Printer Friendly Version - 2023: Clinton Year in Review

On April 22, the Joel School in Clinton holds a special retirement ceremony for Gizmo, the therapy dog, after 12 years of helping students address their mental health needs. Photo by Eric O’Connell/Harbor News

Following a contentious public hearing over the proposed budget, the Town Council agrees to add money back to the proposed education budget. Over nearly 90 minutes of emotional and sometimes heated testimony, 22 separate speakers give their opinion on the proposed education budget, and at one point, the majority of the crowd stands to show their support of the BOE budget. Photo by Eric O’Connell/Harbor News

Residents pack Town Hall for a public hearing on June 21 to speak in opposition to a plan to use a portion of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding to replace the basketball court at the Indian River Recreational Complex (IRRC) with pickleball courts. Photo by Eric O’Connell/Harbor News

2023 was anything but boring in Clinton. The year featured moments, good and bad, and ended with uncertainty that will play out in 2024. The highlights of the year are below:

At a meeting on Jan. 18, the Clinton Town Council unanimously votes to approve the sale of an undeveloped plot of town-owned land on Killingworth Turnpike for $7,500. The 0.41-acre property is a landlocked plot located just past the driveway to Chow Restaurant.

On Jan. 26, Town Council member Christine Goupil sends a letter to Executive Assistant Mary Schettino, Town Clerk Sharon Uricchio, and Town Manager Karl Kilduff in which she announces her resignation from the council effective immediately. No reason is given for her resignation. Goupil was elected to a four-year seat on the council in 2019.

The Town Council votes on Feb. 1 to adopt a new policy that asks residents interested in being appointed to boards or commissions to be present at a council meeting prior to their approval to that board or commission.

At a meeting on Feb. 15, the Town Council approves a nomination from the Clinton Democratic Town Committee for Hank Teskey to fill the seat vacated by Christine Goupil the previous month. Teskey’s term expires in November.

On Feb. 15, the council holds a public hearing over proposed changes to the town charter.

The Town Council votes to appropriate $3,600 for additional work the town hopes will speed up the process of capping the old landfill on Old Nod Road.

Controversy is sparked at a March 8 meeting when a motion to cut $350,000 from the initial proposed education budget passes with Republican council members Tom Hollinger, Dennis Donovan, Carol Walter, and Democratic member Hank Teskey voting for the cut while Democrats Carrie Allen and Chris Passante vote against the motion. The move angers members of the Board of Education (BOE) and many residents.

A request from the Town Council for a revision to the proposed town charter that would allow for the Town to appropriate up to $700,000 without a referendum is approved by the Charter Revision Commission (CRC).

Human Services Director David Melillo announces his intention to retire in July. The Town begins a search for his replacement.

Folks on both sides of the aisle are saddened to learn that Clinton Republican Town Committee Chair Brendan Saunders died unexpectedly on April 8.

The Town Council votes to approve proposed charter changes by the CRC. The proposed changes allow for the ability to hire a Town Manager for a term not to exceed five years instead of the current three-year maximum and increases the amount of money the Town can appropriate without a referendum to $700,000 from the current $300,000.Other proposed changes would allow the town manager to hire, dismiss, and advertise for town employees without the approval of the Town Council first.

On April 22, the Joel School in Clinton holds a special retirement ceremony for Gizmo, the therapy dog, after 12 years of helping students address their mental health needs.

At a referendum on May 10, Clinton voters overwhelmingly pass the town and education budgets. The new town budget is $62,148,955, a $2,483,084 or 4.16% increase. While spending increases, there is no tax increase in the proposed budget. Voters approve a town budget of $23,376,078 (a $1,499,443 or 6.85% increase) by a vote of 926 in favor to 352 against and an education budget of $38,772,877 (a $983,641 or a 2.6% increase) by a margin of 879 in favor compared with 398 against. The mill rate is set at 29.83.

The Clinton Police Department announces that K-9 Sonny, who has been with the town since 2017, will retire. A new K-9 named Monty is expected to take over in the coming months.

A celebration of life is held at Town Hall for Paul “The Bike Guy” Egan, who passed away the month before.

Due to wildfires in Canada, Connecticut residents notice a smokey smell and decreased air quality for several days.

On June 7, Kilduff informs the council that the Town has received three responses to a Request for Proposal to redevelop the vacant Pierson School.

The second International Food and Beer Festival is held behind Clinton’s Town Hall.

The council agrees on a plan to potentially place three pickleball courts at IRCC at a spot of undeveloped land off the right field of the baseball field. Since there is a river in the area, the Town will need approval from the Inland Wetlands Commission. The council proposes allocating $209,000 to the project, which does not include building a pedestrian walk or lighting in the area. Geotechnical work is needed on the site to ensure the plan is feasible.

Following complaints from some potential applicants about the land use boards still holding virtual meetings, the Town Council strongly encourages all boards to resume in-person meetings.

At a town meeting on Aug. 3, residents unanimously approved the next round of projects using ARPA money.

The next round of ARPA projects includes artificial turf replacement at IRRC, work on the Town Beach bathhouse, new bleachers at the Peters Recreation Complex, redoing the gazebo roof at McCusker Landing, replacing the Town Hall EV charging station, road repair, a public safety radio project, money for historic district signage, money for the summer free lunch program for Clinton students, money to nonprofit entities, and pickleball courts at IRRC.

The Planning and Zoning Commission opens public hearings concerning two applications from Victorian Village LLC, the property owner at 345 East Main Street. One application asks for the commission to create a new floating zone called the Multifamily Adaptive Reuse Zone, and another application asks for the zone to be landed at 345 East Main Street. The eventual plan is to demolish four buildings on the property and renovate the remaining eight buildings into 14 one-bedroom properties. Furthermore, the owner is also proposing a new two-story building on the property with 26 one-bedroom units. Current tenants on the property are opposed to the plan due to a fear of rent increases.

The operators of Liv’s Dockside Grill inform the Town they will not renew their lease to operate the marina concession stand next summer.

The PZC unanimously votes to deny two applications that would have allowed for the redevelopment of the Victorian Village Inn at a meeting on Oct. 16. The commission members cite the proposed use of a floating zone as reason for the denial as well as finding the proposal inconsistent with the town’s plan for conservation and development.

Clinton voters deliver what people on both sides of the aisle termed a “shock” as voters elect Democrats Brian Roccapriore and Hank Teskey as well as Republican incumbents Chris Aniskovich and Dennis Donovan to the Town Council. The win by both Democrats flips the council from a Republican majority to a Democrat majority.

At the polls, Aniskovich wins 1,941 votes, and Teskey and Roccapriore each receive 1,829 votes. The final tally between Republican incumbents Carol Walter (1,648 votes) and Dennis Donovan (1,658 votes) is only 10 votes apart, within the 20-vote margin, which, per state statute, requires a recount. However, Walter informs the town she will not contest the race and opts out of the recount. Some residents turn up at the Nov. 15 council meeting to thank her for her years of service on the council and Board of Selectmen.

Following an updated cost analysis from the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Town Council reverses course and endorses the original plan of replacing the basketball court at IRRC with pickleball courts.

At a Dec. 6 meeting, Democrats Carrie Allen and Chris Passante are elected by party-line votes as chairperson and vice chairperson of the Town Council for at least the next two years.

On Dec. 20, the Town Council unanimously votes to recommend the former Pierson School property be sold to developers HOPE Partnership Inc. and Xenolith Partners LLC for $500,000. The developers propose turning the former school into affordable housing with an eye toward senior citizens and space for senior programming needs.

On Dec. 21 Kilduff announces he has resigned his position to take a new job as the town administrator in Weston. His last day in Clinton will be Feb. 19, 2024. The council will begin the search for a new Town Manager.

The year ends on a sad note as residents learn on Dec. 26 that Town Council member Tom Hollinger passed away on Christmas Eve.