By Sean Donlan, Haddam First Selectman
(March 14, 2026) — We live in a region where a weather prediction for the next five hours is considered a long-range forecast. Winter proved to be predictably unpredictable, and we owe a tremendous thank-you to Haddam’s Public Works Department for clearing our roads through some fast-moving, heavy storms. Spring is upon us and we hope to see Haddam teeming with people of all ages enjoying the dozens of parks, trails and outdoor activities around town.
Updates below are described as they stand on the day of this writing March 13, 2026:
We are announcing contests for Haddam residents that we will display at various shows and events in late fall and early winter to give out prizes, awards and recognitions. Chosen entries will be published and displayed in buildings throughout Haddam and in local news outlets, with some becoming temporary and some permanent fixtures at the Haddam Town Office Building and on the Town website. The categories will be separated into adult and youth and are:
1. Town Slogan: Please submit a short slogan that you believe encompasses what it is like to live in Haddam
2. Video: Please submit a short two-minute narrated or unnarrated video displaying the beauty of Haddam
3. Photos will have multiple categories: Please submit photos depicting scenic views, wildlife, vegetation in various seasons.
Please send the First Selectman’s office your ideas and thoughts on one-time or yearly community events, as we are currently creating a Haddam community event calendar. We will work to schedule as many event opportunities as possible to get our residents together. The more ideas, the better.
Thank you to all our departments and committees for cooperating this budget season and keeping their requests within a reasonable range. The Board of Finance is currently working on the budget presented to it by the Board of Selectmen. If interested please log into the Town website (www.haddam.org) for details of the time and location of Board of Finance budget meetings, as they will be open to the public. If you cannot attend in person, you can log in through your computer. This is an important process and the Board of Finance has dedicated, and is continuing to dedicate, a lot of time dissecting the budget line by line to assure Haddam’s expenditures are necessary. Once the Board of Finance is concluded this process it will set up a Town Meeting to approve the budget. Please note that if you are interested in the process and wish to become involved, you are likely to achieve more impact by attending the budget meetings rather than by bringing up an issue for the first time at the Town Meeting to approve the budget.
Regional School District 17 has presented a proposed budget at various meetings to Haddam and Killingworth and is requesting a 7.4% increase from last year’s budget. Haddam’s anticipated obligation for the budget is predicted to increase to slightly over 60% with Killingworth’s responsibility lowering to a little less than 40%. The reason for the increase in Haddam’s obligation is due to the fact that Haddam’s student population has increased more than Killingworth’s student population. It is not a choice and not in the control of Regional School District 17. Combining the proposed increase by RSD 17 with the increase in Haddam’s proportionate responsibility translates into an 11% increase in the budget obligation for Haddam. It is very important and I encourage everyone to take the time to read and review the budget, to ask questions and to do your best to become as informed as possible prior to deciding your vote at school budget referendum in May.
I will record and publish a video soon discussing the major projects in Haddam.
