Greetings friends and neighbors,
We're pleased to announce that through the efforts of our community members, Greenwich has received a certificate of recognition for participation in the Sustainable Fairfield County Working Group. Aleksandra Moch was in attendance to represent Greenwich while receiving the SFC award. Congratulations to all who made this award possible.
Sustainable Fairfield County is a network of Connecticut communities working in collaboration to educate the public on ways to reduce our impact using approaches that are economically viable, of social benefit, and environmentally responsible.
Historic moment for Greenwich RTM voting procedures
Town Clerk, Jackie Budkins released the following statement today, "We are happy to announce the historic ‘first electronic vote’ at the Greenwich RTM meeting this week! I am fortunate to be part of the amazing team who spearheaded this major accomplishment. The team included our RTM Moderator Alexis Voulgaris, our Moderator Pro Tem Katherine Labalbo, the tech team of Jenny Larkin and Craig Jones, the assistant town clerk & my entire town clerk team. Without the efforts of all involved, this major step forward for Greenwich would not have been possible. Thank you to all RTM members for all of your support, participation, and efforts to make this a great success."
The 2022 Leaf Collection Program has officially ended!
Thanks to the DPW staff for their hard work all over Town since November 7th to remove leaves from our neighborhoods. Leaves should no longer be placed at the roadside, but you may use your current pass to drop them off at the Holly Hill facility. And thanks to our residents for your cooperation during this leaf collection season.
“Self, assembled” exhibit at the Flinn Gallery
Three artists, Rodriguez Calero, Kevin Hetzel and Jason Noushin probe the nature of identity through the medium of collage. By appropriating, fragmenting, layering, and unexpectedly juxtaposing images derived from personal and collective histories, each seeks to question socially imposed narratives and destabilize fixed notions of identity. Now through February 1, 2023 at the Flinn Gallery, Second Floor, Greenwich Library, 101 West Putnam Avenue. Find out more on the Flinn Gallery website.
The Greenwich Police Department needs your help to make this holiday season special for our Greenwich families. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy (or two) to the GPD Stuff a Cruiser event on Saturday, December 17th in front of the Board of Education building on Greenwich Avenue. A police cruiser will be parked on Greenwich Ave. in front of the building from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. See you there!
Christmas Tree Recycling
The Department of Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce that residents may begin to bring their Christmas Trees for recycling starting Monday, December 26, 2022. Christmas tree recycling will end on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
All trees to be recycled must be undecorated (ornaments, tinsel, lights, and stands must be removed).
The Parks & Trees Division will be recycling residents’ Christmas trees by chipping them. The wood chips can be used by residents as mulch or compost. Tree chips retained by the Town will be used in parks as mulch for trails in woodlands, shrub beds, and soil stabilization. Read the press release for Christmas Tree facts, and a list of collections sites.
Holiday Hours for Waste Disposal
The Holly Hill facility will be closed on Monday, December 26, and Monday, January 2, 2023. https://www.greenwichct.gov/265/Waste-Disposal-Recycling
Greenwich Shellfish beds are open
Did you know that you may purchase a recreational shellfishing permit from the Town Clerk’s office in Greenwich? The Town of Greenwich Shellfish Commission performs regular monthly water sampling the water in Greenwich to make sure it's clean and safe for harvesting and eating our local shellfish. The Greenwich Point shellfish harvesting season runs from late fall to early spring of the following year. The exact dates of openings or closings of beds are to be determined by the Greenwich Shellfish Commission. Check the shellfish bed status online to ensure the beds are open and please read the Shellfish rules and regulations before you go digging and enjoy!
Parking Permit Payment Deadline is December 31
Renewal applicants must follow all rules and procedures or your parking permit will be denied. Pease visit the Parking Permits web page for more information.
Greenwich Parks & Recreation and the Greenwich Arts Council present the 11th Annual Snow Sculpture Contest. Throughout this winter season, create your best snow sculpture and submit a photo for a chance to win a prize from Greenwich Parks and Recreation. The deadline is March 3, 2023. Find out more and enter here.
Byram Schubert Library hosts Connecticut Playmakers
Connecticut Playmakers is going into its 75th year, bringing the “Best of Broadway” to the greater Greenwich community and southwest Connecticut. Through more than 225 productions, from venerable classics: Oklahoma, Brigadoon, and Guys & Dolls; to contemporary favorites: Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Jesus Christ Superstar; to well-known plays: Deathtrap and Mousetrap, the organization has always strived to produce a well-rounded array of theatrical offerings each season. This program will feature Michele Grace and Chris Coogan at the Byram Shubert Library Community Room on Thursday, December 22 from 7-8:00 pm. Read more and register here.
Greenwich Knights of Columbus Christmas Day Luncheon
The Greenwich Knights of Columbus Orinoco Council #39 is pleased to announce the return of the annual Christmas Day Luncheon on Sunday, December 25, at 11:00 am at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 37 West Putnam Avenue.
This time-honored tradition began in 1973 to bring everyone together as a community on this special day and assure that no one spends their Christmas meal alone. Those attending will be provided with a full meal, dessert, beverages and a gift of cookies upon leaving. If you cannot attend in person, volunteers are available to deliver meals to your home, or they will provide transportation to and from the luncheon if you need it. Please sign up online, or stop by the Greenwich Senior Center office. You may also call 203-622-1939 or email kofcgreenwich39@gmail.com if you have questions or would like more information.
The Greenwich Tree Conservancy continues to preserve our local urban forest by planting hundreds of trees around town, hosting professionally guided tree walks in town parks, and advocating for the protection of trees at both the local and state levels. They have planted over 5000 trees since 2007, most recently in the neighborhoods of Byram, Chickahominy & Pemberwick to increase the overall tree canopy throughout town.
Your donation will allow the Conservancy to continue and expand its efforts to protect the beauty and health of the tree canopy of Greenwich. Wishing you a safe and joyous holiday season! https://greenwichtreeconservancy.org/donate/
Greenwich Point Causeway Project
The third phase of the Greenwich Point Causeway construction will begin the week of December 12, 2022. Phase III includes some revetment work on the pond-side of the causeway and stabilizing a section of the adjoining boat yard.
Aside from the possibility of a few, brief, exceptions, we are not anticipating there will be many disruptions to the regular traffic flow until early January.
- Traffic throughout phase III of the project will be handled as follows:
Weekdays: When the pond-side work begins in early January, the causeway will be closed. Vehicle traffic will be permitted up to the main parking lot. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be re-routed to the back of the park and must use those alternate routes to exit the park as well. Please be aware that there will be maintenance vehicles throughout the park during the closure.
- Weekends: Vehicles and cyclists will be permitted to use the causeway (outside of the Safe Roads Sundays (traffic restricted) schedule from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) in its normal one-way direction, when possible. During the construction project, the width of the causeway will be reduced. Due to safety concerns, all foot traffic will be redirected (outside of the Safe Roads Sundays) and pedestrians must use alternate routes to reach the back of the park and to exit.
We anticipate the construction period lasting 3 - 4 months, with completion by early spring. Beginning in January, there will be on-site monitors who can address general questions. Construction-related questions can be emailed to bkerzner@greenwichct.org. We will update the public as necessary. We thank you for your patience throughout this necessary project.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Don’t Drink and Drive!
The Greenwich Police Department and Riverside Service Inc are continuing their partnership this holiday season to make sure all our Town of Greenwich residents make it home safe, so from now until January 2, 2023, Riverside Service Inc is offering all Greenwich residents a FREE safe ride home for you and your car so you don't drink and drive. To make arrangements for this service call the Greenwich Police Department non-emergency number: 203-622-8004.
Local COVID Updates
As of Thursday, December 15th, Greenwich Hospital is treating sixteen (16) COVID positive patients, one of whom is in the ICU on a mechanical ventilator. The Yale New Haven Health System is caring for a total of 164 patients across five hospitals. More Covid-19 data is available from the Greenwich Health Department on the Town website.
Family Centers offers weekly vaccines and testing at Wilbur Peck Court, and the Connecticut Department of Health provides public mobile vaccine clinics.
FIND YOUR BEST FOREVER FRIEND
Meet Penn! He was rescued from an area where there is an abundance of homeless dogs and not a lot of shelter space for them to go to while they wait for their forever homes. He is good with kids and other dogs and will likely do well with cats with the proper introductions. We think Penn will be around 50-60lb full-grown. He's in need of a foster or forever home, so check out more about Penn:
Budget note: As we head toward the First Selectman's budget presentation in January, I would once again like to address unfounded rumors on capital projects. The concept to remake Roger Sherman Baldwin Park does NOT include any additional buildings, including a permanent rink. The idea is to relocate the Parks & Recreation garages so that we are not parking and working on trucks on waterfront property. A new, obstacle free park with walking paths and a better layout is something we have never had there and restoring views of the harbor that we have not had in 70 years are the goals.
As for the surface Island Beach parking lot, the RFP we put out almost two years ago brought in many terrific proposals, but we would like to do one more with a public hearing before going through the usual approval process so that we hear from all residents on what they would like to see there.
Regarding the Havemeyer Building, the special committee I put together is hard at work looking at the deteriorating condition on the building, opportunity cost, what is truly needed by the BOE, what will be the cost (it is a figure in the tens of millions) to renovate, remodel, and bring the facility up to compliance standards of 2022. and ideas about reimaging how to better use this wonderful asset on Greenwich Avenue.
Lastly, on the subject of Nathaniel Witherell, the Town is doing its due diligence with the firm that responded with the most preferred response, though that process is far from over. Please know that we would like the ultimate deciders of the future of the facility (whether it remains a Town department, or we enter into an agreement with an outside company that is actually in the business) to have actual facts on the operations and trends in the industry so that the best possible decision can be made.
Wild, baseless rumors might work to sink some projects and concepts, but they never help the Town and its interests in the long run. Let's all endeavor to research, ask questions, and join the discussion before sending out emails and or posting on social media with misinformation.
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For all our friends of the Jewish faith, I wish you Chag Urim Sameach!
All the best,
Fred