Voters approve updated waterfront ordinance

Town gets the go ahead to buy the Odd Fellows Hall

- ELI FORMAN

STONINGTON—After an hour and a half of swapping opinions at the May 15 annual town meeting, Stonington residents voted 50 to 42 in favor of Article 15, implementing an updated ordinance governing the town’s waterfront infrastructure.

The new Stonington Fish Pier, Harbor and Waters Ordinance consolidates what were three separate ordinances and reaffirms the harbor committee’s role as advisory to the select board.

As residents settled into their seats spread across the Stonington ball field on a warm, sunny morning, Harbor Committee chairman Hilton Turner kicked offthe meeting by making a motion to take Article 15 out of order.

A lively debate ensued, facilitated by moderator Skip Greenlaw. Residents on all sides of the issue, including several who simply wanted clarification as to what all the fuss was about, took the microphone to express their views.

“[The ordinance] wasn’t a collaborative effort,” began Turner.

According to Turner, the select board ignored the harbor committee when compiling the ordinance. He further attested that it takes the traditional authority over the fish pier away from the harbor committee in favor of the select board.

“I’ve been on the committee long enough that I know right from wrong,” he concluded.