10/14/26 Shellfish Commission

The Fairfield Shellfish Commission met on October 14, 2026. Members reviewed shellfish operations, including 75 closure days year to date, the planned October 24 spat-collector work and seasonal shutdown of the upwellers, and outreach with seventh-grade students. The conservation fund balance was reported as $35,050.49 at September 30; members noted an apparent decline of about $4,000, and staff said they would check the figures and report back. Ash Creek signs had arrived, while ordering signs for Sasco was still in progress.

The commission discussed a proposed private dock at 1584 Fairfield Beach Road. The applicant’s engineer described an 8-by-12.5-foot floating dock supported by six pilings; a commissioner planned to inspect the site at low tide before signing off, so no final approval was recorded. Members also discussed Chuck Veans’s proposed purchase of the shellfish tumbler for $3,500, the same amount the town originally paid. A bill of sale had been drafted, but the steps to finalize the transaction remained to be worked out. No contract awards, RFPs, or public purchasing approvals were recorded.