Panel votes to recommend independent landfill soil testing

Conservation · Meeting of July 9, 2026

CLINTON — The Clinton Conservation Commission voted to recommend independent testing of fill soil and clarified insurance responsibility for the town's landfill capping project. Member Larry Wlette moved the recommendation, which passed unanimously, telling colleagues "you don't people don't want to have to rely on the party that has the contract to get the job done." A town land-use staffer said the Planning and Zoning Commission holds a public hearing Monday on application PCC 2615, covering roughly 132,000 cubic yards of imported fill, and said she will recommend the hearing be continued to August. The commission also reported securing a Community Foundation grant covering two new footbridges, trail construction and equipment for a pending land acquisition, pending an overdue Eversource affidavit.

Textile recycling brought in about $40 a month on roughly 670 pounds collected in June.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,799 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of July 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Call to Order and Attendance

The July 9 meeting opened with a roll call showing members Nick Webb, Mary Jo Phelps, Mark Jaconia and Larry Wlette present, and Barbara Seagaloff absent. A fifth attendee, referred to later in the meeting as Abby, was present but had not yet been formally sworn in, meaning she could participate in discussion but was not counted for quorum or voting purposes. This is a routine procedural opening with no substantive business beyond establishing who could vote on the night's motions.

Minutes Approval

The commission approved minutes from its April 8 and June 10, 2026 meetings in a single combined motion. A member made the motion, another seconded, and the vote passed without recorded opposition after a brief, lighthearted exchange about whether Mark Jaconia should abstain since he had not attended one of the earlier meetings; no formal abstention was recorded in the vote itself.

Land Acquisition and Trail Grant Update

Background and stakes: The commission has been working to finalize purchase of a new conservation parcel that would connect to the existing Jesse Bule Forest and the adjoining Dow property via land along an Eversource utility corridor. The purchase has stalled on paperwork rather than funding.

The question before the body: whether the land purchase and associated trail-grant funding were ready to proceed, and what remained outstanding.

Substantive content: A commission member reported winning a grant from an unnamed community foundation that will fully cover trail construction, the purchase of trail-building equipment, and construction of two footbridges — one over a brook on the Jesse Bule property, where visitors have been building makeshift rock crossings, and one over a crossing on the Eversource corridor leading to the new parcel. The member said the grant was large enough that "we maxed that out," covering both labor materials and a trail-building machine members referred to as something "Kevin has been jonesing for." The purchase itself awaits an affidavit from Eversource, which the member said has been delayed roughly six to seven weeks past the original timeline after the town's attorney obtained the deed. Once the affidavit and an updated title search are packaged, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is expected to turn around a purchase check within one to two weeks.

The deliberation: Member Larry Wlette offered to make follow-up calls to the parties involved once given a clear chain of contacts, saying "Do you need me to make calls?" The member leading the acquisition welcomed the help, saying it would be useful to have "the chain of exactly who we're talking to" documented. Wlette separately raised an alternative trail-surfacing approach he had researched — a hard-packed, gravel-free path modeled on one at East Rock Park in New Haven — as a cheaper option than a boardwalk for sections of the new trail, though another member clarified the new acquisition's hilly terrain would not suit that approach as well as it would the flatter Dow property, where an existing but little-used logging trail already runs roughly three-quarters of a mile.

Procedural steps and outcome: No formal vote was required; this was a status update. Members agreed to revisit the purchase timeline at the August meeting, with a fallback plan to hold a joint land-acquisition subcommittee working session in September if the purchase has not closed by then, partly to ensure returning members are available after summer vacations.

Implications and what is next: The grant funding is secured and will not expire pending the purchase; the rate-limiting step is entirely administrative, tied to Eversource's affidavit and DEEP's processing queue.

Old Business: Composting and Textile Recycling

The residential food-composting item had no update. On textile recycling, a member reported June collections of about 670 pounds, within the program's typical 600-to-750-pound monthly range, generating roughly $40 a month in revenue credited against landfill diversion costs. Members noted uncertainty about the future of the town's Sustainability Committee after two members, described as Brett and Susan, are stepping back from leadership roles, which could affect joint programming like a planned "day at the dump" event to promote both food-waste and textile recycling. Members also discussed whether a Goodwill store located near the Clinton-Westbrook border could host an additional donation and recycling drop-off point, since it is open seven days a week compared with the transfer station's two. No vote was taken; members agreed to follow up directly with Goodwill and with Sustainability Committee contacts.

Invasive Species Management

Background and stakes: The commission did not receive grant funding this cycle for a geographic information system (GIS) tool to map invasive-species locations across town properties, a tool members have discussed building to let volunteers and staff report infestations more systematically.

Substantive content: Members reported the town's land trust used goats to clear roughly four acres of Japanese barberry, which one member said was "reasonably successful," though not a complete clearing. The same goats were also reported to have grazed down an unspecified "bacon plant weed," prompting members to note there are similarly dense invasive patches along the Indian River and near Eversource transmission lines that could be candidates for future goat grazing. A commission member said outreach to a town contact named Todd about coordinating invasive-species management with Public Works equipment washdown protocols had gone unanswered. Members also discussed UConn's $20 invasive-species identification course as a low-cost training option for members or town staff.

The deliberation: One member asked whether Public Works has any budget or protocol specifically for invasive species, prompting another to say, "I don't think it's much operating protocol," but offered to ask Todd directly. Members floated a joint presentation or library event with the land trust, which has members "very knowledgeable" on invasive plants, as a lower-cost alternative to building the GIS tool this year.

Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken. Members agreed to pursue informal outreach to Todd and to the land trust rather than commit funding this cycle.

Joint Land Acquisition Subcommittee and Open Space Planning

Background and stakes: The commission's predecessor body, described by one member as an "open space advisory board" before a charter revision separated conservation duties from wetlands regulation, historically prioritized open-space identification. Members noted the town's hazard mitigation plan and Plan of Conservation and Development both flag a need to revisit the 2013 open space plan.

The question before the body: whether to formally revive a land-prioritization model one member had previously drafted, based on best practices from other land trusts, to guide future acquisitions.

Substantive content: The model under discussion weighs parcel size and connectivity to existing conservation corridors as primary criteria, with proximity to wetlands, streams and rivers, and exposure to development pressure as secondary factors. A member noted that GIS staff identified as Tai and Bon have already begun updating the commission's open-space layer data to support this mapping work in-house, without needing outside consultant funding.

The deliberation: Members debated timing, with one member saying, "I'd like us to conclude the purchase of the [new parcel] before we move on to the next," while another pushed to begin the planning process regardless. The group settled on making the acquisition-prioritization framework the focus of a dedicated meeting in September rather than August, partly because the purchase might close by then and partly because more members would be back from vacation.

Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken. Members agreed informally to target September for a joint working session with the land trust to map long-range connectivity priorities and revisit the 2013 open space plan.

Implications and what is next: This sets up a fall agenda item that will shape which parcels the commission pursues next, tying directly into the pending acquisition's success.

Trail and Bridge Construction Plans

This item overlapped with the land-acquisition discussion above. Members confirmed the trail grant covers clearing and hard-packing a parking area as well as the two bridges and trail equipment, and discussed routing: a trail would run from the Dow property through the Eversource corridor to the newly acquired parcel, with new bridges needed where unauthorized rock crossings have appeared on the Jesse Bule property and where the trail will cross onto Eversource land. No vote was taken; this was background for the September planning session.

Visitor Information Booth

A newly appointed member, identified later as Abby, raised the underused visitor information booth near the fire station, suggesting it could hold town event brochures even without a staffed attendant. Members confirmed no town employee or organization is currently designated to keep the booth stocked or open, noting that the Chamber of Commerce, which previously helped with the booth, no longer exists. One member suggested asking Hank Tesusy, described as chairman of the town council and a former economic development committee member, who might take on coordinating the booth. No vote was taken.

Liberty Green and Historic District Commission

Background and stakes: The town recently removed hazardous trees from Liberty Green, flagged by a town figure identified as Gary, described as the tree warden, and planted new "charter oak" trees as part of a 250th-anniversary planting. Broader discussions are underway about the green's long-term design, but member Larry Wlette, a former chairman of the Historic District Commission, said that commission — which he said has customary authority over both the green and the historic houses on it — has not yet been consulted.

The deliberation: Wlette said the town should ensure the Historic District Commission remains functional and adequately staffed, given uncertainty about its current leadership after its chair stepped away from the role. "We do need that commission to go forward and good members on it," he said, adding that volunteers for town boards generally, and younger volunteers especially, are scarce.

Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken. Members agreed informally that any eventual green redesign should involve a joint meeting of interested boards and commissions before any single entity sets direction, and that Wlette would raise staffing concerns about the Historic District Commission with the town council.

Landfill Capping Project and Recommendation to Planning and Zoning

Background and stakes: The town's former landfill is undergoing a long-delayed capping project under a 2022 contract between the town council and a contractor identified as Lorero, based on a 2014 assessment of reuse and capping options. The project had been effectively stalled awaiting state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) permitting before local officials determined the matter should proceed through local permitting first. The Inland Wetlands Commission approved the wetlands-specific portion of the application the night before this meeting, and the Planning and Zoning Commission has a public hearing scheduled for Monday on application PCC 2615.

The question before the body: whether the Conservation Commission should formally recommend conditions to the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding testing and liability for the imported capping fill.

Substantive content: A town land-use staffer who liaises with both the Inland Wetlands and Planning and Zoning commissions told members that DEEP has approved the project's material-acceptance protocols and an initial stockpile limit, allowing fill to begin arriving, but has not yet issued the actual landfill closure permit that would allow the fill to be spread to form the cap. The project involves importing roughly 132,000 cubic yards of fill meeting industrial/commercial contamination standards in some areas, residential-restriction standards in others, and clean soil-planting media on top. Testing, according to the staffer, will be conducted by a licensed environmental professional (LEP) retained by the contractor, verifying generation-site certifications and manifest paperwork, supplemented by visual inspection from the contractor for anything "shiny or smelly." Sampling frequency increases with volume, moving from an initial threshold near 250 cubic yards to a recurring 500-cubic-yard interval. The staffer said the Water Pollution Control Commission has engaged its own engineering consultant, identified as CDM Smith, to review water-quality and groundwater-monitoring issues tied to a legacy contamination plume and consent order at the site, and that post-construction compliance will include quarterly groundwater sampling for two years, annual DEEP reports, and semiannual site inspections once the Department of Public Works takes over maintenance.

The deliberation: Member Larry Wlette pressed on two points: whether an independent party, rather than the contractor's own retained tester, would verify incoming soil, and whether any insurance has been arranged to cover potential environmental cleanup costs. "You don't people don't want to have to rely on the party that has the contract to get the job done," he said, framing the concern as a question of institutional incentive rather than wrongdoing. The staffer responded that third-party testing "was not contemplated before it came through for local funding," calling it a town-council-and-Lorero-level decision rather than something built into DEEP's own review, and said the question was worth posing formally through Monday's hearing process. Wlette separately asked whether fracking-derived waste material, a subject of litigation and local bans in some states in past years, would be barred from the fill; the staffer said no explicit ban exists in the material protocol but that the question could be posed to Lorero.

Procedural steps and outcome: Wlette moved that the commission recommend to the Planning and Zoning Commission that an independent body test incoming soil for compliance with fill standards, and that the town determine what insurance, whether held by the contractor or the town, should cover potential environmental claims or cleanup costs. The motion received a second from another member and passed on a unanimous voice vote with no recorded discussion or dissent. The staffer said the recommendation and the meeting's minutes would be forwarded into the Planning and Zoning Commission's public record for the application, and separately told members she expects to recommend in her own staff report that the commission's public hearing be continued to August to allow the town engineer time to review stormwater and road-condition issues near the site entrance. Wlette said he would draft a formal letter reiterating the commission's position ahead of Monday's hearing, to be circulated to fellow members first.

Implications and what is next: The Planning and Zoning Commission's Monday hearing is the next concrete decision point on the capping project; the Conservation Commission's recommendation, along with any letter Wlette submits, will become part of that board's public record before it acts, though the staffer indicated a continuance to August is likely regardless.

Nick Webb, member, present. Mary Jo Phelps, member, present (referred to informally as "MJ"). Mark Jaconia, member, present. Larry Wlette, member, present; identified in discussion as a former chairman of the Historic District Commission. Barbara Seagaloff, member, absent. Abby [surname not given in transcript], newly appointed member, present but not yet formally sworn in; participated in discussion but did not vote. A town land-use staff member who liaises with the Inland Wetlands Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission on the landfill project; name not given in transcript. Laura, referenced as able to re-circulate the Planning and Zoning application materials by email; role and surname not given in transcript.

Lorero — contractor managing fill import and the landfill capping process under a 2022 town council contract; central to the capping-project discussion. CDM Smith — engineering consultant retained by the Water Pollution Control Commission to review water-quality and groundwater issues tied to the landfill site. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) — approved material-acceptance protocols and a stockpile limit for the landfill project but has not issued the closure permit; also processes the town's land-purchase paperwork. Inland Wetlands Commission — approved the wetlands-specific portion of the landfill application the night before this meeting. Planning and Zoning Commission — holds the public hearing Monday on application PCC 2615, the landfill capping permit under discussion. Historic District Commission — holds customary authority over Liberty Green, per member Larry Wlette, but had not been consulted on redesign discussions as of this meeting. Eversource — utility whose affidavit is required to complete the pending conservation-land purchase, and whose transmission corridor the new trail will cross. Town's unnamed land trust — used goats to clear invasive Japanese barberry on four acres; a partner in the September open-space planning session. Sustainable CT — statewide municipal certification program; commission discussed pursuing a "silver" tier beyond its current bronze status. UConn — offering a $20 invasive-species identification course mentioned as a low-cost training option. Goodwill — store near the Clinton-Westbrook border discussed as a possible added textile-recycling drop-off point. Application PCC 2615 — the Planning and Zoning Commission docket number for the landfill capping project, cited repeatedly as the authoritative record for material-acceptance protocols. 2013 Open Space Plan — cited as due for revisiting per the town's hazard mitigation plan and Plan of Conservation and Development. 2014 assessment — a prior Lorero study of landfill reuse and capping options that informed the 2022 contract.