Woodbury workshop backs draft vision, prioritizes town communications

At a special workshop on April 18, 2026, First Selectman Paul Zulpa convened town leaders to review draft vision and mission statements and to identify short-term priorities for Woodbury.

Participants—including Fiscal Officer Nyree Pieck, Selectmen Richard Coates and Karen Reddington-Hughes, Board of Finance Chair Karen McWhirt, Board of Finance member Suzanne Lovig and resident Kathy Doyle—discussed balancing preservation of Woodbury’s character with adapting to change and aligning town operations with clear goals. There was broad agreement on the direction of the drafts, with participants asking for further refinement before broader review.

Selectmen and finance members also debated planning methods and agreed to pursue a hybrid approach that pairs long-term goals with short-term, actionable initiatives. Officials said the hybrid model is intended to increase flexibility and improve execution on achievable outcomes rather than rely solely on a traditional multi-decade plan.

Workshop participants completed a facilitated exercise to surface resident challenges. The group identified five common themes for town attention: improving communication and access to information; helping residents navigate town services and processes; addressing infrastructure, mobility and accessibility; housing concerns; and fostering community engagement. Attendees prioritized town communication as an initial focus area because of its wide impact and feasibility for near-term improvement.

The board agreed on next steps: refine the vision and mission statements, summarize the workshop findings for broader review, develop preliminary communication improvement concepts, and reconvene for a follow-up working session on May 9, 2026, 8:00–9:30 a.m. The workshop adjourned at 10:19 a.m., and minutes will be filed for Board of Selectmen approval on May 7, 2026.