Docent urges council support for Custom House Museum Community Investment Fund grant

Susan Hamby, a volunteer docent at the New London Custom House Museum, asked the City Council on Dec. 2 to support a Community Investment Fund (CIF) grant application to repair and restore the Custom House and the city's lighthouses.

"I am Susan Hamby. I live at 15 Berkeley Avenue in New London. I am one of 14 docents who proudly volunteer at this gem of a museum," Hamby told the council during public comment. She described the museum as a growing tourist draw and said the museum recorded more than 500 visitors from 25 states and Puerto Rico in September and October alone. She also said the museum has hosted international visitors from countries including Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Canada, England, Russia and Ukraine.

Hamby said the museum uses grants to expand access, citing a summer grant that funded $5 Ledge Light water-taxi trips for New London students and another grant that allowed $5 tours of Harbor Light for New London residents and free admission to the museum. "We would greatly benefit from the Community Investment Fund to fix the Custom House, finish restoring Harbor Light and restore Ledge Light," she said, and asked the council for letters of support as the museum compiles its application.

Councilors responded during the meeting. Councilor Saadi thanked Hamby and said the council would try to support the request. Councilor Reona Dice asked Hamby to identify the specific grant items and the name of the grant recipient so the council could prepare a targeted letter of support and asked that Hamby submit details to the city administrative assistant. Councilor Jocelyn Rosario also thanked Hamby for volunteering and encouraged the museum's outreach.

No formal action or vote on the request was taken at the meeting; councilors requested that Hamby provide written details so staff could place a letter of support on a future agenda.