Town Manager's Report - August 3, 2020
COVID 19 Update – Recreation – Aquatics Division
Traditionally Welch & Goslee pools are open through the Labor Day weekend. This summer will be a challenge as many colleges and universities are requiring students to return to campus earlier than usual in order to self-quarantine for up to 14 days prior to the start of the fall semester. This situation may not allow for the appropriate number of lifeguards to staff the outdoor pools. In a typical summer, the pool hours during the week of August 17-21 are Monday-Friday 11:00 a.m. – 7:45 p.m. Beginning Monday, August 24, the pools are closed on weekdays and only open on weekends 11:00 a.m. – 7:45 p.m. through Labor Day.
A number of other area municipalities have already decided to close their pools before Labor Day weekend. Recreation staff is working to maintain adequate staffing levels so that the pools can be opened as many hours as possible.
COVID 19 Update – Senior Center
The Senior Center is planning on beginning an incremental phased-in approach to re-opening beginning in mid-August. There will be no large events such as BINGO or the early bird dinners.
They will look to host a few in person outdoor events at first. In early September they are looking at beginning to host several in person programs that would be held indoors. Staff is in the process of developing a plan to ensure the health and safety of the public and staff.
Dial – A – Ride Transportation services are expected to resume in mid-August. The capacity limits on the buses will be modified to ensure staff and the public are able to be socially distanced.
COVID 19 Update – Discovery Center and Montessori School
The summer program has been running since 6/22/20. The enrollment has doubled since the first week. For the week ending 7/31/20, there were 45 children in attendance.
Fall registration is slowly increasing as the public schools develop and share their plans. Current registration for the fall includes:
- Infant/Toddlers – 5 of 8 spaces are filled
- Montessori toddlers – 12 of 16 spaces are filled
- Primary Montessori – 27 of 42 spaces are filled
Staff is conducting tours for interested families and refining the distance learning plan if it is necessary to suspend in person classes this fall or winter.
COVID 19 Update – Caring Connection
The Caring Connection Adult Day Health Center is planning on beginning a phased-in approach to re-opening beginning August 10th. The first week maximum attendance will be seven per day increasing incrementally throughout the month.
Staff has been in regular contact with clients and their families during their closure with meal deliveries and most recently in-person meetings. Staff has also reached out to several other programs that have begun to reopen, including Hebrew Senior Care Senior Day Center in West Hartford, Day-Break at Hartford and Senior Moments, LLC in Tolland.
Client families have expressed an interest in returning their loved ones to the program as they are returning to work, or are experiencing an increased need for respite. In addition, the coordinator has also been receiving inquiries for new clients.
Staff has coordinated this phase-in opening with the guidance of the Windsor Health Department and in accordance with CDC guidelines. We are fortunate that the Caring Connection facility located at 330 Windsor Avenue is a large open space that is optimal for staff to implement the necessary safety and social distancing guidelines. They have also met with the senior transportation staff to develop a plan whereby safe bus transport will include Caring Connection clients only and not a mix with other senior center transport customers.
Hypertension Workshop Series
Our Health Department is hosting a series of workshops aimed at educating residents about the risk of hypertension and the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. There are four virtual sessions remaining that will be held on August 4th, August 18th, August 25th and September 1st. Sessions are from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
To provide these workshops in a safe and responsible manner, they will be available remotely via ZOOM. Please register for the workshop you are interested in at https://townofwindsorct.com/health/
and we will send you the ZOOM meeting information.
The workshops will be recorded and available for viewing through the town’s website.
2020 Pavement Management Program
The first phase of this year’s pavement rehabilitation projects were recently completed. The next phase of the program includes milling and overlay of all, or a portion of the following streets:
- Kennedy Road
- Mayflower Road
- Pilgrim Road
- Alden Road
- Standish Road
- Bradford Drive
- Priscilla Road
The drainage structures are being replaced by town staff and the work is expected to be completed by August 7th. The roadway surface is scheduled to be milled during the weeks of August 17-28. Paving will commence on August 24th and is expected to be wrapped up by September 4th.