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New London council sends Ocean Beach Park study to economic development committee after process concerns
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Summary
After debate about public engagement and timing, the New London City Council unanimously voted to refer a proposed long-term Ocean Beach Park study/contract to the Economic Development committee for further review and public input.
A divided council debate over process and public input ended Wednesday with the New London City Council unanimously referring a proposed long-term study and potential contract for Ocean Beach Park to the Economic Development committee.
The motion to refer was made by Councilor Mueller and seconded by Councilor Farias; the referral passed by roll call vote, 7–0.
Opponents argued the study and any resulting contract had been presented too late for adequate council or public review. President Pro Tem Jeffrey Hart said he opposed approving the study as presented and voiced concern about accepting a finished proposal ‘‘handed complete’’ without substantial community engagement. "I'm not in favor of spending $30,000 to find out that we would like us to hire them," Hart said, arguing the process felt premature and lacked sufficient public participation.
Councilor Mueller, who pulled the item at a previous meeting, said referring the matter to committee would allow the council to maintain parallel tracks for short-term operations and long-term planning. "We need more opportunity to think about it and talk about it amongst ourselves and to engage with the public," she said.
Several councilors emphasized the need to separate near-term operational decisions — including finding an operator for the 2026 season — from broader long-term planning for the park. Councilor Farias urged outreach to neighbors and suggested public hearings so a wider range of residents could participate.
Mayor Passaro and Office of Development and Planning staff have previously prepared materials and an RFP-related record for the site; councilors asked that committee deliberations include explicit goals and an expected timeline so the matter would not ‘‘die’’ in committee.
What happens next: the Economic Development committee, composed of Councilors Farias, Peck and Mueller, will review the study proposal, solicit public input and report back to the full council with recommendations at a future meeting.
