Greetings Greenwich friends and neighbors.
This week I had the opportunity to represent our great Town in Hartford by testifying before the General Assembly’s Planning and Development Committee which is considering two proposed bills that, if approved, would have profound impacts upon Greenwich.
The first bill is HB No. 5361 – An act concerning public access to certain coastal resources. This bill would force shoreline communities – including ours – to provide more preferential treatment to out-of-town visitors who want access to our three public beaches.
Our visitor policy is one of the more equitable ones in the region which allows for visitors to help pay their fair share of costs to operate and maintain these shoreline jewels.
Details of the bill can be found here.
I also voiced my opposition to HB No. 5429 – An act concerning transit-oriented development. This bill would allow the right of development of housing with a minimum gross density of 15 dwelling units per acre located on property located within a half-mile radius of rail stations or bus stations. Only 10 percent of those new dwellings would need to be designated as affordable housing.
This bill would allow for high density development around our train stations with disregard for public safety, and create detrimental impacts upon our environment with greater impervious surfaces and our critical infrastructure.
More information on this bill can be found here. My testimony can be found via this link.
Need work? We’ve got jobs!
If you enjoy being outdoors and are looking for a job, the Greenwich Parks and Recreation is hiring dozens of seasonal positions for the spring and summer. Available jobs include lifeguard, camp directors and counselors, beach crewmembers, and umpires. Parks and Recreation provides a fun and welcoming work environment while fulfilling important needs in our community.
These flexible jobs also offer great work experience and resume building opportunities. All are encouraged to apply by using this link.
The Town has plenty of other rewarding positions available. You can check them out here.
Greenwich Department of Human Services Logo Contest
The Greenwich Department of Human Services seeks to create an easily recognizable logo to raise the visibility of the department and its services as well as highlight the support that the department provides through community partnerships.
Students, ages 5-19, living in the Town of Greenwich, are invited to submit an original logo design for the Greenwich Department of Human Services. The logo may be used in all media – including online, print, on merchandise and other visual collateral. Evaluation of entries will be based on relevance, originality, and aesthetic quality.
Please refer to the Contest Rules and Entry Form for more information. Questions and the entry form and logo design must be submitted to: gdhslogocontest@greenwichct.org by April 12.
Sign up for Tod’s Point cleanup
Diana Klingner of Friends of Greenwich Point is organizing the last cleanup of invasive plants at Greenwich Point. For this last excursion they will meet at 9 a.m. March 25 and work in the area between the mansion and seaside garden.
The causeway project is near an end and might be done in time for volunteers to drive to the Cow barn parking area to meet. However, if the causeway is still closed to traffic, please meet at the clambake parking lot and caravan in, so promptness will be of the essence. Please RSVP to 4kling@gmail.com and also include whether you will need tools supplied.
Student essay contest
The LWV Greenwich Third Annual Student Essay Contest. This year, students in grades 8 through 12 who either live or attend school in Greenwich are encouraged to enter. The entry deadline is April 3.
Choose from one of three prompts and follow the instructions on the LWV Greenwich website contest page - CLICK HERE. Winners will be announced on May 15, and honored at the LWV Greenwich Annual Dinner, at the Riverside Yacht Club on June 1.
A panel of LWV Greenwich members will evaluate each submission. The judges will not see whose submission they are evaluating. A top essay for each prompt option will be selected and there will be one essay selected as the overall grand prize winner.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $1,000 college scholarship. All winning essays will be published on the LWV Greenwich website and publicized in local Greenwich press.
Food forum series announced
The Foodshed Network and Conservation Commission announce Greenwich Food System Forum (GFSF), a six-part series on the interconnectedness between the industrialized food system and ecological and social challenges.
Local and state advocates and community organizers, who understand the layers of complexity within our food system, will discuss the ways in which root causes are embedded in policy, practice and mindset. They will discuss the industrial food system, Connecticut grown land and sea, to the importance of farmers’ markets, food entrepreneurship, seasonality and creating a resilient Connecticut food shed.
The first panel in the GFSF starts April 6 with a discussion on “The Industrial Food System: Equity, Regionalization and Regeneration”. All panels are virtual and free. To register, please visit The Foodshed Network and to sign up for updates log on to The Foodshed Thymes.
COVID Update
As of yesterday, Greenwich Hospital was treating 3 COVID-19 patients. Our public schools had 40 active cases - 37 students, 2 teachers and 1 non-teaching staff member, as of March 18.
As of March 17, the total number of resident COVID cases among Town residents (since the pandemic began in March 2020) increased to 11,560. The number of residents whose deaths have been attributed to COVID increased by 1 to 120.
Vaccine info
Log onto the Yale New Haven Health website to find a booster vaccine site.
Family Centers is offering weekday vaccine and testing clinics at 111 Wilbur Peck Court. Details can be found here.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is offering mobile vaccine clinics. Information on locations can be found here.
Celebrating St. Patrick and spring
Despite the rain, we had a great turnout yesterday morning with the Greenwich Hibernian Association and former Selectman John Toner to raise the Irish flag in front of Town Hall. The weather is forecast to be much nicer – actually a wee bit springy for the first day of spring - for the St. Patrick Parade that kicks off at 2 p.m. Sunday at Town Hall. More information on the parade can be found here.
We continue to keep the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and prayers as this unprovoked war continues. To show our solidarity with them, we continue to fly the Ukrainian flag outside Town Hall.
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Stay safe and wishing you the best,
Fred