On Tuesday, March 10, the Town Council held its first meeting for the month of March. I was honored to present a proclamation to the Chair of Tolland’s Commission on People with Disabilities, Susan Lucek-Hughes, in honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Susan and the rest of the members of the Commission on People with Disabilities work tirelessly to advocate for a more accessible and inclusive Tolland.
I was also proud to read a proclamation declaring March, 2026 as Women’s History Month. As was said at the meeting, women have been at the forefront of every movement that has advanced our country. Tolland is fortunate to have 4 dedicated women serving on Town Council.
In terms of new business, the Council filled the vacancy created by former Councilor Joe Sce’s resignation. The TRTC endorsed David Marshall to fill the vacancy and he was unanimously appointed by the Council. Welcome Councilor Marshall!
The Council also declared property located on South River Road as surplus. The property is a land-locked parcel of about 8 acres. The property had overdue property taxes that the town had exhausted all collection efforts on. The Town accepted the property as payment for the back taxes, and will now offer it for sale to abutting property owners in accordance with Town Code.
The Council also rescheduled the special meeting on the state’s potential purchase of 303 Merrow Road. That meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 16th at 6:00pm in the Middle School auditorium.
I’d like to remind residents that Tolland High School Drama’s production of the Phantom of the Opera will be held on March 12-14th. I’m sure it will be a fantastic production and I encourage residents to attend to support the students!
Finally, I’d also like to remind residents that one of the best ways to stay informed on town business and events in town, is by signing up for town email alerts. The process is easy and residents can sign up here: tollandct.gov/subscribe
The next regular Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:00pm.
The Town Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 24th.
At the start of the meeting, on behalf of the Council, I presented a proclamation declaring March as Problem Gambling Awareness month to Jillian Fiddler, Case Manager in the Human Services Department. Jillian and the rest of the Tolland Human Services Department do incredibly important work for town residents everyday. A big thank you for all that they do!
The Council voted to authorize the Town Manager to apply for an Urban Action Grant for improvements to the Tolland Animal Control facility.
The Council also set a public meeting to discuss the state’s potential purchase of property located at 303 Merrow Road. The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3rd at 7:00 pm at the Tolland Middle School Auditorium.
The Council also held a joint meeting with the Board of Education on February 19th to discuss the Board of Education’s proposed budget. The Council thanks the BoE and the superintendent for all of the time and effort they put into developing their budget.
Finally, I’d like to thank our DPW employees for their tireless work this winter keeping our streets plowed and community safe. We’ve had a lot of snow this winter and we are fortunate to have such dedicated employees in Tolland.
The next regular Council meeting will be on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 7:00 pm.
The minutes from the February 19, 2026 joint Town Council-Board of Education budget meeting can be found here: ecode360.com/TO1208/document/753232258.pdf
The Town Council held both a special meeting and a regular meeting on February 10, 2026.
The special meeting was an executive session to discuss the status of the contaminated wells in town and to bring new councilors up to speed on the issue. During the regular meeting, the Council was also provided a public update on the issue. The town secured a grant to help remediate some of the contaminated wells in the Vineyard neighborhood. The Council continues to work in partnership with our state representatives to seek additional funding and state support on this critical issue.
At the start of the regular meeting, on behalf of the Council, I read a proclamation into the record recognizing Black History Month.
The Council then unanimously voted to seat Councilors Mary Rose Duberek and Shane Jackson to fill the vacancies created by two resignations. Welcome to both Mary Rose and Shane.
The Council also voted unanimously to appoint Councilor Renie Besaw as Vice Chair of the Council. I greatly look forward to continuing to work with Vice Chair Besaw in this role.
We also received a presentation on the potential use of speed cameras in town. No decisions were made by the Council. Before any decision is made, there will be opportunity for public comment.
The town also underwent its annual financial audit. Thanks to the hard work of our finance department, there were no compliance issues noted and the town remains in very strong financial standing. We also received our quarterly financial update.
The Town Manager, Senior Center Director, and the State Police provided an update to the Council on the ongoing criminal investigation into the Pietras Funeral Home pre-paid funeral services scam. Residents who may have preplanned with the funeral home are encouraged to reach out to the Senior Center or the State Police to determine whether they may be a victim.
The Town Manager also advised the Council that it recently came to his attention that the State of Connecticut is considering purchasing property in Tolland to construct a juvenile justice center. The Council is seeking to obtain additional details.
On the topic of the town budget, the Council also held a meeting on Monday, February 9th to discuss the town’s capital budget.
The next Council meeting will be the joint Town Council-Board of Education budget meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 7:00pm.
December 9th, 2025 Town Council Meeting
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 6:00 pm, 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.
Nov 25th, 2025 Meeting
The Town Council met for the second time since the start of the new term on November 25, 2025.
The Council began discussions regarding a potential cell tower lease at Station 440. The proposal is to construct a 130 foot tower, which would provide enhanced cellular coverage in town and enhanced ability for Tolland County 911 to operate. There is currently a 100 foot tower at this location. No final decisions were made on this proposal and the Planning and Zoning Commission will have the opportunity to weigh in.
The Council unanimously amended the Council Rules of Procedure to allow for the first round of public participation during meetings to have a limit of 3 minutes and the second round to have a limit of 2 minutes. Previously, the first round of public participation was limited to 2 minutes. The goal of the amendment is to allow residents greater time to speak at the beginning of the meeting in case they are unable to attend the entire meeting.
As Chair, I assigned each councilor to serve as a liaison to the various boards and commissions in town. The liaison role is important not only because they update the Council on the business being conducted by each board and commission, but they also serve as a point of contact should that board or commission have questions or concerns for the Council.
There was also an appointment to the Inland Wetlands Commission. As always, the Council is incredibly grateful to the residents who volunteer their time to serve on these important boards and commissions. I encourage interested residents to review the vacancies on the town website to see if there is a board or commission they’d be interested in serving on. The current vacancies can be found at https://onboard.tollandct.gov/vacancies.
Our next Council meeting is on December 9, 2025 at 7pm in Council Chambers.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with 6 dedicated councilors and to live in Tolland with a great group of neighbors, friends, and residents.
This report will be updated with a link to the meeting minutes once they are available.
Tolland Democratic Town Committee 
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