Meeting report · Board of Selectmen
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Board of Selectmen — May 7, 2026
The meeting was largely routine, but tension arose during the discussion of proposed fee increases for parking permits.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
Beach and Parking Ordinance Fee Increases
Significant increase in replacement fees (from $25 to $100) and higher penalty fines. Affected: Beach users and residents requiring guest parking permits.
fee change
02
Comcast Franchise Renewal
Maintains a 3.5% franchise fee on video subscribers. Affected: Video subscribers in New London.
fee change
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approval of Elizabeth (Betsy) Gunby as an alternate trustee for Tracy Memorial Library for a one-year term.
Unanimous approval following a motion.
Approved
Waiver of usage fees for the Tracy Memorial Library garden for the event on June 28th.
Motion passed to waive fees.
Approved
Allocation of $50,000 from the land acquisition fund for the OER project.
Motion passed to specify the funding source.
Approved
Redirection of the $500 trustee stipend to the bookkeeper (Lorie Shive).
Motion passed to recognize the bookkeeper for performing the work previously done by the chair.
Approved
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 00:16 Comcast Franchise Renewal Public Hearing
Comcast presented a proposal for a five-year franchise renewal, which maintains existing terms such as a 3.5% franchise fee applied to video subscribers.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Monica Tibo
▶ 07:58 Library Trustee Appointment
The Board of Trustees of Tracy Memorial Library requested the appointment of Elizabeth (Betsy) Gunby as an alternate trustee for a one-year term.
Speakers: Joanne Palisano, Unidentified speaker
▶ 11:54 Tracy Memorial Library Garden Fee Waiver
A request was made to waive usage fees for the garden for a scheduled event on June 28th.
Speakers: Judy Dallas, Unidentified speaker
▶ 15:03 Ordinance Updates and Fee Increases
Proposed updates to beach use, parking, and transfer station ordinances, including an increase in fines and replacement fees for guest beach parking permits.
Speakers: Putnham, Unidentified speaker
▶ 20:50 Conservation Fund Allocation
A discussion regarding the source of $50,000 for the OER project and a review of the land acquisition fund balance.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Lynn
▶ 24:16 Trustee Stipend Adjustment
A proposal to redirect the $500 trustee stipend from the Chair to the Bookkeeper (Lorie Shive) due to her workload.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Lynn
▶ 25:50 Administrator Report
Updates on Tree City USA distinction, the dispatch study vendor meeting, and an upcoming Eversource planned outage.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 28:18 DPW Site and Police Station Update
An update on the design and engineering progress for the DPW site, including potential locations for a police station.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Resident
▶ 30:31 Water Precinct Update
Report from the water meeting regarding water usage, lead pipe investigations, and pump station repairs.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Ordinance Updates and Fee Increases
Proposed significant increases in fines and a substantial jump in replacement fees for guest beach parking permits ($25 to $100) to act as a deterrent.
Board position: The board expressed skepticism regarding the severity of the fees, with members labeling the $100 permit fee as 'harsh'.
Internal dissent
While no formal vote was recorded during the segment, board members expressed internal disagreement regarding the scale of the fees, suggesting tiered pricing instead of a flat high fee.
medium concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Provide an updated total for the land acquisition fund from the trustees.
Assigned: Lynn
Communicate details regarding the planned Eversource outage in late June.
Assigned: a speaker / Administrator · Due: Late June
Present DPW site design plans to the Board of Selectmen and the public.
Assigned: Sam and Adam · Due: Early June
Notable statements
The franchise fee is 3.5% and applies only to video subscribers, not broadband-only customers. — Monica Tibo · Clarifying the revenue structure of the Comcast franchise agreement. ▶ 02:17
The intent of raising fines is to reduce nonconforming vehicles at beaches and increase the deterrent factor. — Putnham · Explaining the rationale for proposed ordinance changes. ▶ 15:54
Member positions
5 issues · 0 explicit · 4 inferred
Janet R. Kidder
Present
Chair
Library Trustee Appointment
YES
~
Tracy Memorial Library Garden Fee Waiver
YES
~
Conservation Fund Allocation
YES
~
Trustee Stipend Adjustment
YES
~
Ordinance Updates and Fee Increases
~
Skeptical of high fees, suggesting tiered pricing instead of flat high fees.
Richard Anderson
Present
Selectman
Library Trustee Appointment
YES
~
Tracy Memorial Library Garden Fee Waiver
YES
~
Conservation Fund Allocation
YES
~
Trustee Stipend Adjustment
YES
~
Ordinance Updates and Fee Increases
~
Skeptical of high fees, suggesting tiered pricing instead of flat high fees.
Bebe Hammond Casey
Present
Selectwoman
Library Trustee Appointment
YES
~
Tracy Memorial Library Garden Fee Waiver
YES
~
Conservation Fund Allocation
YES
~
Trustee Stipend Adjustment
YES
~
Ordinance Updates and Fee Increases
~
Skeptical of high fees, suggesting tiered pricing instead of flat high fees.
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
8
Total speakers
6
Addressed
1
Partial
1
Not addressed
Monica Tibo
Addressed
Presented the proposed Comcast franchise renewal, explaining that it is a contract governing the authority to operate in public rights-of-way. She detailed that the renewal includes a 3.5% franchise fee collected from video subscribers.
Key concern
Providing background and answering questions regarding the Comcast franchise renewal terms and fees.
Board responseThe board members asked several clarifying questions regarding the amount, frequency, and standard percentage of the franchise fees, to which Monica provided detailed answers.
The speaker was invited to present and the board engaged in a full Q&A session to address all technical questions raised.
Peter
Addressed
Inquired about how cable franchises fit into the broader landscape of public utilities like water and electricity. He also asked about the relationship between cable providers and utility pole owners like Eversource.
Key concern
Understanding the regulatory and operational distinction between cable utilities and other public utilities.
Board responseMonica Tibo (representing Comcast) responded by explaining the Cable Act of 1984 and how cable companies attach to poles owned by other utilities.
The speaker's questions were answered directly by the presenter regarding regulatory frameworks and pole ownership.
Unidentified speaker
Addressed
Asked if the 3.5% franchise fee is a standard rate applied to all municipalities.
Key concern
Determining if the town is receiving a competitive or standard franchise fee rate.
Board responseMonica Tibo explained that while the legal maximum is 5%, the 3.5% rate is common and varies by town.
The speaker's question about industry standards was answered thoroughly.
Joanne Palisano
Addressed
Requested the appointment of Elizabeth (Betsy) Gunby as an additional alternate trustee for the Tracy Memorial Library. She addressed potential conflicts of interest due to Gunby's family connection to library staff.
Key concern
Approval of a new library alternate trustee for a one-year term.
Board responseThe Board of Selectmen moved to approve the appointment and the motion passed.
The board acted upon the request by holding a vote and approving the appointment.
Unidentified speaker
Addressed
Requested a waiver of usage fees for the Tracy Memorial Library garden for an upcoming event. She noted that the group maintains the garden and raises its own funds.
Key concern
Waiver of town usage fees for the garden.
Board responseThe board members agreed it seemed fair and moved to waive the usage fee for the June 28th event, which was approved.
The board explicitly voted to grant the requested waiver.
Unidentified speaker
Partial
Presented proposed updates to town ordinances, including increasing penalty fines and raising the cost of replacement guest beach parking permits from $25 to $100. The goal is to deter non-compliance and misuse of permits.
Key concern
Updating ordinances to address outdated fines and permit abuse.
Board responseBoard members questioned the $100 fee for lost permits, calling it 'harsh,' and suggested tiered pricing, but the presenter explained the necessity for a deterrent.
The board engaged in discussion and provided feedback on the proposed amounts, though no final decision/vote was taken during this specific segment.
Unidentified speaker
Addressed
Asked for an update on the DPW site project, specifically regarding the status of buildings and whether a new police station might be located there.
Key concern
Seeking information on the progress and future use of the DPW site.
Board responseThe administrator explained the project is five months in and that plans, including the potential for a police station, will be presented in June.
The speaker's question was answered with a status update and a timeline for future information.
Unidentified speaker
Addressed
Provided a report on the recent water meeting, mentioning water usage trends, the investigation into lead pipes, and pump station repairs.
Key concern
Sharing information from the water meeting with the board.
Board responseThe board acknowledged the information and discussed specific details like the pump station budget and the timeline for paving on Main Street.
The board engaged with the information provided and answered follow-up questions regarding the budget and engineering studies.
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Report composed by
grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-01.