The town of Lyme filed court papers Friday to block Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's plan to shut down two historic ferries across the Connecticut River.
The court filing seeks to block the planned closure of the Hadlyme to Chester ferry and the 361-year-old Rocky Hill to Glastonbury ferry.
Malloy has proposed closing the seasonal ferries as part of an overall budget-cutting plan to fill a projected $1.6 billion hole in the state's two-year, $40.1 billion budget. But the towns have vowed to stop him as officials and passengers say that the ferries offer important transportation options and spectacular views of the river.
The 15 pages of court papers call upon the state's transportation commissioner "to wholly and absolutely desist and refrain from eliminating ferry passenger service across the Connecticut River at the Chester-Hadlyme ferry and the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury ferry.''
Ralph F. Eno, Jr., the first selectman of the town of Lyme, is named as the plaintiff, while acting transportation commissioner James P. Redeker and state comptroller Kevin Lembo, who pays the state's bills, are named as the defendants. The ferry goes directly to Hadlyme, which is a section of the town of Lyme.
The acting DOT commissioner was named because he issued eight layoff notices for the staff that operates the two ferries. The lawsuit states that the ferries are slated to be closed by August 25, but the town argues that "ferry services will be eliminated prior to that date because of the time required to decommission the ferries, haul them into dry dock and close and secure the ferry stations, docks and other appurtenances as well.''
Two of Malloy's press aides were not immediately available for comment.