Greetings Greenwich friends and neighbors.
There is some great news from the Department of Public Works for back country residents who live on Taconic Road and North Street.
At 4 p.m. today, the South Stanwich Road causeway was reopened to traffic. While the road may close again for a few days in June to complete minor items, DPW hopes residents are pleased to have the road back in service sooner than we anticipated. Initially, it was estimated that repairs to the causeway which partially collapsed last September, would not be completed until early summer.
I, along with DPW, thank everyone for their patience and support for this repair. We all know it has been an inconvenience to those who use the causeway as a short cut.
Greenwich Avenue update
The Department of Public Works is scheduled to begin the milling and paving operation of the Greenwich Avenue and Elm Street intersection Tuesday, May 25, instead of the previously announced start date of May 24.
FGB Construction of Norwalk is scheduled to work between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the setup of temporary traffic control devices beginning as early as 4 a.m. The milling and paving operation may last up to 4 days, weather permitting.
It is expected that the week of June 7, another Department of Public Works contractor, Rocco Iadarola General Contracting Co. of Waterbury, will complete the installation of decorative crosswalks. That operation may take 4 days, weather permitting.
Both operations will occur under a noise variance granted by the Town of Greenwich Health Department and a partial road closure of East and West Elm Street granted by the Board of Selectmen. A detour route will be posted and the partial closures of East and West Elm Street will only be in effect during working hours. All roads will remain open each evening.
Park Mobile security breach
You may be aware of a cybersecurity breach of Park Mobile, which is not owned by the Town of Greenwich, in early April.
Data such as license plate numbers, email addresses, phone numbers and hashed passwords were exposed, but no credit card information was breached, nor dates of birth.
At this point, the main recommendation from the Town’s Chief Information Security Officer is for users to change their password.
Please use the links below for additional updates. Customer inquiries should be made directly to Park Mobile by using the links below.
Witness Stone Project at Greenwich Historical Society
I am looking forward to the Greenwich Historical Society’s May 27 ceremony that will honor the legacy of enslaved persons who resided in Greenwich. The 1 p.m. event will take place on the Historical Society campus in Cos Cob with civic leaders, clergy as well as teachers and students from Greenwich Academy and Sacred Heart Greenwich who were instrumental in researching the lives of the enslaved individuals. I will present a proclamation during the program that is open to the public.
Enslaved persons will be honored with a “Witness Stones Memorial” engraved with their names, known birth and death dates and primary occupations, and placed on the grounds near Bush-Holley House where they resided.
The Historical Society collaborated with The Witness Stone Project on this initiative that will teach students about enslaved persons in their hometowns using primary sources such as deeds, wills and letters. For 18 months, students and teachers from Sacred Heart and Greenwich Academy, who are also partners in the program, have worked diligently, with the support of the Historical Society, in researching the daily lives of the enslaved.
Greenwich Historical Society research estimates there were approximately 300 enslaved people who resided in Greenwich during the 18th and 19th centuries. Fifteen enslaved individuals who resided at Bush-Holley House in Greenwich from 1790 to 1830 have been identified through inventory and census records. The May 27th ceremony will honor four of them - Cull Bush and his partner Patience, and Candice Bush and her daughter Hester Mead.
COVID-19 update
While the face mask regulations were eased this week, please remember that businesses have the right to impose their restrictions and may still require a mask for all customers to help protect their workers.
Those who are fully vaccinated can choose to not wear a mask and those who aren’t vaccinated need to continue to wear a mask.
I ask businesses and offices that choose to require face masks to display prominent signage to eliminate any potential confusion. Masks are mandatory in health care facilities including hospitals and nursing homes, and here at Town Hall. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
As of May 18, 58.34 percent of all eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine including 92 percent of our senior citizens age 75 and older are fully vaccinated.
As of today, there are 20 active cases, which is 26 less than a week ago. There have been a total of 5,110 residents diagnosed since the COVID outbreak began. The number of residents who have passed away due to COVID remains at 89.
Greenwich Public Schools report there aren’t any active cases within the system.
Greenwich Hospital reports that as of today, there are two patients being treated for COVID and that none of the patients are in the ICU.
Vaccine and testing information:
For homebound residents, the Family Health Division of the Health Department can provide assistance. Residents need to contact their physician to request that a doctor’s order for a vaccine shot is forwarded to the Health Department. Doctors can contact the Family Health Division by calling 203-622-6495.
Here is a list of available vaccine providers:
- Yale New Haven Health:
Sign up online here, or call 1-833-275-9644. - Stamford Health:
Sign-up online here, or call 203-276-7300. - Hartford Healthcare:
Sign-up online here, or call 860-827-7690. - CVS Health (Limited Locations):
Sign up online here, or call 1-800-679-9691. - Walgreens (Limited Locations):
Sign up online here, or call 1-800-925-4733. - Walmart (Limited Locations):
Sign up online here.
Testing information:
- Greenwich Hospital and the Yale New Haven Health system can be found here.
- Community Health Center can be found here.
- Family Centers at Wilbur Peck Court can be found here.
And if you need a ride …
The free Call-A-Ride service is accepting reservations from all Greenwich residents who are 60 years and older who need rides to any location within Greenwich for any reason. Call-A-Ride also can accommodate requests for rides to a few locations just over the Greenwich-Stamford border including doctors near the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. For reservations, call the Call-A-Ride office at 203-661-6633.
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As always, please remember the 4 W’s: wear a mask when necessary; watch your distance; wash your hands and wipe down surfaces.
Stay safe and all the best,
Fred