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Meeting report · Board of Selectmen
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Board of Selectmen — March 3, 2026

The meeting was primarily administrative and informative, with discussions focused on logistics and project updates rather than intense conflict.

Date Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Duration 0.8h Speakers 1 Public comments 1 Decisions 2 Routine
▶ Video

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

394 Main Street Commercial Renovation

Transformation of the property into multiple commercial entities (ice cream, pizza, Dunkin' Donuts). Affected: Local residents and business community
zoning change
02

Fire Department Staffing and Leadership

Changes in staffing and the upcoming posting for a Fire Chief position affect municipal emergency response capabilities. Affected: All New London residents
safety change

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Appoint Emily Campbell as the citizen representative for New London on the Tritown assessing committee.
The motion was made and seconded by the board members present.
Passed unanimously
Approval of meeting minutes from February 19th.
Minutes from the February 19th meeting were approved.
Passed unanimously

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 01:15 Proclamation for Ruth White

The Board read and acknowledged a proclamation recognizing the lifelong dedication and environmental service of the late Ruth White to the New London Conservation Commission and community.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 04:01 Town Meeting and Election Logistics

Discussion regarding preparations for the upcoming elections on March 10th and the Town Meeting on March 18th, including voting machine testing, accessibility, and polling station setup.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Michael, Bebe Hammond Casey, Richard Anderson, Janet
▶ 16:25 Assigning Article Readings for Town Meeting

The Board reviewed and assigned specific articles to board members for reading during the upcoming Town Meeting on March 18th.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Bebe Hammond Casey, Richard Anderson, Janet
▶ 28:42 Sidewalk Sinkhole Investigation

An update on efforts to resolve a sidewalk sinkhole, involving coordination between the DPW, DOT, and Cross Point.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Bob
▶ 30:13 Tritown Assessing Citizen Representative

Discussion regarding the appointment of a citizen representative for the Tritown assessing committee.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Janet
▶ 32:14 Town Administrator Report

Updates on municipal building security, the Dispatch RFP, New London Day, the annual Town Report, and fire department staffing.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 44:28 Planning Board: 394 Main Street Renovation

Report on the proposed renovation of 394 Main Street to house an ice cream shop, a pizza restaurant, and a Dunkin' Donuts.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 46:10 Water Precinct Update

Report on meter replacements and planned road work/patching on Main Street following bond requirements.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Public Comment Time Limits

The board discussed whether to impose time limits on resident speakers during the upcoming Town Meeting, which impacts democratic participation and the ability of citizens to voice grievances.
Board position: Board members expressed a philosophy of deference to the residents, with Michael noting that if the public wants limits, they can make it their own meeting, but ultimately the decision remains sensitive.
medium concern

Community vs. board tension

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Call Bill Helm to check his availability for appointment as a selectman for election day and research best practices/rulings regarding time limits for speakers.
Assigned: Michael · Due: By March 4th (tomorrow)
Update the draft assignments for Town Meeting articles, correcting errors in fiscal years and assigned names, and distribute updated copies to the Board.
Assigned: Ashley (a speaker) · Due: Before Town Meeting
Facilitate a meeting between DOT and Cross Point regarding the sidewalk sinkhole.
Assigned: Adam
Finalize the Dispatch RFP.
Assigned: Emily and a speaker · Due: Thursday, March 6th

Notable ⁠statements

I'm not going to broach [time limits]. But if people want time to be limited, then it's their meeting. They have that right... — Michael · Responding to a comment about whether the board should limit how long residents can speak during the Town Meeting. ▶ 18:18
I would welcome very much your [the Chair's] presence... because I think that will lend some significance to the seriousness of the problem. — Bob · Suggesting the Board Chair attend the meeting between DOT and Cross Point regarding the sinkhole to ensure the issue is taken seriously. ▶ 39:01

Member ⁠positions

2 issues · 0 explicit · 2 inferred
Present
Tritown Assessing Citizen Representative YES ~
Approval of meeting minutes from February 19th YES ~
Richard Anderson
Selectman
Present
Tritown Assessing Citizen Representative YES ~
Approval of meeting minutes from February 19th YES ~
Bebe Hammond Casey
Selectwoman
Present
Tritown Assessing Citizen Representative YES ~
Approval of meeting minutes from February 19th YES ~

Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
1
Total speakers
1
Addressed
0
Partial
0
Not addressed
Unidentified speaker
▶ 42:23
Addressed
a speaker provided a series of administrative updates including a new fire department hire, the upcoming fire chief position posting, and land use board updates. They also detailed a renovation plan for 394 Main Street involving an ice cream shop and restaurants, and provided an update from the water precinct regarding meter replacements and Main Street paving. Key concern
Providing municipal updates and information regarding upcoming local developments and maintenance projects.
Board response
The board members engaged in a brief discussion regarding the 394 Main Street renovation plans and the Main Street paving situation, noting that the state paving is upcoming and that the contractor is responsible for fixing current road issues.
While a speaker was delivering updates (likely in an official capacity rather than as a member of the general public making a grievance), the board members actively participated in the dialogue, acknowledging the information and discussing the implications of the road repairs and business developments.
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Report composed by gemma-4-26b · analyzed 2026-06-01.