Tolland Town Council Chair Report

During the December 9th, Town Council meeting, the Council had the privilege of honoring the Tolland High School Boys Varsity Soccer Team for their back-to-back state championships! In recognition of the hard work and dedication of the players and coaches, and the support of their families and friends, the team was presented a citation to commemorate the achievement.

The Council appropriated $4,816.23 from the Public Works Contingency Account for flooring at the new DPW garage. This appropriation will not have an impact on the current budget as the contingency account was accounted for in the town’s current budget.

The Council also discussed goals that will help guide the work we will do for the next two years. The proposed goals include: (1) providing efficient and high quality services in a fiscally responsible way, (2) strengthening public safety, (3) enhancing accessibility and quality of life for Tolland residents, (4) promoting clarity and accessibility of all Town Council business to encourage greater community involvement, and (5) setting the tone for civil discourse in Tolland. The Council also identified items under each goal to help guide us as we strive to achieve these goals. The Council will vote to adopt our goals at the next Council meeting.

There were also two reappointments to town Boards and Commissions. One for the Planning & Zoning Commission and the other for the Town Historian. Thank you to these, and all, volunteers who serve on the various boards and commissions in town!

On behalf of the Council, I want to thank the Tolland Fire Department, the Permanent Celebration Committee, CERT, and everyone else who worked to make last weekend’s torchlight parade and tree lighting such a success. It is a fantastic community event!

The festivities continue on December 16th, at 6:00pm, when the town will be holding our annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony on the Tolland Green. I highly recommend that all residents attend, it is a very enjoyable time for kids and adults alike.

I also held my first Chair Hour last Tuesday, December 2nd from 6:00-7:00 pm in the Library. I was fortunate to meet with several residents and discuss issues important to them. As a reminder, the Chair Hour will be held the first Tuesday of every month, from 6:00-7:00 pm in the Study Room in the Tolland Library. All residents are encouraged to come and discuss whatever community issue is important to them!

The next regularly scheduled Council meeting is set for December 23, 2025.

This report will be updated with the minutes from the December 9th meeting once they are available.