Old Town Hall (Directions) 611 Old Post Road Fairfield, CT 06824 Sullivan Independence Hall 725 Old Post Road Fairfield, CT 06824 203-256-3000 Find additional contact info here
6/18/2021 - 6.18 TOWN UPDATE Dear Fairfielders, With the school year coming to a close and summer officially kicking off on Monday, the Town has many fun, community events coming up organized by our Park and Recreation Department. I know our residents are looking forward to a much better summer than we had last year. Monday, June 14 was Flag Day, which commemorates when the United States approved the final design for our country's first national flag in 1777. This year, for the first time, we reached out to United Illuminating (UI) to ask permission to install 70 flags along Post Road. This was to not only honor the American flag, but also to decorate our Town in the lead up to Independence Day. I want to thank our Department of Public Works crews who installed them, and I hope that this display of patriotism will bring joy to our community. Some of our residents reached out to me asking if we could keep the flags up permanently. While I would love to do that, UI only grants usage of their utility poles on a temporary basis, for safety purposes. Next year, I will request additional flags be installed in more areas throughout the Town. COMMUNITY NEWS GRADUATIONS I had so much fun attending both high school graduations, Tuesday and Wednesday evening, where I enjoyed watching our seniors' excitement for their future and parents beaming with pride. This has been a very challenging and unique year for our students and their families, which I know they will never forget. I hope the adversity they faced, as a result of the pandemic, has made them stronger and better prepared for whatever may come in their futures. I want to thank Park and Recreation Director Anthony Calabrese and his staff, the Fairfield Police and Fire Departments, and the school administration for planning and executing a memorable night for our graduations. Congratulations class of 2021! LOCAL BARBERSHOP CLOSES AFTER 51 YEARS IN FAIRFIELD Today I surprised Aldo Melchionno, the owner of Colonial Unisex Barbershop, with an official proclamation from the Town of Fairfield for his 51 years in business. The barbershop has been a beloved small business and well-known Fairfield landmark. Aldo is an Italian immigrant who came to this country at the age of 14. Since becoming the owner of the barbershop in 1970, he has made many sacrifices to support his family while running a small business. I want to thank Aldo, who has cut generations of Fairfielders' hair. I know the Town of Fairfield will greatly miss Aldo and his barbershop. The Fairfield Citizen wrote an article on his journey you can read here. TOWN GOVERNMENT FILL PILE & REMEDIATION I wanted to provide several updates regarding remediation activities pursuant to the Consent Order with the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP). As of today, remediation at Southport Beach and Lake Mohegan is complete. Next week, remediation work will begin at Jennings Beach for an area around a water line that's north of the parking lot. This work will not have an impact on residents or disrupt use of the beach. After the work at Jennings Beach is completed, the work at Osborne and McKinley Schools will begin. The good news is based on the latest round of testing at both Osborne and McKinley, the scope of the work required is more limited than initially projected by the Town’s Licensed Environmental Professionals (LEPs). The Osborne Hill, Jennings, and McKinley sites are anticipated only to take a couple of weeks to complete. At the end of June, remediation work in accordance with the consent order from the environmental agencies is anticipated to commence at Mill Hill School. I will provide an update on the progress in my next newsletter on July 2. As I shared with you in my March 12 newsletter, the LEP, Weston & Sampson, completed the second round of testing at the fill pile/reclamation yard site, pursuant to a work plan developed with and approved by DEEP and EPA staff. The testing results are being compiled and will soon be shared with DEEP and EPA for discussion about the next steps in developing a remediation plan for the site. After regulators and the Town’s advisors develop an agreed-upon remediation approach, a draft plan will be developed. Once the Town has a draft remediation plan, I will host a Town meeting with the LEP and DEEP / EPA staff, to share the information with our community. This will be an opportunity for our residents to listen to the details of the remediation plan for the fill pile and ask questions. Following the public meeting, the final remediation plan will be developed in concurrence with both the EPA and DEEP, and we will move forward with remediation of the fill pile/reclamation yard site. Gould Manor On Monday, the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance approved funding to remediate Gould Manor Park. Also approved was additional funding to renovate the playground, ball fields, tennis courts, and install a new outdoor fitness park. The remediation portion of the work at the park will take several weeks to complete, and the renovation of the other areas will begin after that. My hope is to have the remediation at Gould Manor begin the end of July, so that the entire park will be fully operational by next spring. PROPERTY TAX BILLS | A Message from the Tax Collector Property Tax Bills to be mailed out on June 25th The 2020 Grand List property tax bills that become due on July 1, 2021 will be mailed out on Friday, June 25th. The Tax Office is open to the public and no appointment is necessary. Once the bills are mailed, you may also look up your bill and pay online by visiting fairfieldct.org/taxpayment. Payments with an original bill coupon can also be made at any People's United Bank location, beginning Thursday, July 1st. You do not need to be a customer. Please note that according to State Statute, tax payments are due July 1st with a grace period until August 2nd. Interest begins to accrue on Tuesday, August 3rd at a rate of 1 1/2% per month, dating back to July 1, 2021. Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions regarding tax payments. FAIRFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONS On Wednesday afternoon, I had the pleasure of administering the oath of office at the Fairfield Fire Department to three new fire fighters: Andrew Batchelor, Paul Couture and Nick Demko, along with new mechanic Dave Gillis, and observing the promotion of Lt. Phil Plante. I hope our community will welcome these fine gentlemen to our Town's Fire Department. As the Town welcomed new fire fighters to its ranks, we also recognized and thanked Rick Kazzi, who completed his career as a first responder with the Fairfield Fire Department for 41 years, where he has been decorated numerous times for his service. Rick served in all of our fire stations, as a Chief’s Aide, as acting Lieutenant, and as Union Secretary. The Fairfield community salutes Rick Kazzi for his work in making the Fairfield Fire Department better than he found it. FAIRFIELD CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY On Tuesday, 24 members of the Fairfield community graduated from the 2021 Fairfield Citizen Police Academy (CPA), a 12-week program designed to get a glimpse of life within the Police Department. The CPA provides deep insight into the relationship between law enforcement and the community it serves. The comprehensive program includes a wide array of topics and presentations across all divisions of the Fairfield Police Department. The CPA not only provides an opportunity for residents to get to know our Officers, but also for our Officers to have additional opportunities to interact with our residents. I wanted to share an excerpt of an email I received from one of the graduates. Learn more at fpdct.com/citizenacademy. RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE TASK FORCE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION The Town of Fairfield Racial Equity & Justice Task Force (REJTF) is hosting a virtual roundtable discussion on June 24, from 7:30-9:00 pm. Attendees will hear about the work of the REJTF, be given an opportunity to share stories of experiences with race in Town, and provide input to the REJTF on their recommendations for the Board of Selectmen. Please email lynchk.rejtf@gmail.com your RSVP by noon Thursday, June 24th to receive the WebEx meeting login instructions. For more information about the task force's work click here. AAA BOND RATING I'm proud to announce that after several meetings with the rating agencies, the Town of Fairfield unanimously received a AAA rating from the top three rating agencies, Moody’s Investor Services, and S+P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. I look forward to the bond sale, at which time the Town will award the bond issues to the bidder who provides the lowest interest rate. This enables the Town to borrow money at a low rate, saving taxpayer dollars. On Tuesday of this week, the Senate voted unanimously, followed by the House on Wednesday, to establish June 19 "Juneteenth" as a United States federal holiday. The bill was then sent to President Biden's desk where he signed it into law Thursday afternoon. Juneteenth commemorates the day Union soldiers rode into Galveston, Texas and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. If you'd like to celebrate Juneteenth, Fairfield county is hosting a Juneteenth Parade and Festival at Seaside Park at 12:00 PM on Saturday. I hope you'll take some time to review additional Town information and upcoming events by scrolling below. I want to wish a Happy Fathers Day to all the amazing Fairfield Dads. I hope you have a fun weekend! Brenda L. Kupchick Fairfield First Selectwoman FAIRFIELD COVID RESOURCE PAGE Scrolling below you can find additional events, information and resources organized by the following categories: Town Events June Updates Community Events Town Services Community Resources UPCOMING TOWN EVENTS Friday June 18, 2021 at 6:30pm – Sand Jam Movie Night at Jennings Beach Saturday June 19, 2021 at 6:30pm– Concert at Sherman Green featuring Gypsy Brown Saturday June 19, 2021 at 7:00pm – Comedy Night at Penfield Pavilion Sunday June 20, 2021 from 10:00am – 2:00pm– Farmers Market at Sherman Green Sunday June 20, 2021 at 6:30pm - Concert at Sherman Green featuring 3 Way Street Monday June 21, 2021 at 12:00pm – 9:00pm – Make Music Day – multiple locations throughout Fairfield Wednesday June 23, 2021 at 10:15am – Peanut Butter Jam at Sherman Green featuring T- Bone Thursday June 24, 2021 at 6:30pm – Concert at Sherman Green featuring Barons Friday June 25, 2021 at 6:30pm - Sand Jam Movie Night at Jennings Beach Saturday June 26, 2021 at 6:30pm– Concert at Sherman Green featuring Lake Avenue Project Sunday June 27, 2021 from 10:00am – 2:00pm– Farmers Market at Sherman Green Sunday June 27, 2021 at 8:00am – Faxon Law Fairfield Road Races Sunday June 27, 2021 at 6:30pm - Concert at Sherman Green featuring The Boondocks Band Wednesday June 30, 2021 at 10:15am – Peanut Butter Jam at Sherman Green featuring Tom Weber PARKS AND RECREATION WEBSITE JUNE UPDATES ROAD CONSTRUCTION AT THE TRANSFER STATION Beginning on June 14 through July 5, road construction will take place on Richard White Way from 7 am - 5 pm, Tuesday through Friday. Residents should expect delays, and when possible plan trips to the transfer station Mondays and Saturdays. PRIDE MONTH This will be the third year the Town of Fairfield will fly the pride flag in front of Town Hall, which serves as a reminder that our community will stand against discrimination of any kind. I look forward to welcoming more residents to join us this year after we held a virtual ceremony last year. The flag raising will be held on June 21st at 11:30 a.m. June’s Tree of Hope Lit at Sherman Green for Center for Family Justice Each June, the Center for Family Justice (CFJ) reflects upon the intersection of its mission with the project of ending violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) communities. The LGBTQ community experiences violence at higher rates than the general population and is less likely to report or seek resources due to experiences of substandard care, fears of not being believed, or of being outed as LGBTQ to their families or communities. June is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, and is intended to raise public awareness about issues related to PTSD, reduce the stigma associated with PTSD, and help ensure that those suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment. If you are a Veteran in crisis or know one, connect with the Veterans' Crisis Line: call 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255. COMMUNITY EVENTS 4TH ANNUAL DIAPER DRIVE FAIRFIELD FARMER'S MARKET The Fairfield Farmer's Market will be open on Sundays from 10-2 until October 2nd. The Greenfield Hill Farmer's Market will be open Saturdays from 10-1. For more information click here. MAKE MUSIC FAIRFIELD Make Music Day Fairfield returns to Fairfield on Monday, June 21 from 3-9PM (EDT). More details here. FAIRFIELD POLICE SUNSET 5K July 21 at 6:30 PM... Details HERE FAXON LAW FAIRFIELD ROAD RACES TOWN SERVICES RENTERS REBATE PROGRAM The Assessors Office is now accepting applications for the Renters Rebate Program. Applications are accepted between 9am and 4pm. The deadline to apply is October 1, 2021. Generally applicants need to be 65 years of age as of December 31, 2020 or be disabled, have income not exceeding $37,600 if single or $45,800 if married and have resided in Connecticut for one year prior to applying. Details can be found on the Assessors website here https://www.fairfieldct.org/rentersrebate or on the State of Connecticut’s site here https://www.fairfieldct.org/rentersrebate. 2021 BEACH STICKERS The 2020 Beach/ Transfer Station Sticker expired 12/31/20. Don't wait to buy your 2021 Sticker. RENEW your sticker online for 2021. You can also renew by fax, mail or in person at Parks & Recreation. DOG LICENSING Dogs six months of age or older must be licensed by July 1st each year. A current rabies certificate is required. Licenses may be purchased by mail, via lobby dropbox or at the Town Clerk’s Office, Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM beginning June 1st. Renewals are now available online. To apply for the license by mail, send the required certificates to Betsy Browne, Town Clerk, 611 Old Post Road, Fairfield CT 06824, along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope. https://www.fairfieldct.org/doglicense HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY The Town is updating its 2014 Housing Plan and 2016 Plan of Conservation and Development - both of which look at the current and anticipated future housing needs in Fairfield. The survey is an opportunity for Fairfield residents to provide input about their housing experiences and feedback about housing options that Fairfield might consider. I hope you will take 5-7 minutes to complete the survey which can be found here. BIGELOW CENTER FOR SENIOR ACTIVITIES Reopening date – Monday, July 12th!! Click here to view the Reopening Packet. Please note the important changes taking place with the reopening and registration process. There will be priority registration for Fairfield residents and you must pre-register for ALL classes, activities and events—unfortunately, no walk-ins at this time. We can’t wait to see everyone. Safety for all members, our staff and instructors is a priority! Please click here for the July Newsletter. Registration for Fairfield Residents Only for classes and activities begins on Monday, June 21st at 9:00am. Registration for non-residents begins on Monday, June 28th at 9:00am. Bigelow Center for Senior Activities Membership – Did you know that you have to renew your membership EVERY year? The 2021/2022 Bigelow Center Membership renewal is underway and the form is now online! Forms can be completed and submitted online via the town website. https://www.fairfieldct.org/bigelow/membership. Paper copies are also be available for pick up at the Bigelow Center. The Bigelow Center for Senior Activities welcomes Jennifer Henry as our new Activities Coordinator! Jennifer is a lifelong CT resident with experiences in event planning and world class travel, preschool teacher and a mom of three girls. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team! FAIRFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARIES Library Express Service offers opportunities for quick browsing and checkout at both of our libraries. The Fairfield Public Main Library building is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9am - 5pm and Tuesday & Thursday 9am – 7pm. Woods Branch building is open Monday & Wednesday 9am - 7pm and Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9am – 5pm. Both Main and Woods are open Saturdays 1pm – 5pm. Learn more about Library Express service. In accordance with the Town of Fairfield Health Department and the recommendation of the CT Department of Public Health, facemasks are required in Fairfield Public Library buildings. Visit CT Department of Public Health for further information regarding settings where there is likely to be a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people (including children younger than 12 years). 2021 Summer Reading Challenge for ALL ages, children, teens and adults! Register NOW online. All ages are invited to enter our “Writing” Contest. Tell us a tale in words or art about an aspect of your culture or a family tradition. Entries should be no more than 750 words or in an artistic medium of your choosing. See details here. 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 Library Programs. Updates are shared via our website, newsletter and social media. SOCIAL SERVICES The hardest part to getting help is reaching out to make the call to the Social Services office. We are here to help. Please call us at 203-256-3170 Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM for more information about financial assistance programs. EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE: If you have been financially impacted by COVID-19, and are struggling to pay your rent and utilities, you may qualify for financial assistance through a new program opened up on March 15th called UniteCT. Additional information, and the application portal, maybe found at www.bit.ly/UniteCT or you may call 1 844-864-8328. Eligible applicants include both eligible renters as well as landlords on behalf of eligible tenants. BNT HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES - BNT (Building Neighborhoods Together) provides ongoing education and services designed to build financial skills and promote housing security, such as one on one credit counseling and benefits access (i.e. screenings to help determine available resources, as well as referrals to job training and placement programs). Call for more information: (203) 290-4255 EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT The Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to a $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider. A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application. Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. any day of the week.) Not in a Crisis but Needing to Connect? Talk to a peer counselor at Soundview Warmline, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, seven days a week. Call 800-921-0359. Pequot Library: We're Here, We Care – Pequot Library offers curbside pickup by appointment and limited browsing hours from 3-6pm on Mondays & Wednesdays; 10am-6pm on Fridays; and 2-4pm on Saturdays. During browsing hours visit us to check out a book or view our display John James Audubon's Birds of America: A Return to Pequot Library, on view from February 4 - May 2. 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. COMMUNITY RESOURCES OPERATION HOPE FOOD PANTRY Are you behind in your rent or mortgage? Operation Hope may be able to help. Please contact Brenda at 203-292-5588 x225 or email her at blobdell@operationhopect.org. All inquiries are confidential – they are there to help! Reminder: Operation Hope’s Food Pantry is here to serve all Fairfield residents. We are open at 636 Old Post Road Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 and Thursday from 4:00 to 6:00. Please let them help you with groceries and other basic necessities! Operation Hope has in-person openings for meal servers this summer to help our neighbors in need. All meals are served at our Community Kitchen at 50 Nichols Street, Fairfield, next to the police station. Servers must be 18+. Lunch and dinner are served Monday through Friday. The commitment can be once a week for the entire summer or for a portion. If interested, send us an email at info@operationhopect.org. Please indicate your level of commitment, as well as your preference for lunch or dinner. RECYCLING DO'S AND DONT'S | SUSTAINABLE FAIRFIELD TASK FORCE Fairfield pays close to $700,000.00 a year for our recycling programs, but a lot of our Town recycling is contaminated - in other words there are multiple items in the blue bins that CAN NOT Be recycled. Our recycling processor says that close to 25% of our recycling is contaminated - sometimes it is as simple as residents putting their recycling into plastic bags (which the processor then treats as waste even though the materials inside might be good recycling containers). Learn More: Do's and Don'ts of Recycling What else can be recycled in Fairfield? 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. GET INVOLVED! TOWN BOARD AND COMMISSION VACANCIES You can also visit our Boards and Commissions page to learn more about roles and responsibilities: https://fairfieldct.org/boards 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 To learn about the application process, please click here: https://fairfieldct.org/appointmentprocess 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. How to sign up? Click here. PREVIOUS UPDATES: June 4 May 21 May 14 May 7 April 30 April 23 2020 Archives Did someone forward you this email? Sign up to receive my update directly here. Archives
The 2020 Grand List property tax bills that become due on July 1, 2021 will be mailed out on Friday, June 25th. The Tax Office is open to the public and no appointment is necessary. Once the bills are mailed, you may also look up your bill and pay online by visiting fairfieldct.org/taxpayment. Payments with an original bill coupon can also be made at any People's United Bank location, beginning Thursday, July 1st. You do not need to be a customer.
Please note that according to State Statute, tax payments are due July 1st with a grace period until August 2nd. Interest begins to accrue on Tuesday, August 3rd at a rate of 1 1/2% per month, dating back to July 1, 2021.
Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions regarding tax payments.
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.