ROCKY HILL, CONN. (June 24, 2025)–In the official podcast of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, Commissioner Ronald P. Welch said two state agencies are still seeking propriety appropriate for the expansion or replacement of the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.

In his podcast remarks, Commissioner Welch said, “We have visited over 15 sites in Connecticut. The request for proposal is still open. And we are looking for 50 to 100 buildable acres of property ideally somewhere in the central part of Connecticut.”

Welch also said the Connecticut DVA is working closely with the Department of Administrative Services, “to try to find property for that cemetery.”

In January 2025 it was reported the Department of Administrative Services released a Request for Proposals (DVA – RFP 25-01) stating, “The State of Connecticut is seeking Proposals for the acquisition of buildable land for use as a new Connecticut Veterans Cemetery.” The proposal due date was February 28, 2025.

The Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown is running out of space and time to ensure a dignified final resting place for our state’s military heroes in Connecticut with the projected capacity date for in-ground cremains burials sometime in 2027.

Charles M. Pickett, chairman of the Save Our Cemetery (SOC) campaign said it is unfortunate that suitable land has not been identified for the expansion or replacement of the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown. He suggested veterans and veteran groups throughout the state, especially in the central valley, contact realtors and large landowners about this renewed but ongoing threat of the looming closure of the State Veterans Cemetery.

On the other hand, Pickett said the $7,500,000 recommended for FY 2026 by the Governor for “Expansion of the Middletown State Veterans Cemetery” in the Capital Budget Programs section made it into the approved budget (page D-5).

The updated contact information on the RFP is:

• Solicitation Number :DVA – RFP 25-01 from DAS Leasing
• Tom Piacenza
• 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 1402 Hartford CT, 06103 United States
• thomas.piacenza@ct.gov

The “Episode Seven – recorded on June 24, 2025” podcast can be accessed on the Connecticut Veterans Affairs website on the Podcast List (https://portal.ct.gov/dva/knowledge-base/articles/podcast/podcast-list/podcast-list?language=en_US).

Transcript: Welch (6:04) “We are working closely on the project side with administrative services to try to find property for that cemetery. And I know we talked previous interviews about how important it is to get that done. We have visited over 15 sites in Connecticut. The request for proposal is still open. And we are looking for 50 to 100 buildable acres of property ideally somewhere in the central part of Connecticut. We drew a box around it, to make sure we can provide services to those that desire that dignified internment in the cemetery.”