Milford Urges 'No' Vote On $9 Million Silver Sands Project

MILFORD, CT — Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford), Milford Mayor Ben Blake, and other members of Milford’s legislative delegation sent a letter to the members of the State Bond Commission calling for them to vote no on bonding for a construction project at Silver Sands Beach State Park.

Hundreds of Milford residents have spoken out against this project, expressing concern with the high cost of the buildout, the negative impact the proposed concession stand will have on small businesses in the area, and that the project is based on an outdated Environmental Impact Evaluation and is underestimating the damage that this construction project will have on local plants and wildlife.

“The people of Milford have spoken loudly and clearly in opposition to this ill-conceived buildout of Silver Sands. People deserve to have a say to what happens in their community, particularly when it comes to major, transformative construction projects like what had been proposed at Silver Sands,” said Senator Gayle Slossberg in a statement. “This project has moved on without support from community residents, and there has been no recent communication with Milford’s mayor or legislative delegation, or public announcements, as the project moved forward. I and my colleagues in Milford are calling on the members of the State Bond Commission to listen to the people that will have to live with the decision they make next week, and vote against this bonding.

“Milford residents have expressed very serious concerns about the impact this project will have on their community. Those concerns have never been resolved, and the high cost of the project makes it even more unwise to pursue considering Connecticut’s current fiscal climate. Milford doesn’t want this buildout and the state can’t afford it. I hope that the members of the State Bond Commission will do the right thing and vote no on Wednesday.”

The State Bond Commission is expected to vote on whether to approve $9,107,769 in state bonding for Silver Sands when it meets on Wednesday, November 29 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. This funding is to be used in the construction of a bath house building, lifeguard and staff office, concession building, and a maintenance facility

Here is the letter:

Image via CT DEEP