Located in the northeast corner of New London County, Voluntown is a rural community consisting of 39.8 square miles with two-thirds of the town made up of state forest. Pachaug State Forest offers many outdoor activities; such as hunting, camping, hiking and horseback riding. The town hall and library are located in the Village Center, along with the PreK-8 school, Constitution Field, the walking track, and gazebo. Voluntown was Incorporated in 1721 and has a rich history of textile mills, historic buildings, the Civilian Conservation Corps. (CCC Camp), folklore and was originally known as “Volunteer Town”.
Welcome to Voluntown
NOTICE OF CANCELLED MEETING
Please be advised that the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, 2018 has been cancelled.
Board and Commission Vacancies: Volunteers Needed
There are currently several vacancies on town board and commissions. Below is a brief description of the Board and Commissions with vacancies. If you would like to be considered to fill any of the vacancies below, please submit a letter of interest to the Board of Selectmen’s Office via email to jzelinsky@voluntown.gov or via mail at Voluntown Board of Selectmen’s Office, PO Box 96, Voluntown CT 06384. Appointments will be made at Board of Selectmen meetings, the next meeting being held on December 18.
Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals has 1 seated member vacancy and 1 alternate vacancy. These are normally elected positions, but the Board of Selectmen has the authority to appoint to fill vacancies. Zoning Board of Appeals meets as needed on the First Monday of the Month at 7:00PM in Town Hall Meeting Room. The Zoning Board of Appeals was created in accordance with Title 8, Chapter 124, Section 8-5 of the CT general statutes. The responsibility of the board is to hear and decide appeals where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement or decision made by the official charged with the enforcement of chapter 124 or any bylaw, ordinance or regulation adopted under the provisions of this chapter and to hear and decide all matters including special exceptions and special exemptions under section 8-2g upon which it is required to pass by the specific terms of the zoning bylaws, ordinance or regulations in harmony with their general purpose and intent and with the due consideration for conserving the public health, safety, convenience, welfare and property values solely with respect to a particular parcel of land.The Alternate vacancy member would fill the position of a seated member when needed to fill a meeting quorum. Past minutes and agendas can be viewed on the town website.
Economic Development Commission
The Economic Development Commission has 1 seated member vacancy, and 3 alternate member vacancies. These are always positions appointed/ re-appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Economic Development Commission meets on the Third Thursday of every month (except July and August) at 6:30PM in Town Hall Meeting Room. The mission of the Voluntown Economic Development Commission is to foster economic development in Voluntown and increase the tax base by retaining existing businesses and helping them grow, encouraging indigenous business start-up, and recruiting light industry. The Voluntown EDC currently sponsors the Voluntown Farmers’ Market. The EDC is working on several projects that promote Voluntown as an outdoor recreation tourist destination. Alternate members are needed to fill the seats of seated members when needed for a meeting quorum. For more information the Economic Development Commission, visit the EDC website and/or visit the next meeting on December 20th.
Upcoming Community Events
If you have an event that would be of interest to Voluntown residents, please email event submission to thanson@voluntown.gov.
Weekly Events
The Voluntown Public Library
1st and 3rd Tuesday @ 6:15 p.m.- Knitters, Crocheters, needlecrafters of all types – bring your project and join other crafters at this informal gathering for conversation and sharing. Don’t know how to knit or crochet but want to learn? The library has yarn, needles and patient instructors. Open to everyone, so stop by and join in the fun.
4th Tuesday @ 7:15 p.m. – Writers – Are you an aspiring author, or just enjoy writing? Whether it’s memoir, fantasy, poetry or any other genre, come share your writing in a non-judgmental, supportive and friendly gathering.
2nd Thursday @ 6:30 – Library Board of Trustees. Do you have questions, concerns, or comments regarding about your library? Do you have a program you would like to share with other Voluntown residents? Come to any meeting and let us know!
December Events
Winter Kids’ Crafts at the Voluntown Public Library
Saturday, December 15, 10AM- 1PM at the Voluntown Public Library: Stop by and make a chalkboard ornament and decorate a wooden tree.
Board of Selectmen’s Meeting Cancelled
The December 11 meeting of the Board of Selectmen is cancelled. The next meeting will be on December 18.
Tax Office Hours Thurs. 12/13/2018
The Tax office will be closing at noon on Thursday 12/13/2018.
Resident Eagle Project: New Gaga Ball Pit on Constitution Field
We have a new GaGa Pit on Constitution Field thanks to Josh Zelinsky and his crew of volunteers. Josh is a member of Voluntown Boy Scouts Troop 74 and he organized, and funded the pit as his Eagle Scout Project. Thank you Josh and volunteers!
Gingerbread House Contest Winners
On Saturday, December 1, the Voluntown Recreation Commission sponsored a Gingerbread House Contest and Craft Fair. The event was a great success, thank you to everyone who donated their time to organize it! There were many fabulous entries. Attendees voted for their favorites and the winners are listed below.
Most festive #12 Pixy Elliott , Jada. Veda
Most creative #14 the Curry Family
Most delicious #7 the McGuire Family
Overall crowd favorite #18 Diane Blanchette Magario & Amelia Vitali
Business/group #5 Boy Scout troop 74
Photos can be seen on the Voluntown Recreation Commission Facebook page.
Assessor Availability
The Assessor will be available by appointment only from now until January 31, 2019. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 860-376-3927 M-Th, 9AM-2PM. For more information on the Assessor’s hours, visit the Assessor website page.
Town of Voluntown Snow Removal Policy
The following Snow Removal Policy was approved by the Board of Selectmen on 11-13-18.
Town of Voluntown Snow Removal Policy
There are 29 miles of streets in Town. Due to the high costs of removing snow, it is important for the Department of Public Works (DPW) to use its resources wisely with cooperation from the residents to minimize the cost. Additionally, the state CTDOT plows Routes 49, 138, & 165.
Plow Routes – The streets are plowed and salted in order of priority. Main (collector) roads are addressed first with special attention to steep hills, and difficult intersections. Side streets are done next, then dead end streets, Side streets will remain unplowed if the main roads require repeated plowing. This may not seem fair to the residents of side streets or dead ends, but main roads must remain open.
Blocked Driveways – All snow plows angle the same way – to the driver’s right – and when going by they will push the snow in front of a driveway. The homeowner is responsible for access to his driveway. The only way to avoid extra shoveling is to wait until DPW crews have done their final clean up on the street.
Mailbox Damage – The Town repairs or replaces only mailboxes and/or posts that are actually struck by a plow blade. Usually a paint mark or truck tire tracks supply evidence of a mailbox strike. The Town does not repair or replace mailboxes and/or posts that fall from the force. of plowed snow. Mailboxes and supporting posts must be installed to withstand the rigors of snow removal, including the force of snow pushed from the street onto the roadside.
Street Parking – The Town plows need all roadways, including cul-de-sacs, to be cleared of vehicles and personal property, including but not limited to boats, trailers, campers and basketball hoops, to provide access and efficient snow clearing capability. During a storm, residents should park in their driveways and not on the streets. It is a safety hazard to residents and plow drivers when vehicles are parked in the road. Not only do parked vehicles reduce the sightline for pedestrians and oncoming vehicles, but they also force the plows to veer out of the travel lane. Please remove vehicles from the roadway prior to a snow/ice storm. Similar to mailboxes, DPW is only responsible for damage done to a vehicle as a result of the plow blade actually striking the vehicle, not the effect of snow, ice, or salt hitting the vehicle as a result of plowing.
Private Plowing – The Town of Voluntown prohibits plow contractors and residents from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto Town streets. This practice is dangerous and impedes the Town’s snow removal efforts. If there is no other alternative to pushing snow into the street, the plow driver must plow off the windrow left across the street by re-plowing until the road is safe. This may not necessarily mean bare pavement, but certainly it should be no worse than when the driver began work.
Snow Stakes – The Town of Voluntown Highway Department reminds Voluntown residents to install “snow stakes” now before the ground freezes. It is difficult to distinguish between the pavement edge and the edge of a lawn in heavy snowfall. Installing stakes along property edges as close to the pavement as possible without interfering with traffic will help homeowners avoid unsightly lawn damage this winter, especially for properties with underground sprinklers or invisible fencing. Snow stakes should be 30-36″ high and can be purchased at a local hardware store. If using wooden stakes, paint the top 3″ of the stakes red to increase visibility against the snow.
Re-Plowing/Snow Removal Concerns – If you have snow removal concerns call the Town Hall at 860-376-5880.
