The First Selectman's View from Town Hall
Welcome to the April Newsletter! April is a busy month in Town Hall as we work with the Board of Finance to prepare the municipal budget for the next fiscal year. The Board of Finance will conduct its final mark up at their meeting on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Following the final mark up, the Board of Selectmen will set the date for the annual town meeting.
This month we honor our Telecommunicators in Dispatch and our Library Staff. Please join me in thanking these dedicated members of the New Fairfield Community. I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy some of the hiking trails, lakes and streams in our beautiful Town this Earth Day. Enjoy!
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Governor Lamont Comes to Town
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont came to visit Town Hall on Friday, March 25. He sat down with First Selectman Pat Del Monaco and State Representative Pat Callahan to talk about what is happening in New Fairfield, along with Sergeant Ieraci, Trooper Artes and Officer Lange. Among other topics, they discussed issues facing other Connecticut towns as well as New Fairfield. It was an honor to have him visit our Town.
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WE HONOR OUR NEW FAIRFIELD TELECOMMUNICATORS
National Telecommunicator Week is celebrated every year in the second week of April. This week is to honor and thank the men and women for their commitment, sacrifice and service. In 1994 Congress, and then President Clinton, officially declared this week for national recognition. Telecommunicators, also referred to as Dispatchers, serve our community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These men and women are the first point of contact in your life or death situation. They are the calming voice guiding you through the worst moments of your life.
What do they do? Dispatchers are highly trained individuals that answer 911 calls. They are professionals who go through extensive training. Their training is ongoing and meets specific requirements by the State. When you call 911, they take your information, location of emergency, type of emergency and other pertinent information. They coordinate the response. The goal is to get the right help to the caller as quickly and safely as possible. It may be Police, Fire or EMS or a combination of responders. There may be a need to coordinate mutual aid from another town. Other entities, such as towing companies and Public Works may need to be contacted. Information is given and received to the first responder over a radio. Dispatchers keep track of their movements and give or receive status updates. All this information is inputted into our computer aided dispatch program. This will keep a record of the call for service. This is a basic overall description of what they do. It is complex, however, this gives you a general idea of their activities.
Who are they? The men and women who take your calls share similar traits. A Dispatcher evaluates situations using their decision making skills, prioritizing and resolving matters. They stay calm and focused under pressure. The ability to communicate with clarity, compassion and empathy are crucial. Every call is different. When 911 rings it could be a 911 misdial, cardiac arrest or a structure fire. The scenarios are endless. You have heard of ‘multitasking’ as a common workplace buzz word. The Dispatch center revolves around multitasking. Many tasks are at hand when a call comes in. The calls are answered consistently in the same professional manner.
Like other first responders, a Dispatcher has one of the most stressful jobs today. Dispatchers face stressful situations daily. Many times they don't know the outcome of a call. Not knowing can be stressful in itself. There is no closure in most situations. We hope you survived, we hope you go home to your family. We just never know for sure.
Our country’s 911 Dispatchers are the first, first responders. They are typically overlooked when you think of a first responder. Rest assured, they are there for you. They are your lifeline. They are the voice that gets you through an emergency. They are the most important people you will never see. National Telecommunicator Week is our community’s opportunity to thank them for their dedication.
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National Library Week
National Library Week is April 3rd to the 9th! Stop by the library and check out all that it has to offer; they are more than just books! This year the library is partaking in a fun challenge with local libraries all month long! The activity takes you to each library to complete a puzzle and a chance to win some cool library swag! Sign up for the library newsletter below:
Visit the library website to stay in the loop with all the activities planned for the week and beyond:
We thank the librarians and the library staff for all of the wonderful programs and events they offer, and for continuing to provide a comfortable, happy environment to learn and to enhance the love of reading.
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EARTH DAY-April 22
The theme of Earth Day 2022 is "Invest In Our Planet"
In 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson and Congressman Pete McCloskey, along with activist Denis Hayes, organized campus teach-ins on April 22, after a massive oil spill occurred in Santa Barbara, California. The wanted to raise and teach awareness about air and water pollution and the environment. Hayes built a national staff and promoted events around the country and Earth Day 1970 unified all of the many groups who had been advocating individually. Earth Day 1970 led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and other environmental laws. Earth Day is now celebrated globally as a day of action by more than 1 billion people.
What Can YOU Do on Earth Day?
- Plant Something-Plant flowers that attract pollinators. Trees clean the air and give off oxygen.
- Clean Up-Go on a walk and while you enjoy the outdoors, bring a bag with you to collect cans, bottles, plastic and garbage.
- Recycle-Sort your garbage and recycle and/or take your cans and bottles back to the store to recycle.
- Try to refrain from using chemicals or pesticides in your garden.
- Make an effort to use natural cleaning supplies in your home.
- Bring reusable bags with you to the supermarket and store.
- Use a refillable water bottle to reduce the amount of plastic in landfills and the amount of oil needed to produce the plastic water bottles.
- Reduce the amount of catalogs and junk mail you receive. Over 100 million trees are cut down each year to produce them.
- GET INVOLVED- Go to EarthDay.org to find events and to learn how to help make a difference.
You can find out more about Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust and all of their events at:
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH UPDATE
The New Fairfield Board of Education has begun the process of identifying a new Superintendent of Schools and has selected Cooperative Educational Services (CES) to conduct the search.
Board of Education Vice Chair Samantha Mannion is leading the Superintendent Search Committee, which includes all of the Board of Education members. The next superintendent is expected to be chosen in May following a series of interviews with candidates and begin work Aug. 15, 2022, replacing Superintendent Dr. Patricia Cosentino. “The New Fairfield Board of Education is committed to excellence as we focus on the continuous improvement of our district. We are extremely proud of the two state of the art schools nearing completion which will have a positive and long lasting impact on our community," Board Chairman Dominic Cipollone said. "We are seeking a superintendent who shares our vision and is committed to meeting the needs of all learners. We expect our new superintendent to be a strong instructional leader who always puts children first.”
CES has already begun recruiting candidates and sharing the posting information. It has reached out to nearly 2,000 current superintendents (and those certified to serve as superintendents) in the Northeast and approximately 7,750 more district leaders and regional superintendent organizations across the country. The job opening is also promoted on a number of state and national education-related websites.
The CES team will hold virtual Focus Group meetings April 11 to collect feedback and identify desirable leadership characteristics in the next superintendent. A schedule for the focus groups is below and a link to the virtual sessions is at www.newfairfieldschools.org.
The focus groups will be virtual on April 11, with various groups from the community meeting. A Superintendent Search page on the district’s website, www.newfairfieldschools.org, has a Zoom link needed to join in the focus group meetings. The schedule is: Students (10 a.m.); high school and middle school teachers/staff (3 p.m.); Meeting House Hill School and Consolidated School teachers/staff (4 p.m.); school and district administrators (4:45 p.m.); town elected officials (5:30 p.m.); community members (6:15 p.m.); and parents (7 p.m.)
An online survey is open to New Fairfield residents and school district staff, accessible now through Sunday, April 10, 2022, at 11:55 p.m. Links to the survey, plus other updates throughout the search, will be found at www.newfairfieldschools.org.
CES is a Trumbull-based agency that provides support and services to school districts and communities in Fairfield County through its school and programs. Its Executive Searches division has helped districts, including New Fairfield, secure qualified candidates to fill superintendent, principal and other school administrative positions for districts and schools throughout Connecticut. Facilitating the search will be CES Search Consultants Dr. Charles Dumais (dumaisc@cestrumbull.org) and Mr. David Erwin (erwin@edadvance.org).
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COVID-19 TESTING IN NEW FAIRFIELD AT NEW LOCATION
Covid-19 testing is continuing in New Fairfield. As a convenience to our residents, the New Fairfield Health Department has arranged for PCR testing. Testing is by appointment, Monday-Friday, at no cost to the Town or patient.
The location has changed to the New Fairfield Senior Center at 33 Route 37, New Fairfield, CT. You can schedule an appointment at curative.com or at the link below:
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HOMETOWN HERO BANNERS
New Fairfield is so very proud of all of the men and women who serve or have served in the military. We are currently taking orders for Military Hometown Hero Banners to honor and recognize hometown Veterans and active duty members of the United States Armed Forces. If you are interested in purchasing a Hero Banner to be displayed in the center of Town annually from Memorial Day through Veterans Day, please submit an application before April 29. After that date, requests will be accepted on a year-round basis and banners will be printed when the required minimum quantity is reached.
Banners will display the official military photo of the service person, as well as their name and branch of the United States Armed Forces. We are asking sponsors to contribute $40 toward the cost of each banner. To qualify for the Military Banner Program, the honoree must be a Veteran or currently serving as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, and he or she must currently reside in New Fairfield or have an immediate family member residing in New Fairfield (parent, spouse, sibling, son or daughter).
ONLINE FILLABLE FORM AND PAYMENT COMING SOON! IN THE MEANTIME:
To order a banner, please print and complete the form below. Digital photos, if available, provide the highest quality banner. You may email your photo to: selectadmin@newfairfield.org. Please mail your completed form and $40 check made payable to "Town of New Fairfield" to: Town of New Fairfield, Selectman's Office, 4 Brush Hill Road, New Fairfield, CT 06812
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New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society
ECO-SHRED EVENT
The New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society is holding their annual Shred-It Event. Gather all of your papers and documents to be shredded and bring them to the event at the Senior Center Parking Lot on Saturday, April 2 from 9:00 am-12:00 noon. You can also support them by choosing to make a donation when you bring your papers to be shredded. See below for more information:
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NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY-APRIL 30
Do you have any prescription medication that is old or expired? Or do you have prescription medication that you no longer need, want or use? You can bring it to the New Fairfield Police Station at 302 Ball Pond Road to safely discard it on Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
For more information on this important event, click below:
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Thanks to the continued support of the New Fairfield community, the Food Pantry is fairly well-stocked. However, there are some items that are still needed in order to have an adequate supply to offer.
Your donations can be dropped off at the Library in the Pantry Drop Boxes they have installed. The Library hours are:
If you have a large donation that you wish to drop off at the Pantry, please call Cindy White at 203-312-5669 to arrange a time to drop off the items.
Thank you so much for your generosity. New Fairfield is such a caring community.
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From the Assessor's Office
Income Based Tax Relief- Applications for the Elderly Homeowners and Totally Disabled Homeowners Tax Relief Programs will be accepted until May 15, 2022. There is also a municipal deferral program available to homeowners who qualify based upon income.
General program information can be found here. The application for this program can be found here.
All applications must be accompanied by proof of income by May 15, 2022 . You can call the Assessor's Office at 203-312-5625 for help with Tax Relief or to see if you are eligible or with questions.
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A friendly reminder from the Assessor to New Fairfield residents regarding your motor vehicle registration:
The New Fairfield Assessors office is reminding new residents with out-of-state license plates and all other residents, of the Connecticut law regarding vehicle registration and motor vehicle tax:
Connecticut gives you 60 days after establishing residency to complete the registration of an out-of-state vehicle. Contact the department of Motor vehicles at https://portal.ct.gov/DMV for information on how to register your vehicle.
Per Connecticut State Statute 12-71(g): Unregistered or Non-Connecticut Registered Motor Vehicles-Any vehicle not registered in Connecticut is subject to property tax in the state if such vehicle, in the normal course of operation, most frequently leaves from and returns to or remains in one or more points within the state. If the owner of such vehicle is a resident of the state it is presumed the above occurs in the town in which the owner resides, unless evidence, satisfactory to the assessor, is submitted to the contrary. It is up to the owner of the vehicle to declare such vehicle with the Assessor’s Office by November 1st of each assessment year. Failure to declare will result in a 25% penalty per Connecticut State Statute. (The penalty will be added to the vehicle(s) assessment).
If in the course of inspections we see a vehicle with out of state plates, and you have not registered it within 60 days of moving here, the Assessor’s Office will research, try to contact you and give you an opportunity to complete a personal property declaration.
It is our mission to ensure the tax burden is shared equally so we may all contribute to the workings of this wonderful town.
Vehicles are valued using the NADA price guide, and assessments are based on 70% of book value.
The assessment year starts October 1, 2021. The deadline to declare your vehicle(s) (if not registered in Connecticut by October 1, 2021) is November 1st, 2021. Personal property declarations are available on the assessor’s website or can be emailed by request.
Please contact the Assessor’s Office with any questions here or 203-312-5624.
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Traffic Signal Update
The state traffic signal project at the intersection of State Route 37 and State Route 39 is nearing completion. The State has informed us that there is a conflict with the height of the new signals that are mounted on the mast arms with the Eversource power wires. Eversource will be replacing two existing wood poles with taller wood poles so that the power lines will be at a higher height. We do not currently have a schedule as to when this work will be performed, but we will provide an update when we have received it.
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Eversource Vegetation Management
Eversource has provided their scorecard that shows an overview of the reliability and the state of their vegetation management efforts in New Fairfield.
The planned tree work to be done in 2022 by Eversource in New Fairfield is highlighted on the reference map below.
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Town Event Calendar
The Town website, NewFairfield.org, now has an Event Calendar-on the homepage under "Events." We will be posting Town sponsored events and Not for Profit fundraising events on the calendar.
If you are a New Fairfield, non-profit organization and you are having a fundraising event that you would like included on the calendar, please send the information and flyer or links to: selectadmin@newfairfield.org.
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Regional Events
A reminder that the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) facilitates hazardous waste disposal events for municipalities in their region, which includes New Fairfield. The next event will be held on Saturday, April 9 from 9am-2pm at Danbury Public Works at 53 Newtown Road, Danbury, CT.
For information on what is acceptable to bring and the protocol for this event and future events, click here:
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Calling All Lifeguards & Camp Counselors
Now that Spring is here, Summer is right around the corner. The Parks & Recreation Department is hiring Lifeguards and Camp Counselors, 16 years and older for the Summer. Candidates should apply online at:
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Meeting Calendar
The calendar for the Town of New Fairfield board and commission meetings can be found at:
Please join us at our meetings to find out what is going on in New Fairfield in further depth. The calendar will let you know if the meeting is in person or will provide the Zoom link if it is remote. We look forward to you attending the meetings and welcome your participation.
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Many thanks to Jamie Wallace for all of his help and support with the Newsletter!!
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Thank you for reading the New Fairfield Newsletter
Town of New Fairfield, 4 Brush Hill Road, New Fairfield CT 06812
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