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Ledyard commission presses for clearer path on Clark Farm lease and asks for more oversight authority
Summary
The commission heard an update that an RFQ for the Clark Farm lease is being finalized and discussed whether the commission should be given authority to manage town farmland (leases, invasive species removal, stewardship). Commissioners said the process is taking too long.
The town council liaison told the Ledyard Agricultural Commission that staff are finalizing a request for qualifications to lease the Clark Farm and that a local contractor will cut hay this season while the RFQ is prepared. "He's leveraging some... RFQ combined with the language that we all worked on and try and get that out," the Town council liaison said, summarizing staff work on the lease effort.
The liaison proposed that the commission consider asking the town to expand the commission's ordinance or grant it administrative control over town‑owned farmland so the commission could lead on leasing, invasive‑species removal and stewardship. "Would it not be better for a group like you guys to have administration control over the Clark Farm where you could lead on finding the appropriate people and making sure that the lease is done properly and that the invasives are gone," the Town council liaison said. Several commissioners expressed frustration the matter has been slow-moving (work began last October), and urged exploring options that would allow the commission to take a more active stewardship role. The commission did not take a formal vote on changing ordinance authority at the meeting; follow‑up was proposed.
