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
11/18/2022 - 11.18 TOWN UPDATE Dear Fairfielders, As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I've been reflecting on all that I am thankful for. I hope that while you share a meal around your Thanksgiving table with family and friends, you will join me in gratitude for the community we are blessed to live in. Fairfield is filled with so many kind and generous people, who are always willing to lend a hand to help and offer kindness in so many ways. I have included ways to give back this holiday season in this week's newsletter, as well as the many upcoming holiday events. I hope you'll take a few minutes to read below. What's in this week's newsletter? Zoning Changes | Accessory Dwelling Unit Panel New Businesses Holiday Events Holiday Giving Opportunities VETERANS DAY HONORING OUR VETERANS Last week, our community came together to honor Veterans in our Town and country during ceremonies and events throughout Town. KIWANIS FIELD OF VALOR? To honor our Military Veterans and those men and women actively serving our country, the Kiwanis Club of Fairfield hosted its 6th annual Field of Valor by displaying U.S. Flags. I want to give a special thanks to Kiwanis member Richard Parker who leads the effort to install the flags. I’m grateful to Fairfield’s Kiwanis Club for their time and dedication in honoring those who bravely served our country. My Uncle Peter M. Siconolfi was so proud to be invited to be the keynote speaker for last year's Field of Valor Ceremony. Uncle Peter, at 17 years old, enlisted in the United States Army to proudly serve our country during World War II. He fought with the 11th Armored Tank Division and fought in Normandy in the Battle of the Bulge, and also battled in Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the Alps in Austria, where they met the Russians in the Town of Linz, all under the command of George S. Patton, 3rd Army. Uncle Peter passed away this year in March at age 96. It was my privilege to speak of Uncle Peter’s valor before our community while we assembled to honor the brave Veterans in their families at this year's ceremony. The Field of Valor includes nearly 400 full-size (3'x5') American flags and was displayed to ?commemorate Veterans Day on ?November 11th. The display is up in Jennings Park until tomorrow. VETERANS DAY BREAKFAST AT THE BIGELOW CENTER I want to thank the Human Services Commission, Friends of the Bigelow Center and the Human and Social Services Department, especially its director, Julie DeMarco, for hosting the Veterans Day Breakfast on Thursday, November 10th with a program to honor Fairfield’s Veteran community, including Purple Heart recipients and supporters. The Town very much appreciates Chips Family Restaurant for providing breakfast for all those participating, including our First Responders. VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS CEREMONY The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) held their annual Veterans Day Ceremony on the 11th hour of the 11th day, during the 11th month. Below are the highlights of VFW Commander of Post 143 Chris DeWitt's remarks: The service of America’s Veterans never truly ends. Even when they hang up their military uniforms for the last time, many still choose to protect us. It is about the approximately 19 million U.S. Veterans who are still with us today and the millions who have preceded them since the American Revolution. Many serve their communities as first responders, teachers, health care workers or church leaders. Some are business owners, farmers, company workers or retirees. In our Town of Fairfield, many veterans continue to keep us safe as police officers & firefighters including our Police Chief, USAF veteran Robert Kalamaras. Others among us volunteer in elected and non-elected positions, also continuing their service. Veterans are not only responsible for defending this nation during time of war, but it is the imposing presence of our great military that has acted as a deterrent to would-be aggressors. The Veterans of the United States military have not only fought wars, they deserve our gratitude for preventing them. God bless our veterans, and God bless America. FAIRFIELD'S FIRST RESPONDERS FAREWELL TO FAIRFIELD'S BELOVED K9 RUGER It was my honor as First Selectwoman to stand alongside members of our Police Department and lifelong partner Officer Kevin Wells to bid a final farewell to Fairfield’s K9 Ruger. Ruger was born on February 23rd, 2010, and was a Certified Narcotic Detection and Patrol Tactical canine. Ruger enhanced the work of uniformed and undercover officers in his ability to track suspects, missing persons and detect narcotics. K9 Ruger served the Fairfield Police Department from 2011-2015. Ruger was handled by Officer Kevin Wells, who was hired by the Fairfield Police Department in March 1999 and appointed as a K9 Handler in 2011. May God bless Ruger for his dedicated service to protect and serve the Fairfield community. Please keep Officer Wells in your heart as he grieves the loss of his partner and best friend. WATER RESCUE On October 27th, Sergeant Beattie, Marine Unit Officers Terifay and Burke, and Marina Manager Justin Cathcart answered the call for service by collaboratively performing a water rescue. The Police Department received a 9-1-1 call from a man who reported his boat was taking on water. The quick actions of our Police Officers and our Marina Manager to deploy two Safeboats, locating and rescuing the four boaters in ample time, are a reflection of their professionalism and dedication to our community. Their actions also prevented the loss of the victim's boat, as they were able to prevent it from sinking and tow it back to shore. Fairfield is truly blessed to have not only First Responders who always answer the call of our residents but also Town employees like Marina Manager Justin Cathcart who always go above and beyond for our community. COOKING SAFETY The Fairfield Fire Department reminds residents to be safe this Thanksgiving holiday. Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. By following a few safety tips you can prevent these fires. Please click here to view safety tips and more information. You can also visit the Fairfield Fire Department page for more information. TOWN GOVERNMENT NEWS CHARTER REVISION I pledged to Fairfielders from the day I took office that I would restore the public's trust by installing proper oversight and accountability while working to make sure our Town government is run with transparency and honesty. Opening up the Town Charter for its first meaningful review in 30 years was a priority for me in that effort. I want to again thank the bi-partisan Charter Revision Commission for the hundreds of hours they volunteered over the past year during their 37 meetings on revising the Charter. Unfortunately, the ballot question for Charter Revision did not pass. I will continue the work of moving our Town forward into the 21st century with the resources available, notwithstanding the reality that it will have to be done with a governing document from the last century. FILL PILE & CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS Recently, I have shared updates on the criminal court proceedings with regard to the fill pile public corruption scandal facing our Town. The biggest development this month is that one of the alleged conspirators, the former DPW Director, pled guilty to eight felony counts. You can read the latest update here. Two out of the three largest issues remaining are the contaminated soil under the Penfield Pavilion and the parking lot and the Notice of Violation from the Federal Emergency & Management Administration (FEMA) regarding the improperly built foundation. As you may remember, I held a presentation for the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and RTM on August 31st, to provide an update on these two issues. I included an update in my newsletter on September 2nd, which you can review here. I will be providing additional information soon regarding a funding proposal for all three Town bodies to consider that addresses both of these issues. I joined Melissa in the Morning on WICC on Wednesday morning to provide an update to listeners. You can listen to the interview that begins at the 16:15 minute mark by clicking the link below: WICC 600 AM and 107.3 FM / Melissa in the Morning (audioboom.com) ACCESSORY DWELLING APARTMENTS | REGULATION CHANGE The Town is committed to providing a range of sensible housing options to meet our current and future housing needs. I encourage Fairfield residents interested in learning more about accessory apartments and recent changes to our zoning regulations to listen to this important workshop hosted earlier this week. The workshop focused on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), more commonly known as accessory or “in-law” apartments, "she-sheds" or "granny pods". I would like to thank the panelists and all the volunteers who helped to put this informative program together. FAIRFIELD FIRE COMMISSION Fire Commission member William Fitzpatrick completed his second 5-year term on the Commission. Prior to serving on the Fire Commission, Bill served on the Police Commission, the Board of Finance and RTM. I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Fitzpatrick back when I was on the RTM and Board of Education, and want to sincerely thank him for his many years of dedicated service to the Fairfield community. CONSERVATION FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I know if activity on my property is regulated? How long will it take to get a permit? How much will it cost? All these questions and more are answered in a new Conservation FAQ you can view here. I want to thank our Conservation Director Tim Bishop for putting together this helpful Q&A in partnership with the Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors. WE ARE HIRING The Town of Fairfield is seeking to fill several critical positions. Click to view the current openings. COMMUNITY NEWS HELP A NEIGHBOR! LOOKING FOR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FOR SHOVELING FOR SENIORS The weather report and chill in the air have reminded us to start planning for winter. Fairfield Social Services is gathering names of student volunteers for our Shoveling for Seniors programs. If you know of middle- and high-school students who might be interested in helping a senior or neighbor with disabilities, would you please send them our way? It’s a great service opportunity. Click here for information about volunteering, and parent permission slip for students to register. As soon as we have a list of volunteers ready to help, we’ll provide information on how to register for shoveling. Please do not call Social Services to register for a list of shovelers at this time. FPS GREEN TEAM SUSTAINABILITY TIP OF THE WEEK COMMUNITY EVENTS FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY LEO D. MAHONEY ARENA I was thrilled to join President Mark R. Nemec, PhD and the Fairfield University community today for its grand opening of the Leo D. Mahoney Arena. This new state-of-the-art arena is a wonderful addition to our Town, and an ideal venue for our community to come watch and root for Fairfield U’s hometown team. I applaud everyone involved in this new addition to the University and wish Fairfield U great success. Go Stags! Photos courtesy of Fairfield University HOT OIL 5K On November 13th, members of our Fairfield Police Department and Fire Department participated in Colony Grill's 11th Annual Hot Oil 5k. On behalf of the Town of Fairfield, I want to sincerely thank Colony Grill for their continued support and generosity to our men and women in uniform. I want to thank everyone in our community including the many Town employees who participated in the 5k, including our own Jude Fitzgerald of the Finance Department, along with Assistant Fire Chief Erik Kalapir and his family, representing our Town proudly! Photos from Social Media UPCOMING EVENTS FRIENDS OF FAIRFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNUAL BOOK SALE Fairfield Public Library and The Friends of the Library are pleased to announce The Friends’ “Big Autumn Book Sale,” being held at the Main Library in Fairfield from November 18th – 20th. Nearly 10,000 gently-used books and DVDs for all ages and interests will be available for purchase, with most priced at only one or two dollars. There will also be a small selection of unique items priced a bit higher, but no more than ten dollars each. Pop-up specials will feature a free book – in the highlighted genre of the day – with your purchase. All money raised by this sale goes into supporting the Fairfield Public Library’s many programs and services, which are offered free to the public. Browse, buy, and support your local Library! Hours for the book sale are as follows: Friday, November 18th, from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday, November 19th, from Noon – 4:30 PM Sunday, November 20th, from 1:00 – 4:30 PM For more information about the book sale or to learn about becoming a member of The Friends of Fairfield Public Library, please click here. NO SHAVE CT Join the Fairfield Police Department this November in raising funds and awareness with the Connecticut Cancer Foundation during its No Shave CT campaign! The Police Department has continued to partner with the Connecticut Cancer Foundation as 100% of the money raised will be distributed to CT cancer patients and their caregivers to assist with basic living expenses, such as rent, mortgage, utilities, and food. For the past 4 years our department has been in the Top 10 Fundraising Teams and last year they were in the Top 3, raising over $4,600! This November, police departments, companies, and individuals across CT will be participating in No Shave CT for the CT Cancer Foundation. Starting on November 1st, you can volunteer to put your razor away for 30 days. During this time, friends, family, and members of the community can go online and make donations to sponsor participants. 100% of the funds raised for No Shave CT go directly to CT cancer patients. Every year, the department selects Ambassadors to be the “face” of the campaign. These brave cancer warriors will receive a significant financial aid grant based on funds raised. Supporting No Shave CT is a great way to help local families battling this terrible disease. You are not only providing help, you are providing hope! Make a difference today and join the Police Department's team! Go to www.fpdct.com/noshave. There are more upcoming events you can see by scrolling down below. BUSINESS It's always exciting to welcome and support new businesses in Fairfield. Our local business' success is Fairfield's success. KELLI & CREW LIFESTYLE We recently welcomed Kelli & Crew Lifestyle, located at 1200 Post Road. Owner Kelli Chizmadia offers lifestyle home items like cutting boards, wall hangings, holiday pieces, mirrors, baskets, candles and much much more. THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Yesterday, I joined Chamber President Beverly Balaz to celebrate The Learning Experience's 1st year Anniversary with a ribbon cutting. The Learning Experience is a new childcare center built specifically for children to learn, play and grow. I know this childcare center is a much-welcomed addition to our Town and families with young children. Dee and Shital Patel are a husband-and-wife team who own four other childcare centers in Connecticut. Photos by Mike Lauterborn PLANET FITNESS On Tuesday night, the Town was invited to attend the grand opening celebration of Planet Fitness and welcomed them with a ribbon cutting. The new club is approximately 25,000 square feet and offers state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength equipment, among many other new features. Planet Fitness also generously made a $500 donation to the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, and provided a tour of their beautiful new facility. I do my best to identify news and announcements that may be helpful for our residents. I hope you will scroll through the helpful information and upcoming holiday events below. My next newsletter will not be until after Thanksgiving, so I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a peaceful and joyous holiday. Brenda L. Kupchick Fairfield First Selectwoman HOLIDAY EVENTS HOLIDAY POP-UP MARKET Get ready to kick off the holiday season at our 8th annual Holiday Pop-Up Market this Saturday, November 19th, and Sunday, November 20th from 10 AM – 4 PM. This festive market of gifts featuring a range of exciting vendors is the perfect opportunity for you to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. There is a $5 suggested donation. Your donation will enter you into a drawing to win a gift bag of items from the Museum shop and a one-year family membership to the Museum. Visit the Museum's website for a list of participating vendors here. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN Santa arrives in Fairfield at 10:00 AM Sunday, November 27th on the Sherman Green! Each child can visit with Santa, share holiday wishes and receive a small gift. Come and enjoy horse and wagon rides with your friends and family, as well as festive holiday music from DJ Scott Nickel to get you in the holiday spirit! Please click here for more information. Save the Date for The Menorah Lighting at Pequot Library: December 20th at 6:30 PM. NEW THIS YEAR The occasion that truly kicks off the holiday season in Fairfield is the annual lighting of our tree. Gather with your family and countdown at our Annual Tree Lighting on the Town Hall Green starting at 4:15 PM. I am excited for the new additions to this year's event which will be followed by our new Winter Whimsy event taking place on the Fairfield Museum Commons, featuring food trucks, a beer (& hot beverage) garden, DJ, Holiday Express Train Show, carriage rides, holiday crafts, pictures with Santa and a petting zoo! HOLIDAY EXPRESS TRAIN SHOW Warm up at the Fairfield Museum after the Town’s Tree Lighting Ceremony and be one of the first to see the new displays of the Holiday Express Train Show on Saturday, December 3rd from 5 – 7 PM! Young and old alike will delight in the model trains winding around spectacular winter villages and beautiful holiday scenery. Visit the Museum's website for more information here. Admission: $3 per person/$10 per family. Please click here for registration. HOLIDAY SHOP & STROLL Mark Your Calendars! The 10th annual Holiday Shop & Stroll will take place on Thursday, December 8th from 6 PM – 9 PM! There will be lots of shopping, giveaways, raffles and more! Follow @ExperienceFairfield on Facebook & Instagram for more information, or visit experiencefairfieldct.org/shopnstroll! HOLIDAY GIVING THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE Connecticut State Police Troop G is hosting a food drive to benefit Operation Hope on Tuesday, November 22nd at Stop & Shop at 1160 Kings Hwy Cutoff, 9 AM – 1 PM. Grab your groceries and add a few things to your cart to help us stock the pantry. Then, simply drop them off at the collection point outside the store. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need this holiday season! CHRISTMAS PBA TOY DRIVE The Holiday Season is here and the Fairfield Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is once again hosting its Annual Toy Drive and Stuff-A-Cruiser events. All donations will be delivered by Fairfield Police to the Southern CT YMCA. Join us in this season of giving. The Toy Drive will kick off the day after Thanksgiving, November 25th, and continue through Friday, December 12th. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at the Fairfield Police lobby. FAIRFIELD FAMILY HOLIDAY GIVING PROGRAM Fairfield Social Services has kicked off its 2022 Family Holiday Giving Program to help Fairfield families in need during the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas Holiday seasons. Last year 150 families received gift cards, generously donated by their neighbors, including individuals, businesses, faith-based and community organizations. Every year we see more families struggling to pay their utilities and heat their homes. During this special, yet stressful time of year, we are again requesting gift cards for supermarkets, gas stations, local stores and businesses, Amazon, Target, and Walmart – anywhere families may shop for their loved ones for the holidays. The ability to select and purchase gifts provides our clients another level of independence in an otherwise difficult time. Donations are accepted during business hours, 9 AM – 4:30 PM, at the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield CT 06824. For more information about making a donation or requesting assistance, please contact Fairfield Social Services at 203-256-3170 or email socialservices@fairfieldct.org. On behalf of the families that receive the holiday gifts, the Town of Fairfield Department of Human and Social Services would like to thank the community for keeping all our residents in mind for the upcoming holiday season. NOVEMBER UPDATES Visit www.fairfieldct.org/leaves for more information. COVID-19 UPDATE The CDC uses “Community Level” indicators, which focus on the presence of severe illness as indicated by hospitalization-related data to determine prevention steps. Please visit the CDC website for the current level of Fairfield County. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19, you may be eligible for oral COVID-19 medications. For a list of Test to Treat locations in Fairfield, please visit the Test to Treat website. If you have any questions, please speak with your primary care physician. For COVID testing in the area, please visit our website. To access free COVID testing at one of the state-sponsored testing sites, please click here. For vaccination locations, there are numerous sites available in Fairfield and nearby, as well as daily walk-in clinics in many Towns. The bivalent booster has been approved by the FDA under EUA. The Health Department has been conducting bivalent booster clinics and are working on setting additional clinic dates. Please continue to check our social media accounts and our page for updated information here. INVASIVE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) adults are out this time of year. If you confirm a population on Town property, please notify this Department at (203) 256-3071. Information related to the SLF from CTDEEP is available here, and from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, here. The Conservation Department has been in correspondence with the U.S. Forest Service, CT Agricultural Experimental Station (CAES) and the Town's Tree Warden regarding the SLF. An informative flyer from the CAES can be found here. UI Rate Case United Illuminating (UI) has filed a motion to amend its rate schedule. This rate increase would raise an individual's total bill by 4.9% per year regardless of their rate class. PURA has scheduled four public comment hearings in this proceeding that I recommend residents attend: Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at 5:30 PM IN-PERSON City of New Haven City Clerk Hearing Room, 200 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510 (directions) Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 12:00 PM VIRTUAL MEETING Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 7:00 PM VIRTUAL MEETING OPERATION HOPE | FOOD PANTRY Operation Hope’s Food Pantry is open all Winter to all Fairfield residents on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and Thursday from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Items can be dropped off at 636 Old Post Road between 9:15 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. During the month of November, Operation Hope is in need of the following items: Ensure/Boost Canned Chicken & other meats (spam, etc) Dried Potatoes Canned Fruit Juice Adult Diapers Shaving Supplies Deodorant Soap & Body Wash Paper Towels & Toilet Paper Peanut Butter Jelly & Honey Pasta Sauce & other tomato products(diced, paste, etc) Coffee & Hot Chocolate Pancake Mix & Syrup Oatmeal & Cereal Thank you for considering a donation to help them feed our hungry neighbors! FAIRFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARIES Both branches of Fairfield Public Library are open from Noon – 5:00 PM on Saturdays and from 1:00 – 5:00 PM on Sundays. Other hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM and Fridays 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. The Libraries will close at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 23rd, and remain closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24th and 25th, for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Library is excited to announce the addition of a Dero bike repair station at the Old Post Road entrance of Main Library. It comes with a pump and multiple tools, acting as a bike stand to make any repair easy. The addition of the station aligns with the Library’s goal of being a hub of lifelong learning. Until December 10th, the public can still view the current show from the Bruce S. Kershner Art Gallery, “Moving Lines.” Please view our online calendar of events on our website (www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org) to see the offerings and reserve your spot! 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 are open for browsing! Visit Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM, and closed on Sundays from July on. 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. The Lure of the Garden: The Enduring Desire to Work and Shape the Land Whether for pleasure or practicality, humanity’s relationship with the soil has been sustained since we quite literally planted roots as a species over 6,000 years ago. The Lure of the Garden invites visitors to explore the enduring desire to shape and cultivate the land, from the propagation of the “three sisters” – corn, beans, and squash – by Native Americans, to garden clubs, war-era Victory Gardens, and community and pollinator gardens. With materials dating back to the 1500s, the Monroes and the Wakemans, founders of the library, sought to curate a collection that would be democratic — of use to all classes of society from the financier to the farmer. Pequot Library’s Special Collections reflect the changing tastes, styles, and purposes of gardens, as well as their enduring lure. (On view in the Pequot Library’s Perkin Gallery from June 23, 2022 – February 5, 2023). For more programming, visit Upcoming Events – Pequot Library. 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. PREVIOUS UPDATES: Fill Pile Court Update Fill Pile Update November 4 October 21 October 14 Archives Did someone forward you this email? Sign up to receive my update directly here. Archives
HONORING OUR VETERANS Last week, our community came together to honor Veterans in our Town and country during ceremonies and events throughout Town.
I do my best to identify news and announcements that may be helpful for our residents. I hope you will scroll through the helpful information and upcoming holiday events below. My next newsletter will not be until after Thanksgiving, so I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a peaceful and joyous holiday.
Save the Date for The Menorah Lighting at Pequot Library: December 20th at 6:30 PM.
NEW THIS YEAR The occasion that truly kicks off the holiday season in Fairfield is the annual lighting of our tree. Gather with your family and countdown at our Annual Tree Lighting on the Town Hall Green starting at 4:15 PM. I am excited for the new additions to this year's event which will be followed by our new Winter Whimsy event taking place on the Fairfield Museum Commons, featuring food trucks, a beer (& hot beverage) garden, DJ, Holiday Express Train Show, carriage rides, holiday crafts, pictures with Santa and a petting zoo!
Information related to the SLF from CTDEEP is available here, and from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, here. The Conservation Department has been in correspondence with the U.S. Forest Service, CT Agricultural Experimental Station (CAES) and the Town's Tree Warden regarding the SLF. An informative flyer from the CAES can be found here.