Shellfish Commission - Minutes - 12/02/2025

Town of Waterford Shellfish Commission
Regular Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, December 2, 2025
7:00 p.m. at the Waterford Town Hall
1. Establish a quorum and call the meeting to order.
Chairman Francolino called the regular meeting of the Waterford
Shellfish Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. after establishing a
quorum.
Present were Commissioners Francolino and Porter. Absent were
Commissioners Calkins, Drennen, Healy and Jamroga.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approval of the October 7, 2025, meeting minutes
Motion made by Commissioner Porter, seconded by Commissioner
Francolino to approve the October 7, 2025, meeting minutes as
filed. All in favor, motion carried.
4. Correspondence
Chairman Francolino reviewed an email regarding the Annual
Gathering of Shellfish Commissions scheduled for Saturday, January
24, 2026, at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in
New Haven, CT. Commissioner Porter stated that he would like to
attend on behalf of the Shellfish Commission.
All correspondence received in between meetings is forwarded as
they are received by the Chairman.
5. Treasurer’s Report
a. Review of the monthly Treasurer’s Report generated from the
Finance Department.
Treasurer Porter reviewed the document received from the Finance
Department through November 2026.

b. Review of expenditures and revenues generated.
Treasurer Porter reviewed the expenditures and revenue depicted
on the report with the Commission.
Motion made by Commissioner Francolino, seconded by
Commissioner Porter to accept the Treasurer’s Report as reviewed.
All in favor, motion carried.
6. Monthly monitoring and sampling report
The recreational shell fishing areas are currently open until they are
administratively closed on December 31st with a tentative re-
opening date of April 1, 2026, pending satisfactory samples.
7. New Business
a. Discussion/approval of the FY27 budget request for the
Waterford Shellfish Commission.
The Commission members reviewed and drafted the FY27 budget
request. They discussed the expenditures and revenues to determine
operating costs for the upcoming year.
Motion made by Commissioner Porter, seconded by Commissioner
Francolino to approve the FY27 budget request and to submit the
budget to the Finance Department as requested on or before Friday,
December 12th. The budget hearings begin in January 2026, and
Commissioner Porter will attend on behalf of the Waterford
Shellfish Commission to answer any questions the Board may have
regarding the budget request. All in favor, motion carried.
b. 2025 season wrap up and goals for the 2026 recreational shell
fishing season.
Chairman Francolino stated the Commission goals are to re-stock as
much as possible in the upcoming season with the hope of
increasing permit sales. Availability has become an issue in the
past, but the Commission was able to secure a large quantity of
certified stock this season, and he hopes this will be the case next
season as well. The Commission will continue to sell permits to
anyone who wishes to purchase one for recreational shell fishing

and continue to utilize the Wardens for patrolling and sampling.
Revenue generated from permit sales and leased bottom land offset
the Commissions overall operating costs, resulting in a smaller
monetary budget request from the Town.
c. Discussion regarding leases
Chairman Francolino stated the Town Attorney is still reviewing the
2026 lease renewal document. Aeros Oyster has expressed interest
in renewing the lease as he has made progress with growing and
harvesting product in the Thames River and he has made the 2025
lease payment for the bottom land to the Commission.
8. Old Business
9. Public comment regarding items relating to Waterford Shellfish
business
Mr. Mark Alexander was present at the meeting to learn more about
shell fishing operations, stating he has been shell fishing for years
and may be interested in joining the Commission. He inquired
about re-stock and the updated Shellfish Plan.
10. Adjournment
There being nothing further to discuss the regular meeting of the
Waterford Shellfish Commission adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
The Shellfish Commission cancelled the regular meeting of January
2026 due to conflicts that would result in a lack of quorum. The
Commission will resume meeting in February 2026.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Audrey Ulmer, Recording Secretary for the Town of Waterford
Shellfish Commission