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
12/17/2021 - 12.17 TOWN UPDATE Dear Fairfielders, Fairfield kicked off the holiday season with its annual Tree Lighting on the historic Town Green on December 3rd. Residents young and old and their families joined together for one of our Town’s most treasured traditions. It was so nice to see many smiling faces and warm holiday exchanges that filled the night after having to light the tree virtually last year. Thanks to the following departments for helping to make it possible: Parks and Recreation, the Fire Department, and our Police and Public Works departments. Our wonderful Town Youth Council provided hot chocolate and glow necklaces, and our talented choirs from Fairfield Woods, Tomlinson and Ludlowe Middle Schools as well as the Fairfield Warde Choral group and Fairfield Center Stage performed beautifully with songs of the season. Following Santa’s arrival, the Fairfield Museum and History Center held its annual holiday express train show and the Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution gave out cookies, candy canes and a special handout on our tree’s 100th anniversary. Two of the highlights for this year’s lighting were honoring Mimi Maniscalco, this year’s recipient of the Nominate Someone Great Contest. Mimi has been in the Fairfield Public Schools for many years, first as a parent, then as a teacher and now as Principal of Dwight Elementary School. Always putting others before herself, Mimi accepted this recognition on behalf of all of Fairfield’s educators who do so much for our students. The other highlight is the 100th birthday of our community holiday tree. Prior to 1921, there had been a cut Christmas tree placed on the Green, but unfortunately the candles that lit that tree burned it down. The idea of planting a living tree, dedicated to the memory of an outstanding woman of the community, Mary Kippen, now stands on the Town Green. This living gift to the Town was and is a “present” from the Eunice Dennie Burr DAR who are headquartered in the Old Academy near the Old Town Hall. Fairfield was not the first Town in Connecticut to have a Christmas tree on the Green, but it was the first Town in Connecticut to have a living tree serve as its community Christmas Tree. The first celebration of this tree was in December 1921 with Sherman School and high school students singing carols. The lighting of the tree was an anticipated event up until World War II. Because of the blackout requirement of the eastern seaboard, outdoor lighting was prohibited, and so, celebration of lighting the tree was put on hold. After the War ended, the tree lighting resumed. As written in a Bridgeport Telegram on December 27, 1923, “One of the messages that the tree spreads is that of growth. It is a living tree, telling the world, the value of conservation of forests, the friends that trees are to people, and instilling the love of trees in the hearts of young and old.” This is my last newsletter for 2021 and I want thank you, our residents, for sharing your kindness through emails, calls and gestures over this past year. Your support and encouragement has been a real blessing to me. I’m looking forward to a new year filled with hope and promise for Fairfield. TOWN GOVERNMENT COVID RECOVERY FUND Thanks to funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act, I am happy to announce the COVID Recovery Fund is now live. This fund will provide limited, one-time assistance to Fairfield residents who continue to be adversely impacted by the pandemic. I proposed ARPA funding be used for this purpose after seeing the COVID Relief Fund set up during the pandemic be such a needed resource, and knowing there is still a great need for assistance. I want to once again thank the generous members of our community who contributed to the Relief Fund to help make it possible and I want to thank Human Services Director Julie DeMarco and Community & Economic Development Director Mark Barnhart for their efforts in bringing this to fruition. For information on who is eligible and how to apply, visit fairfieldct.org/covidrecoveryfund NEW FIREFIGHTERS I had the honor to swear in five new firefighters on Wednesday afternoon including the first female in over 25 years. News 12 did a great story on the ceremony you can watch here. Congratulations to Caitlin Pereira, Michael Canil, Christopher Darrow, Luke Hawthorne, and Mathew Rowan. Erik Preteska was also promoted to lieutenant. Thank you for your service to our Town and keeping our residents safe. CT FIREFIGHTER RECRUITING The Fire Department is actively engage in recruiting new members and recently put together this video toward that effort. Click below to watch this newly launched video. TOWN EMPLOYEE GOES ABOVE & BEYOND I want to acknowledge Transfer Station Manager, Lisa Gnandt-Ralston, who went above and beyond for local residents when they discovered the husband's wedding ring was missing after they dumped their trash at the transfer station. Lisa jumped into action raking through the trash and found the forty-year-old wedding band. I wanted to share this heartwarming story and commendable action by a Fairfield Town employee. Well done Lisa. FAIRFIELD PAVING MANAGEMENT PLAN In my continued efforts to provide greater efficiency and transparency in our Town government, I called for a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and RTM to present an overview of a town-wide paving plan. Earlier this year, the Town hired an independent consultant to conduct an analysis of all the roads in Fairfield and provide a plan that prioritizes roads in need of paving and the estimated costs for the next 5-10 years. The goal in authorizing this work was to provide DPW with an independent and data driven priority list, and allow for the Town bodies to plan for the associated costs. The presentation can be viewed by clicking on the image below. This plan and other capital projects will be discussed at next month's Capital Plan Workshop where I will present to the Board of Finance the list of Town projects, and the Board of Education will present their school projects. PARKS & RECREATION MASTER PLAN The comprehensive Town-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan will set forth a vision that reflects the needs and priorities of our community and establish a roadmap for how that vision can be implemented over the next ten years. You can learn more about the work being done on the Project Website and view the November 29, 2021 Public Workshop presentation with the summary of public input at: https://www.fairfieldparksandrecplan.com/. POST ROAD TRAFFIC CIRCLE The 3rd and final public workshop for the Post Road Circle Study was held virtually on Wednesday, December 15th. For those who missed the meeting, a recording can be viewed via the project website, at http://bit.ly/post-road-circle. All are welcomed to submit comments and questions over the next month via the project website. Comments will be accepted for inclusion in the public comment section of the plan through Wednesday, January 17th. We anticipate releasing the final plan and all supporting material in early Spring of 2022. The meeting included a brief summary of the project, community priorities and progress to date. Visualizations and simulations of the locally preferred concepts were presented and were followed by a question-and-answer session, as well as a discussion of attendees’ preferences and thoughts on the concepts. The purpose of the study is to identify safety improvements for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians in the vicinity of the Post Road/King’s Highway traffic circle. Currently, the Post Road Circle is extremely difficult for drivers to navigate. Limited crossings and sidewalks, minimum handicap accessibility, and inadequate transit amenities leave pedestrians underserved on a four-lane roadway with over 20,000 vehicles per day. POST ROAD & GRASMERE NEIGHBORHOOD On Tuesday, December 14th the Town held a public informational meeting regarding planned pedestrian improvements for Grasmere Avenue and a portion of the Post Road from the Bridgeport city line to Shoreham Village Drive. A link to the recording can be found here. REMEDIATION Sampling and remediation at fill use sites continued this past fall in accordance with the consent order between the Town and Connecticut DEEP. Over the school winter break, work at four sites will be performed, which will include a soccer field at Dwight Elementary School, a field at Riverfield Elementary School, and soccer fields at Burr Elementary School and the Town Hall. The soil removal at these sites involves small spot removal for areas where the samples exceed a regulatory standard. These locations do not pose a threat to the public health of our community and in some cases could have been left in place with a grass monitoring plan, however we have elected to remove the soil in those areas. The work will be completed while schools are closed and under the guidance of the Town’s Licensed Environmental Professional. HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM THE TRANSFER STATION The Transfer Station will be open Christmas Eve, December 24th and New Year’s Eve, December 31st from 7AM to 3PM. It will be closed Christmas Day, December 25th and New Year’s Day, January 1st. Wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday. As a reminder, holiday wrapping paper and tissue paper are NOT recyclable. Try reusing gift bags, ribbons and bows. Unclear what's IN and what's OUT of your recycling bin? Ask the RecycleCT Wizard online at www.recyclect.com. FAREWELL It's been a pleasure having Ky Hunt work in my office part-time for the last year as Community Relations Coordinator. Ky is leaving with her husband Jeremy and daughter Kinsley to return to their home state of Georgia. Ky was very helpful assisting with the newsletter and helping residents find answers to questions, and solve problems. I not only enjoyed working with Ky, but also feel like I've made a lifelong friend. We wish Ky and her family much happiness as they embark on a new adventure. COMMUNITY NEWS LOVEBIRD LANDS IN FAIRFIELD Last Friday, I joined Managing Partner Stephanie Wilson at the ribbon cutting for Lovebird, a high quality, fast-casual chicken restaurant, located within the Fairfield Woods Shopping Plaza at 2385 Black Rock Turnpike. At Lovebird everything is made fresh daily –dressings, sauces, brine, you name it! Stephanie shared that she loved the idea of opening Lovebird in Fairfield, and that Fairfield is the quintessential Connecticut town, vibrant, and dynamic with two fantastic universities, and a highly engaged demographic which makes it the perfect town in which to open. A MILESTONE FOR ART/PLACE The Town congratulates the Art/Place Gallery on celebrating its 40th anniversary this year! Art/Place is a beautiful gallery run by artists and is located on Sanford Street in downtown Fairfield. This not-for-profit is a wonderful haven for artists to display their fine work and also create pieces in a variety of forms such as photography, acrylic, oil, watercolor, collage, various forms of printmaking, and digitally-produced art. Art/Place enjoys offering a taste of the art world to members of our community through solo or group exhibits, lectures, art talks, workshops, demonstrations and critiques. The Town wishes Art/Place many more years of success and thanks all those who enhance the arts in Fairfield. HOLIDAYS IN FAIRFIELD SNOWFLAKE DANCE Join our Parks & Recreation team at their Snowflake Dance at Penfield Pavilion on Saturday, January 29th! We invite girls & boys along with their father, mother, grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling or ANY special person in their life for a fun night out! DJ, dancing, strolling magician, professional photographer, light refreshments & more! Tickets available NOW at here. Click the image above for helpful tricks to keep you safe. SUCCESS FOR SANTA EXPRESS 2021 Fairfield Firefighters Charitable Foundation made 182 stops over this past weekend bringing joy to kids across Town and raised money for local non-profits in the process. The Fairfield Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation “Light Up Fairfield” Holiday Lighting Competition shared their entries to create a Holiday Light Tour Map for you and your families to see the awesome decorations! LETTERS TO SANTA For 51 years, our Town has prided itself on the relationship we have with Santa Claus, and this year is no different. Have your kids write a letter to Santa and drop it in any one of Santa's Mailboxes throughout Town, and it will be delivered to the North Pole, Polar Express style! Santa's Mailbox will be available through tomorrow, December 18th. Please make sure a RETURN ADDRESS is included so Santa can respond! ???? Click here for a map. MILL PLAIN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING On Sunday, December 5, the annual Christmas tree lighting took place on the Mill Plain Green. In front of Sturges' Cottage, a registered National Historic Trust Foundation House, the Mill Plain Improvement Society, which represents a neighborhood of over 400 families, gathered to kickoff this holiday tradition with friends and families. SHOP & STROLL Finally, I want to thank the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce and the Community & Economic Development Department for their working in putting together a very successful Shop & Stroll, as well as the High School choirs for bringing music to the event. The Shop & Stroll is a wonderful holiday tradition here in Fairfield and it was great to see so many residents out at our local businesses. I hope you have a lovely weekend. Brenda L. Kupchick Fairfield First Selectwoman COVID-19 UPDATE We are experiencing another peak of Delta variant activity in the community and most experts are predicting that an Omicron variant wave is likely to happen over the next several weeks in the United States. According to our Health Director, so far Omicron does not appear to be causing severe illness, it does appear to be more transmissible than the previous variant, and also better able to evade immunity. Being vaccinated still provides the best protection against severe illness and/or death, as most vaccinated individuals experience only mild illness. We are therefore likely to see a significant increase in cases especially among the unvaccinated but also an increase of break-through cases of vaccinated individuals as well. With more people testing positive, our community will see an increase of residents needing to quarantine. While children and vaccinated individuals are much less likely to have severe outcomes, those in our families and community that are immunocompromised or unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for contracting the illness or being hospitalized. Health professionals strongly recommend residents take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones over the next several weeks. Important steps recommended by health professionals include: Get vaccinated if you are not or get a booster if you are eligible Check yourself for COVID-like symptoms each day and stay home and get tested if you have any If you are in isolation or quarantine stay away from others and limit your activity to only what is essential Wear a mask when indoors in public, especially if you are unvaccinated Limit activity involving groups especially where others vaccination status is unknown For vaccination there are numerous sites available in Fairfield and nearby as well as daily walk-in clinics in many towns. The Health Department has 3 vaccination opportunities coming up which include: No Appointment/Walk-in Clinic on December 21st from 10 am-4 pm at the Fairfield Fire Training Center, 205 Rich White Way, Fairfield. For those 12 and older, all vaccine types, 1st, 2nd and booster doses are available. Attendees must fill out both form 1 and form 2 and bring them along with vaccination card and copies of both sides of insurance card and license. Clinic conducted by Griffin Health/DPH. Pediatric 5 to 11 Year Old Pfizer Clinic on 12/27 at the Fairfield Senior Center. Appointment Only, register through VAMS Moderna and Pfizer Clinic for those 12 and Older (1st doses, 2nd doses or boosters) Clinic on 12/28 at the Fairfield Senior Center. Appointment Only, register through VAMS There are 10 COVID testing sites in Fairfield under contract to offer no-cost testing to CT residents. Fairfield's Positivity Rate: 5.3% State of CT Town Rating: Red Fairfield County Hospitalizations: 139 Vaccine First Dose: 79.19% The current requirement is for all unvaccinated to wear masks indoors and the Town supports the CDC recommendation that all individuals wear masks indoors due to the “High” transmission classification of Fairfield County. FAIRFIELD COVID RESOURCE PAGE DECEMBER UPDATES LOCAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING Support our local business and purchase e-gift cards for family and friends through our Chamber's “Love Local” program. It’s super easy, and a lovely gift that allows family and friends to use at a long list of Fairfield businesses. I hope you’ll join me in supporting our businesses while giving fun gifts for the holidays. Find out more here. 2021 FAMILY HOLIDAY GIVING PROGRAM COVID-19 has brought many challenges from job loss to childcare expense and many worries in between. Rather than collecting wrapped gifts and toys, we are again requesting gift cards for supermarkets, gas stations, your favorite local stores and businesses, Amazon, Target, Walmart - anywhere families shop for their loved ones for the holidays. If you are interested in donating or receiving holiday help, please contact Eileen Fickes, Social Worker for the Department of Human and Social Services, at 203-256-3170 or by email at socialservices@fairfieldct.org for additional information. Please consider making a donation to help your neighbors. Donations are gratefully accepted during business hours 9 AM to 3:30 PM at the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield CT 06824. SAVE THE NIGHT, CONNECTICUT! As traffic fatalities continue to rise, the Connecticut Department of Transportation Office of Highway Safety is announcing a $10 discount code for Uber, to encourage people who consume alcohol or other impairing substances to use ride-hailing instead of putting themselves and others on the road at risk by getting behind the wheel. The discount code, SAVETHENIGHTCT, will be available beginning November 23, 2021 through January 14, 2022 between the hours of 5 PM and 4 AM. FRAUD ALERT | NEW TOOL TO HELP HOMEOWNERS With the launch of the Town of Fairfield’s Fraud Alert, property owners can now sign up to be notified of new transactions regarding their property. With Fraud Alert you can sign up to receive alerts whenever a document such as a mortgage is recorded under your name. Documents can be viewed online at: https://www.searchiqs.com/CTFAI/Login.aspx Please remember that there may be other property owners in town that have the same name. Town Clerk Betsy Browne shared that this new tool provided by IQS is an easy way for homeowners to have peace of mind, especially with the increase in scams recently. You can sign up now at : https://www.searchiqs.com/fraudalert/?CC+CTFAI TOWN SERVICES SOCIAL SERVICES The hardest part to getting help is reaching out. 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 or to schedule an appointment. For more additional information and resources, social services offers a comprehensive newsletter with various programs addressing career development, service members, and housing here. FAIRFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARIES The Fairfield Public Main Library building is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9am - 5pm and Tuesday & Thursday 9am – 7pm. Woods Branch Library is open Monday & Wednesday 9am - 7pm and Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9am – 5pm. Both Main and Woods are open Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm – 5pm. Both libraries will be closed Friday and Saturday, Dec. 24 and 25, for the Christmas holidays, as well as Friday, Dec. 31st and Saturday, Jan. 1st, 2022, for the New Year. Fairfield Public Library respectfully asks that all patrons over two years of age wear a mask while inside the buildings, as per the CDC’s current recommendation that residents of Fairfield County wear masks in all public, indoor spaces. The Library continues to offer a mix of in-person and virtual programming at both locations for children, teens and adults. Please view our online calendar of events on our website (www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org) to see the offerings and reserve your spot! The Bruce S. Kershner Art Gallery at Main Library will open its new exhibit, “Poetic Expressions,” on Saturday, December 4th. There will be a reception for the artists on Thursday, December 9th, from 5:30-7:30pm, which the public is welcome to attend. “Poetic Expressions” runs through Jan. 29, 2022. Fairfield Public Library offers 24/7 access to its digital collection of books, music, magazines, movies and databases. Information services are available in person, by phone (203- 256-3160), by email at eref@fplct.org, and via text messaging (text askfplct to 833-232-4100). Pequot Library: We're Here, We Care – We are open for browsing! Visit Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Sunday Noon - 4 p.m. Drop in during browsing hours to check out items from our circulating selection, see our latest exhibit in the Perkin Gallery, or view treasures from our Special Collections. Now on view: Magic, Mayhem, & Maturity: The Growth of Youth Fantasy Literature Drawing on materials from the Children’s Historical Collection and the modern circulating collection, this exhibition examines the emergence and evolution of youth fantasy literature. Oftentimes, stories from this genre use magic as a metaphor for the turbulent transition from childhood to adulthood. Spanning fairy tales to 19th century works like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz to more modern stories like Harry Potter, Children of Blood and Bone and The Gilded Ones, this exhibition further explores how these stories have evolved to tackle this transition in a more frank manner and, significantly, to embrace all voices. Coming up in December: 12/8 - Meet the Author: Alexander Lobrano (In-Person) 12/10 - Holiday Caroling Party on the Great Lawn 12/18 - GCTYO Chamber Music Concert For more programming, visit www.pequotlibrary.org/calendar. 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 Struggling to make ends meet? 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! PREVIOUS UPDATES: December 3 November 19 November 5 October 22 October 15 October 8 Archives Did someone forward you this email? Sign up to receive my update directly here. Archives
LOCAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING Support our local business and purchase e-gift cards for family and friends through our Chamber's “Love Local” program. It’s super easy, and a lovely gift that allows family and friends to use at a long list of Fairfield businesses. I hope you’ll join me in supporting our businesses while giving fun gifts for the holidays. Find out more here.