Town of Fairfield News
1/8/2021 - 1.8.21 TOWN UPDATE
Dear Fairfielders,
Happy New Year! I'm excited for a productive new year for 2021 and a better year for all of us.
While this is a town update, I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you that the events that transpired this week in our nation’s Capitol continue to weigh heavily on my mind. What happened was a dangerous and reckless assault on our democracy, democratic institutions, and our values as a nation.
As I stated on Wednesday, this must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I am proud of all of you who have come together on both sides of the political aisle along with national, state, and local leaders to condemn what transpired. There is more that unites us than divides us which is my motivation to come in to work every day. We will continue to be successful as a community and a nation by standing together in support of our democratic values regardless of politics. |
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COVID-19 UPDATE:
Vaccine Information: There has been a lot of excitement  over the last few weeks for our town and country with the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccines. I’m very proud of our Health Director, Sands Cleary, and our entire Health Department for making Fairfield one of the first towns to have a COVID vaccine clinic up and running. Our Health Department’s efficient and successful model has been emulated by other towns. As of today, they have completed 5 clinics administering 1,850 vaccines.
The town can only vaccinate those listed under the Phase 1a category, which includes health professionals and first responders, outlined here. According to the CT COVID website, the goal is for all residents of Connecticut to have access to the vaccine, although this will likely not occur until late Spring or Summer 2021. The town is not able to provide vaccinations to anyone outside those parameters at this time. Once we are allowed to start vaccinating other priority groups, we will share that information with the community.
On Monday, the Health Director provided an update on the vaccine roll out and the status of the Health Department's work on behalf of our community. To watch or listen to that portion of the meeting, click here.
New COVID-19 Variant: The Connecticut Department of Public Health announced this week that 2 cases of the COVID B117 variant (UK variant) have been reported in CT in 2 unrelated individuals.
Quarantine Guidance: The Connecticut Department of Public Health has developed new quarantine guidance based on the CDC’s recommendations. These recommendations provide options to reduce the quarantine time from the 14-day period to a 10-day period with specific additional criteria, and 7-day quarantine period with a negative test collected day 5, or after an additional criteria. For more information see the CT Department of Public Health Guidance and the CDC Quarantine Guidance.
The State Department of Education updated the Addendum 5 and Addendum 9 guidance on school protocols and contact tracing you can find here and here respectively.
Town Data: The Town of Fairfield has had 3,244 cases to date, and 179 of Fairfield residents have sadly lost their lives. Charts and data on Fairfield cases, including daily & weekly changes, age, gender, nursing home statistics, testing results, different trends, and university statistics, can be found at www.fairfieldct.org/covid19data. The Health Department updates this page daily.
The Health Department also updates the COVID-19 School Data page, which details the school-related metrics and is updated each week as the State releases the data. The Fairfield Board of Education also has a dashboard on their homepage at https://www.fairfieldschools.org. |
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Police: Fairfield's Police Chief, Chris Lyddy, announced he is retiring this month after 38 years of service protecting our community. Since 1979, Chief Lyddy has spent the entirety of his career with the department, and we as a town have benefited greatly from his professionalism and dedicated service. I hope you will join me in wishing him much happiness and good health in his next chapter.
This week I had the distinct pleasure to swear in four new officers to join the the Fairfield Police Department's family. I hope you will join me in welcoming these fine men who have sworn an oath to serve and protect Fairfield.
In December, the Department also welcomed Officer Dimitar Sadiev.
Good News: I so enjoyed reading an article earlier this week about young residents in our community sharing good news during a very difficult time. Luke and Sofia Palisi started a print newsletter, to which they share good news and fun facts about different topics, as well as puzzles and games, with the Fairfield community. I congratulate them for finding a way to stay engaged and foster community. To read more about their newsletter check out their article in the CT Post here or subscribe yourself, by emailing them at goodnewssundayfairfield@gmail.com.
Public Hearing: The Connecticut Siting Council has notified the Town that they will conduct a public hearing via Zoom on Thursday, January 21 for an application from Verizon Wireless on Congress Street. For information on how to participate, read the hearing notice here.
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FAIRFIELD TOWN GOVERNMENT
Town Reorganization & FY 22 Budget: As I have mentioned in a past newsletter, the Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program (VERIP) passed the RTM last month. Since then, I have been busy working with my administration on reorganization efforts for our town government operations and services. I'm very excited to be doing this work because I know this will provide a more productive, efficient town government as well as better customer service for all our residents. This week, I also began the process of meeting with all town department heads in preparation for presenting my proposed FY 22 budget, which will incorporate the results of the VERIP.
Fairfield Revaluation: I hosted a public information session on Wednesday with Municipal Valuations and the Town Tax Assessor for residents. For those who missed it, you can watch it here to learn more about the process and next steps. There will be another Webex meeting on Wednesday, January 13th at 4:30. The meeting will be available live to the first 100 residents who log in and it will be broadcast live on Fair TV as well. To receive instructions on how to join, please send an email by clicking here. If you want to ask questions about the process in advance of the meeting, you can email them to the Tax Assessor. Please note that questions about specific properties cannot be answered during the hearing.
If you would like to appeal, residents can apply for a formal public hearing before the Board of Assessment Appeals. The applications to do so will be posted soon and residents must apply for their appeal by February 19th.
The Connecticut General Statutes require each town to do a revaluation every five years. The revaluation analyzes all sales in Fairfield between October 1, 2019 and October 1, 2020 and will correspond to the tax bills that will be due beginning in July of 2021.
The valuation information found on our website, gis.vgsi.com/fairfieldct/ is updated each Friday. Updates and information will be posted at fairfieldct.org/taxassessor.
8-30G Neighborhood Meeting: On Wednesday, I organized an online forum with residents at a neighborhood group's request to discuss the 8-30g state statute. As many residents know, the statute has been a hot topic in the Town of Fairfield for years. While the meeting was regarding a proposed housing development at 461 Mill Hill Terrace, much of the information discussed was about the statute in general, and how it can impact neighborhoods. If you are interested, you can watch the video recording of the meeting.
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LOCAL BUSINESS:
First New Business of 2021: Monday I joined Belgian Master Chocolatier and Owner Benoit Racquet with Co-Owner and Wife Sylvie Fortin to cut the ribbon for their new atelier and retail shop, BE Chocolat, which has opened at 75 Hillside Road in Fairfield. Their passion for not only creating premium, hand-crafted Belgian chocolate, but also involving the Fairfield community in their production is exciting, as they offer various chocolate events and classes (all virtual for now). I encourage Fairfielders to indulge in their tasty treats by visiting their website at www.BEchocolat.com or reading more about their grand opening here. |
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Eight Fairfield Restaurants Named Among CT's Best
 I take great pride in sharing that the following eight Fairfield restaurants were placed on Connecticut Magazine's 2021 Best Restaurant Awards list. Congratulations to:
- Barcelona (Statewide Reader’s Choice award for best Spanish or Portuguese restaurant, Expert's Pick for Appetizers and Wine)
- Shu (Statewide Readers’ Choice winner for best Chinese restaurant)
- Ginkgo (Expert's Pick for Chinese)
- Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill (Statewide Readers’ Choice runners-up for Mexican)
- Mecha Noodle Bar (Statewide Readers’ Choice runners-up for Vietnamese)
- Mama Chow (Experts’ Picks for Vietnamese)
- Pho Nha Trang (Experts’ Picks for Vietnamese)
- Little Pub (Fairfield County Readers’ Choice for Lunch)
Love Local: The Love Local e-gift card program launched late last year in partnership with the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce has been a great success. As of this week over 700 cards were purchased, totaling over $42,000 in value. I'm proud to say all of that money stays in Fairfield, supporting the 72 local participating businesses. I bought a couple of gifts this holiday season and know those friends I gave them to were very excited to receive them.
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STATE GOVERNMENT
I want to acknowledge Brian Farnen for his work as State Representative over the last year. He was elected to fill my legislative seat that I resigned from after being sworn in as First Selectwoman. He provided valuable communication to residents and was a very helpful liaison to me on many state issues, including many COVID related questions residents had. I thank him for his work on our behalf, and know his commitment and service to our community will continue.
I want to congratulate the Fairfield delegation that was sworn in on Wednesday, January 6 for the 2021 legislative session. I look forward to meeting with the delegation next week to discuss the legislative agendas and the potential impact on Fairfield.
Committees: Finance/Revenue/Bonding, Insurance & Real Estate (Ranking Member), Planning & Development (Ranking Member), and Public Health (Ranking Member)
Laura Devlin: www.cthousegop.com/Devlin/ | Laura.Devlin@housegop.ct.gov
Committees: Finance/Revenue/Bonding, Education, Transportation, and Legislative Management
Cristin McCarthy-Vahey: www.housedems.ct.gov/McCarthyVahey | Cristin.McCarthyVahey@cga.ct.gov Committees: Government Administration & Elections, Planning & Development (Chair), and Transportation
Committees: Aging, Commerce, and Education
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I hope you have a safe weekend.
Brenda L. Kupchick
Fairfield First Selectwoman |
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TAX DEFERMENT
Governor Lamont’s recently signed Executive Order No. 9R allows towns to again offer deferment for  property tax payments. This past spring the Town of Fairfield approved a tax deferment program (for taxes due April 1st and July 1st) that Governor Lamont authorized in response to the pandemic. The new Executive Order allows towns to offer deferment for taxes due January 1. The extension will be for a total of 90 days, (an additional 60 days beyond the normal grace period). The revised due date is April 1. Anyone who fails to pay by the new April 1 deadline would have to pay three months of interest added along with his or her existing bill. Escrow accounts are still ineligible for deferment. For more information and eligibility for commercial landlords, visit fairfieldct.org/taxcollector. |
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BLACK ROCK CHURCH HOT MEAL DRIVE-THRU
Black Rock Church will resume its Hot Meal Drive-thru beginning Tuesday, January 12. Each Tuesday through March, between 5:00 - 5:30 PM, individuals and families can receive up to six hot meals for their families, along with a bag of groceries for the rest of the week. Reservations are not required, and the dinners and groceries are free. Black Rock Church is located at 3685 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. For more information please call the church at 203-255-3401. |
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WINTER WEATHER
Per Town ordinance, Fairfield property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalk along their  property line within 24 hours after the storm and keeping the sidewalk clear of snow and ice. Heavily used sidewalks near schools and public buildings, and the commercial areas are particularly important. Property owners may be fined and/or charged the cost of removal if the property owners do not comply. Please remember to shovel around fire hydrants.
If you have snow removal concerns or would like to request a street be re-plowed, please enter a Citizen Service Request and select 'Snow Removal Issues' or call the Town Garage at 203-256-3177. For more information on Fairfield plowing and snow removal policies, click here.
It is also state law in Connecticut to remove snow and ice from your vehicle before driving on roads. When you fail to remove snow and ice from your vehicle you are putting yourself and others at risk. Penalties can be as much as $120 fine. |
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GET INVOLVED! TOWN BOARD AND COMMISSION VACANCIES
Interested in giving back to our community? Want to have a voice in shaping Fairfield? The Town relies on the hard work of citizen volunteers who are appointed to provide guidance and governance on various Boards and Commissions. The list of vacancies for Boards and Commissions are on the Town Website. Be sure to check back often as the list is updated as positions become available. https://fairfieldct.org/vacancies
You can also visit our Boards and Commissions page to learn more about roles and responsibilities: https://fairfieldct.org/boards
To learn about the application process click here: https://fairfieldct.org/appointmentprocess |
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| EMERGENCY ALERTS | WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news from the Town of Fairfield, CT, by signing up for the Fairfield Alert system. This system enables us to quickly provide you with critical information in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods and other emergency situations.
You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more. You pick where, you pick how!
If you were previously registered with us on the CodeRed system, you must sign-up again by following the instructions below, in order to continue receiving Emergency and Community alerts from the Town of Fairfield.
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FEELING IN CRISIS?
When you're feeling overwhelmed, know that there are free options to help you talk through your crisis--and to send help when necessary. Fairfield Social Services is here to help. Call 203-256-3170 for more information.
Being a parent or caregiver during COVID can be extremely stressful. It is perfectly normal to be experiencing varying emotions and feel overwhelmed. No matter what you're feeling, we're here to listen. Parents and caregivers can call the toll-free Talk It Out line to discuss their feelings in a judgement-free environment. Call: 1-833-258-5011 or Visit: www.talkitoutct.com
Resources for Mental Health:
If you or a loved one is struggling:
- CT Information Hotline 211 or go to www.211ct.org for mobile crisis support for individuals and/or children.
- The Hub CT is Southwest Connecticut’s Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization. Check their website for useful resources for mental health, prevention and wellness. https://www.thehubct.org/
- Mental Health Crisis Text Line - Text “SHARE” to 741741
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
- Kids in Crisis also has a 24-hour hotline for assistance 203-661-1911.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health):If you need to talk to someone, text NAMI to 741741 or call the NAMI Helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).
- Alcoholics Anonymous - Please contact your site to see if meetings are continuing in your neighborhood.
- Bridgeport Hospital’s REACH Program is an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for children, adolescents, adults and seniors. REACH is accessible to anyone, and covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurance programs. Please click this link to learn more about the extensive range of treatment options available |
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BIGELOW CENTER AND SOCIAL SERVICES:
Transportation services to medical appointments and shopping have been suspended. We will reassess in the New Year when it is safe to allow passengers on the buses. If you are unable to get to the market, the Mobile Food Pantry is available every other week and lunch delivery is available for those who are homebound. Please call Social Services for more information about the Mobile Food Pantry or Dial-a-Ride services through Greater Bridgeport Transit: 203-256-3170.
Our Snow Shoveling for Seniors program is not accepting registrations at this time for residents who need assistance. When we have volunteers for shoveling, we will let you know how to register. If you are a student and would like to volunteer to shovel snow for seniors and people with disabilities, please contact Social Services by calling 203-256-3170 or sending an email to socialservices@fairfieldct.org. |
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FAIRFIELD SUSTAINABILITY PLAN 2020
The Fairfield Sustainability Task Force was formed to encourage community action in  support of putting Fairfield on the path to using clean, renewable energy sources.
The plan - which can be viewed here at the Sustainable Fairfield site – is a newly updated version of a sustainability “roadmap” for the Town first created by the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force (SFTF) in 2018. It lays out a sweeping array of activities, both ongoing and planned, designed to strengthen the environmental sustainability and quality of the Fairfield community, covering such important issues as air and water quality, energy efficiency, renewable energy, recycling, transportation and many others.
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| NEW INTERNET PROVIDER
GoNetspeed has announced their intention to expand to Fairfield in the first half of 2021. This is welcome news for residents who have struggled with internet interruptions. You can read more information here.
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| FAIRFIELD PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT |
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What’s your story? What’s your reason?
DO YOUR PART...Wear a mask!
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| Download the video here so you can upload it to social media to continue to remind our residents that part of our civic responsibility to each other is to wear a mask. |
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APPLY FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE 
The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program is for families in need of energy assistance, Fairfield Social Services coordinates with Alliance For Community Empowerment to help to obtain necessary energy services for Fairfield residents in need. To make an appointment to see if you’re eligible, or if you have questions, please call Social Services 203-256-3170. |
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FAIRFIELD BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE: 
The Town of Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee has been working to encourage walking and biking for transportation, recreation, exercise and quality of life.
Working with multiple town departments we have established bicycle routes, installed bicycle repair stations, worked to improve pedestrian infrastructure, and authored the Town of Fairfield Complete Streets Policy (approved by the Board of Selectman in 2018).
With more and more of our citizens using our roads, we would like to provide you with some important safety reminders for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. View the document here. |
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TOWN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Sullivan Independence Hall and Old Town Hall are open to the public by appointment only for the safety of employees and residents. Please visit this summary page for an overview and follow links to specific departments for more information. |
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Help is available to Fairfield small businesses that are struggling due to the pandemic. The Fairfield COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Program was established to provide limited, one time direct financial assistance to eligible Fairfield small businesses that have no more than five full-time employees and that have been adversely affected by the public health emergency. Applications are still being accepted by the Office of Community & Economic Development. To learn more or to apply, please visit the website: www.fairfieldct.org/covidsbr.
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The Fairfield COVID-19 Relief Fund was established to provide limited, one-time assistance to Fairfield residents who have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of the funds must be directly related to the effects of the virus. Donate to the fund or apply for relief by clicking below.
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COVID-19 TESTING
Testing capacity has increased in our area. To view locations where to get tested, please visit fairfieldct.org/covid19testing.
Contact Tracing
One of the key tools we have to contain the spread of COVID-19 is Contact Tracing. For this initiative to be successful, the Health Department needs the cooperation of residents who test positive for COVID-19. Both Universities were trained and assisted by our Health Department to manage their own contact tracing for their respective campuses.
The primary purpose of contact tracing is to identify and notify direct contacts of confirmed cases as quickly as possible and to ensure those exposed are self-quarantining. The information provided in the interviews with confirmed cases helps reduce the potential spread of the virus in our community.
Any Fairfield resident who tests positive for COVID-19 and has not received a phone call from the Fairfield Health Department or the Connecticut COVID Tracing system within 24 hours of receiving their result is urged to contact the Fairfield Health Department at 203-256-3022. Calls received after hours or on weekends, will be returned by the next business day. |
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OPERATION HOPE FOOD PANTRY
Operation Hope wants to make sure residents of Fairfield are aware that the food pantry remains open and is ready to help by providing food and other basic needs to community residents, as they have for nearly 35 years.
Hours of Operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10:00-12:00; Thursday from 4:00 -6:00. Visit operationhopect.org. |
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FAIRFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY
 The Fairfield Public Main Library is open for quick browsing and checkout Monday-Saturday afternoons 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm and Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Learn more about Library Express service.
Please visit fairfieldpubliclibrary.org for full details regarding Curbside Pickup at the Main Library and Woods Branch Library. Fairfield Public Library continues to offer 24/7 access to their digital collection of books, music, magazines, movies and databases. Visit the Library Event Calendar to find a wide and varied assortment of Virtual Programs.
Need a library card? Follow this link fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/my-fpl/library-cards/ and get started today! Sign up for the library newsletter here. |
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PEQUOT LIBRARY: WE'RE HERE, WE CARE 
Pequot Library offers curbside pickup and limited browsing hours from 3-6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; and from 2-4pm on Saturdays. During browsing hours visit us to check out a book or view our exhibition Crossing the Border: The Challenging Truths of Human Migration.
Outside of browsing hours, enjoy digital programs like story times, author talks, book clubs, and more! Get details on our website and social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Sign up for Pequot Library's Digital Digest eNewsletter or contact our Chief Librarian for personalized book recommendations. |
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Important COVID-19 Links:
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Contact Information:
For general questions you can call 211
Hartford HealthCare’s COVID-19 Clinical Command Center hotline, staffed by healthcare professionals, is now available to the community. To reach the 24-hour hotline, call 860.972.8100 or (toll-free) 833.621.0600.
YNHH has a call center number it’s 1-833-ASK YNHH that’s open from 7am - 7pm.
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