Jennifer Hawkins

The regular Town Council meeting began with opening remarks, prayer, and the pledge of allegiance. The council proceeded with the adoption of minutes from previous meetings held in March and April 2024, noting a required correction for a typo in one of the minutes. Key agenda items included the presentation and adoption of several proclamations for May 2024: recognizing and supporting local law enforcement agencies; designating May as National Military Appreciation Month; recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month; recognizing May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month; and recognizing May as National Bicycle Safety Month. Following these, there was a detailed presentation from Paul Williamson of Key Capture Energy regarding a proposed battery energy storage project in Putnam, detailing the technology, benefits, and location relative to the Killingly substation.

The meeting began with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a moment of silence for Mr. Joshua Cusack, a local paramedic. Key agenda items included the unanimous adoption of minutes from the December 6, 2021 Organizational Town Council Meeting and the December 2021 Regular Town Council Meeting, pending several stated amendments. The council issued proclamations recognizing Killingly School Choice Week (January 23-29, 2022), and honoring three individuals as 2022 Teachers of the Year: Michael Morrell, Timothy Milton, and Lori Buret. There was no unfinished business. During the Citizen Statement and Petition period, several citizens submitted written comments supporting the appointment of Adam Reynolds to the Permanent Building Commission, and one citizen submitted questions regarding library fines and the replacement costs for unreturned books. The session concluded after public comments.

The meeting focused heavily on agenda items related to Frito-Lay applications, including discussions about proposed building additions exceeding height restrictions (86 feet, 8.5 inches versus the 50-foot limit). Significant revisions were presented in response to prior commission and public comments, notably the relocation of the expanded auto parking lot to leave undisturbed the treed and bermed area west of the existing lot, and minimizing visibility from Upper Maple Street. Lighting pole heights within the parking lot were reduced from 25 feet to 20 feet, with fixtures offering better light control. Presentations included testimony from a traffic engineer regarding a revised traffic impact report, which utilized 2018 Killingly Energy Center traffic volumes as conservative background data due to inconsistencies with 2021 data. An engineering director detailed actions taken by Frito-Lay in response to sound concerns and reviewed the history of the 2009 DEP odor notice of violation. Additionally, a sound acoustics expert discussed 2020 sound testing. Traffic analysis confirmed that the site driveways to Upper Maple Street and Attawagancrossing Road are capable of safely accommodating projected site-generated traffic volumes, including construction-related traffic.

The special Town Council meeting focused primarily on discussions with the Economic Development Commission (EDC) regarding community development goals. Key discussion points included the desire to re-establish a liaison with the School Board to ensure communication flow. The EDC reported success with its Small Business Academy, resulting in nine new businesses opening, with a tenth anticipated soon. Further discussions involved strategies for future town growth, including business retention, the need for affordable housing, and potential infrastructure expansions such as the sewer plan, which is nearly fully occupied and serves a regional area including Brooklyn. There was also consideration for developing a Vision Committee to set 5, 10, and 20-year goals for Killingly, addressing maintaining its rural nature while encouraging development and tax stability. Transportation needs for the workforce, Brownfield remediation for housing development, and broadband services upgrades were noted as necessary elements for future investment readiness. The status of the Brickyard update was also provided, noting that title work is nearly complete before schematic design can commence.

The special town council meeting focused primarily on the deliberation of the Board of Education budget. Public comment periods were held where citizens provided feedback on the recent referendum results concerning the budget, with specific discussions addressing voter intent, the need for budget reduction versus maintenance funding, and transparency regarding line items and reserve funds. One public commenter, an occupational therapist, detailed significant skill deficits observed in incoming kindergarten students, highlighting challenges such as lack of basic self-care skills. Other topics included suggestions for future ballot clarity regarding budget votes and proposals for the town to absorb certain expenses to alleviate the Board of Education budget pressure.