Credit: Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
Greetings Greenwich friends and neighbors.
As a major weekend winter storm barrels towards Connecticut, snowfall predictions have increased during the past several hours. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection now estimates that our region can expect 12 to 18 inches of snow – nearly double of earlier forecasts.
Throughout the day tomorrow, conditions will deteriorate as winds pick up. Wind gusts are expected to reach 50 to 60 mph along the coast at up to 40 to 50 mph inland.
Please stay off the roads and follow the snow emergency protocols enacted by the Board of Selectmen earlier today. Details – including a list of roads that are designated snow emergency routes where on-street parking is banned - can be found here on the Town website. The Holly Hill facility will be closed on Saturday. We will post updates on the website as necessary.
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On Tuesday, I presented the proposed 2022-23 budget to the Board of Estimate and Taxation Budget Committee.
The Town’s $122.2 million proposed operational budget and a proposed capital improvement budget of $80 million is now in the hands of the Budget Committee. The proposed budgets, including the Board of Education, carry a mill rate increase of 2.4%. The mill rate is 11.59.
The budget, while including fixed costs such as salaries and employee health insurance, there are several planned initiatives to enhance public safety in several neighborhoods from Byram to Old Greenwich. The Budget Committee will begin departmental reviews next week. The schedule can be found here.
You can review the budget plan and the PowerPoint presentation via these links:
Budget Documents & Schedules | Greenwich, CT (greenwichct.gov)
My budget presentation can be found here.
Tax deadline
All second-half real estate, motor vehicle and personal property tax bills on the 2021 Grand List are due no later than February 1.
You may pay in person by visiting the Tax Collectors office from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You also may pay online via the Town website www.greenwichct.org or by mailing in your check to: Town of Greenwich, Tax Collector PO Box 3002, Greenwich, CT 06836-3002.
Please note that if you choose to mail your payment and its close to the deadline have the Post Office hand stamp the date on the payment envelope. We will honor the postmark as allowed by CT State Statute.
If you have any questions, please call the Tax Collector’s Office at 203-622-7891 or use this link.
Youth Commission to host student diversity leadership conference
High school students, from all schools in the Town of Greenwich, will convene for the 2022 Greenwich Student Diversity Leadership Conference: Beyond Allyship: Igniting Action and Agency. During the event, students will move beyond last year’s work--focused on identity, power, privilege, and position--and develop plans to facilitate equity and inclusion in their schools. The First Selectman’s Youth Commission will host this event in partnership with the First Selectman’s Diversity Advisory Committee and YWCA Greenwich. The virtual conference will take place Saturday, February 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is free to all participants.
Students in grades 9 – 12 can register using the program’s Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WZ6NQHKldSiDbZkpmufDyXTOvvXX5oFRUgbTC4nviHU/edit. Registration closes on February 3.
To learn more about the First Selectman’s Youth Commission, visit First Selectman's Youth Commission | Greenwich, CT (greenwichct.gov)
COVID updates
There appears to be a promising downward trend in the number of COVID cases in our schools and of those being treated at Greenwich Hospital.
As of today, January 28, Greenwich Hospital was treating 31 COVID-positive patients, with 3 in the Intensive Care Unit. That is down from 43 patients a week ago. The COVID hospitalization rate in the Yale New Haven Health system was 374 patients today, more than 200 less than the 592 patients being treated a week ago.
The downward trend in new cases reported by our schools continues. In Greenwich Public Schools, as of today, there are a total of 37 cases among students and staff. A week ago there were 83 cases.
As of January 28, the total number of resident COVID cases confirmed among Town residents (since the pandemic began in March 2020) increased to 10,929 with 355 active cases being tracked by Health Department staff. Last week at this time, the Health Department was tracking 484 active cases.
It is sad to note that we have lost 8 more residents, whose deaths have been attributed to COVID. As of January 28, 115 residents have died since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Information on ages and vaccination status of the victims is unavailable.
I am pleased that the number of cases continues to decrease. I believe that if we remain vigilant in wearing a face mask when social distancing isn’t possible and to receive a vaccine or booster, that it may be possible to consider easing some restrictions in coming weeks.
Here are the latest full vaccination rates as reported by the state Department of Health and Human Services, as of January 27:
- Age 5 – 11: 46.37 % of 6,470 residents
- Age 12 – 17: 93.98 % of 5,449 residents
- Age 18 – 24: 95.39 % of 4,037 residents
- Age 25 – 44: 76.08 % of 13,580 residents
- Age 45 – 64: 85.31 % of 18,950 residents
- Age 65 +: 95.77 % of 10,466 residents
Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) continues to administer booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Fairfield County. All vaccinations are by appointment only. To find out which booster is available and to make an appointment, log onto the YNHHS website: www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccine. Information on testing – which also by appointment only - can be found here.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is offering mobile vaccine clinics. Information on locations can be found here.
Did you know?
Did you know that the Town has a dedicated email address to report traffic issues and concerns? Just send a note to: trafficmatters@greenwichct.org
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With the snowy conditions this weekend, it may be a good time to create your best snow sculpture for the Greenwich Parks & Recreation and the Greenwich Arts Council 10th annual Snow Sculpture Contest. Residents have until March 4 to submit a photo for an opportunity to win a prize from Greenwich Parks and Recreation.
In the meantime, stay safe and
All the best,
Fred