Stonington Borough Businesses Oppose Joining Ledge Light Health District

Many businesses that belong to the oppose joining the , and none of the businesses currently support joining.

The SBMA recently conducted a poll of its members regarding joining the Ledge Light Health District. The results of the poll show that the majority of members whether they deal with the local health department or not oppose joining the Ledge Light Health District, and a significant percentage of members are still looking for information on joining the district.

Here are the results of the poll as provided by SBMA Director of Community Relations :

• 50 percent of respondents have a business that currently deals with the local health department
• 50 percent of respondents do not have a business that currently deals with the local health department

Of those same respondents

• 53.8 percent oppose joining LLHD
• 46.2 percent need more information
• 0 percent support joining LLHD

After the results of the poll the SBMA issued the following statement:

"As its own municipality, the Borough of Stonington is in a unique position regarding this issue and may or may not choose to join LLHD even if the town joins. It is clear that borough businesses, and likely residents too, need more information on the issue to understand all of the implications, both positive and negative, of joining. The joint meeting in March is an opportunity to ask questions and find out more information and express opinions to our public officials who will make this decision as elected representatives of the community."

The Town of Stonington and Stonington Borough will hold a joint informational meeting with representatives from the Ledge Light Health District on March 14. The public is encouraged to attend to ask questions and voice their opinion on joining.

First Selectman , said he does not expect the board of selectmen to make a decision on whether or not to join the district at that meeting, but that they want to make a decision by the end of April. The has to decide separately whether or not the borough will join the health district.

Borough Warden Paul Burgess said the preference of the borough board of warden and burgesses would be to wait to make a decision after the town does, but that depending on meeting schedules the board may vote before the town. Burgess said the decision would be based on what the community and the board feel.

“There’s a chance [we would not join] if we felt it was not a good fit for the borough businesses and we could provide those services,” Burgess said, adding they would have to look at economic reality of providing the health department services.

Currently, the Town of Stonington spends $94,143 a year on the health services. If the town was to join the LLHD they would see an increase of $15,000 but receive additional services. Businesses, however, would see a significant increase in fees associated with restaurant licenses.

“Absolutely No,” co-owner of the wrote on Stonington-Mystic Patch’s Facebook page about joining the district. “Just one more hit on small businesses, i.e. restaurants run by their owners and where business is seasonal in this area. Unless we just want to become a nation of corporate chain, fast food restaurants?"