Groton Taxpayers Vote On Two Referendum Questions Today

Taxpayers will decide the fate of two key referendum questions in Groton today: whether to authorize a $133 million school construction project and whether to approve a $6.4 million plan to rebuild Thames Street.

"There's been a lot of discussion about both issues, and it's important that people get out there and cast their vote," Groton Town Mayor James Streeter said.

In the city, voters will elect a new mayor, city council, clerk and treasurer.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The school construction plan would renovate and consolidate Groton's public schools, building one middle school for seventh and eighth graders on the site where Claude Chester Elementary School now stands.

Fitch Middle School and Pleasant Valley Elementary would ultimately close, while Cutler Middle School would be expanded and renovated into an elementary school.

S.B. Butler Elementary and West Side Middle School would become early childhood centers, serving students in pre-kindergarten through first grade. The other elementaries would serve students in grades two to six.

State subsidies would reduce the local cost of the $133 million school construction project to around $65.8 million. 

The other referendum question asks voters to approve a reconstruction plan for Thames Street, a historic road where pavement has deteriorated and retaining walls have collapsed in some areas. In November 2009, taxpayers rejected a $10.7 million plan to rebuild the street.

After the vote failed, the Thames Street Review Committee took another look at the project and cut out items like lighting, landscaping and crosswalks to bring the cost down 41 percent. The project before voters today would rebuild the road, retaining walls and improve drainage.

In Groton city, Deputy Mayor Marian Galbraith is running unopposed for the mayor's seat, which Dennis Popp has held for 12 years.

Seven people are vying for six seats on the City Council. Democrats David Hale, Celeste Duffy, Mary Kelly, Amy Moncy, Larry Gerrish and Bill Jervis are running, along with Republican Keith Hedrick, that party's only endorsed candidate. The city clerk and treasurer are running unopposed.

Groton has eight polling places. Locations are listed below:

1.  Groton Public Library, Route 117.

2. West Side Middle School, 250 Brandegee Avenue.

3.  City municipal building, 295 Meridian Street.

4. William Seely School, 55 Seely School Drive.

5.  Charles Barnum Elementary School, 68 Briar Hill Road.

6.  School Administration Building, 1300 Flanders Road.

7.  S.B. Butler School, 155 Ocean View Avenue.

8.  Town Hall Annex, 134 Groton Long Point Road.