicle replacement, at a rate of two per year for $42,000 apiece: $75,000 this year; total anticipated cost over five years, $270,103.
- Public works vehicles: $6,000 for snow plows this year and next year.
- Sidewalk repair: $50,000 this budget, for a total of $250,000 over five years.
- Grand Street Boat Ramp repairs, which would be done over this winter if the budget is approved: $70,000 this fiscal year only.
- Fueling station and tanks that need to be relocated from the town's former Field Services Building on Roxbury Street to the new location on Capitol Drive in Niantic: $10,000 for a study to determine what needs to be done and an estimated $560,000 in five years to cover the cost of the project.
- New vehicles for Parks and Recreation (a pickup truck, a tractor 65 HP, Infield Pro, and Beach Groomer): $65,000 this year, for a total of $254,646 over five years.
State-Funded Projects
Maintenance of town-owned dams, which is a new requirement imposed on the town by the state, is included as a new item in the town's Capital Plan. The town estimates this will cost $10,000 a year for a total of $50,000 over five years. The dam repair costs could be covered by Local Capital Improvement Project (LoCIP) funds from the state.
East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica said the state's budget could potentially increase the amount of LoCIP funding the town would receive this fiscal year. However, if that happens, the funds would also be available to the Board of Education for the first time.
Formica said he believes that the state has in mind that schools will use the money to pay for additional security in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Funding for the projects that are slated to be implemented in the coming fiscal year depends on whether the town votes to accept the proposed budget. That will be decided by referendum. The voting will take place on May 23 at the East Lyme Community Center from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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