News
October 1, 2026
A Letter from Our President
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Since having the opportunity to serve as President beginning in November 2025, I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about the role the Sasquanaug Conservancy for Southport plays today, and the one it should play for generations to come. I’ve met many of you, though not yet all, so I wanted to take a short moment to introduce myself.
My family came to Southport in 2022, drawn by a historic home and a village where we could walk to town, the beach, and the train. My career working with local governments, city officials, and public safety agencies soon proved useful here when a series of events led me to get involved with Sasquanaug.
This is personal for me. We live on Pequot Avenue. We walk these streets, visit our local businesses and institutions, enjoy our parks, and are raising our children here. Southport isn’t simply a place I want to help preserve—it is our home.
Like everyone who has the privilege of calling Southport home, we are also temporary stewards of something that existed long before us. That responsibility is what drew me to Sasquanaug and what makes me so excited about where this organization is headed.
Why This Matters Now
Southport is a historic village, but it is also a living and evolving community. Today, it is home to families who have been here for generations and, more and more, to young families just beginning their own Southport story. What makes it special is its architecture, harbor, open spaces, institutions, local businesses, and traditions. What makes it a community is the people who care for it and take responsibility for what comes next.
This is also an important moment for Sasquanaug itself. The merger of the Southport Conservancy and the Sasquanaug Association into the Sasquanaug Conservancy for Southport joined two organizations that cared deeply about Southport in complementary ways: the Conservancy’s strong tradition of historic preservation and property stewardship, and the Association’s long history of civic involvement, advocacy, and community engagement. Together, we can look at Southport holistically for even greater impact.
What the Sasquanaug Conservancy Is Today
Sasquanaug was founded in 1887 with a simple but meaningful purpose: to preserve the character of Southport while contributing to the everyday enjoyment of Village life. Working with our steering committee, we developed a strategic plan that carries that purpose into this next chapter. Our work is centered around four pillars:
- Preserve the places that tell our story, through the stewardship of significant historic properties and open spaces.
- Educate residents with timely, useful information about the issues affecting Southport, and about why this place is worth protecting.
- Advocate for constructive, responsible, and historically consistent development.
- Support Southport as a living community—its merchants, shared spaces, traditions, and neighbors.
What We’re Working On
Over the past year, we have been building a Sasquanaug that is easier to understand, easier to engage with, and more accessible to the entire Southport community. You will see some of that work right here:
- A new website that shows who we are, the places we steward, the issues we are following, and the many ways to participate.
- A new online membership portal that makes it easier to join, stay connected, and support our work.
- More regular updates and greater transparency about what Sasquanaug is working on.
- Continued investment in the properties and open spaces entrusted to our care.
- Renewed energy for community engagement—events, volunteering, merchant outreach, and partnerships with other Village organizations.
Some progress takes patience. What began as a neighbor’s petition for a safer crossing at Pequot Avenue and Station Street became one of my first projects with Sasquanaug. Working with the Town and the police department, we helped move it forward, and it is now on the Town’s project list—a small example of how we help good ideas from neighbors get from petition to pavement.
Be Part of What Comes Next
I want the Sasquanaug Conservancy to be every neighbor’s organization. Wherever you are in your Southport story, there is a place for you here. Come to an event, volunteer, become a member, share an idea—or simply get to know your neighbors.
Southport has been cared for by generations of people who believed this place was worth protecting. It is now our turn. Please join me in shaping what comes next.
Warmly,
Laura Grayson
President
June 16, 2026
Utility Infrastructure Appeal Update
Our friends at SCNETI shared the latest on our fight against UI’s monopoles.
On June 9, the parties participated in the first court event in the appeal—a status conference with Judge Budzik, who is overseeing the case. Before the judge joined the conference, counsel for the various parties met and agreed upon a proposed schedule for the next phase of the case. Judge Budzik subsequently approved that schedule and established the following timeline.
Court Schedule
- July 24 – Attorney General’s Office files the Return of Record
- September 25 – UI files its trial brief
- December 4 – Defendants, including SCNETI, file their trial brief
- January 5 – UI files its reply brief
These filings will provide the Court with each party’s legal arguments before a trial date is scheduled.
What Happens Next
As we did during the previous appeal, SCNETI will continue working closely with the attorneys representing the Town of Fairfield and the City of Bridgeport. Together, we expect to prepare and submit a coordinated trial brief on behalf of the defendants.
Later this year, the Court will likely schedule another status conference to review progress and establish a trial date. We will continue to monitor developments closely and remain actively engaged in defending the Connecticut Siting Council’s decision to deny the application.
Bottom Line
The appeal is now moving into the briefing phase, with key deadlines extending into early next year. We remain committed to protecting the interests of our communities and will continue to keep you informed as the case progresses.