Town Manager's Report - July 10, 2023
Active Spring and Summer
This spring and early summer has been a busy and productive time for departments and the Town Manager’s Office. Dozens of summer seasonals have been hired to staff our recreation camps and programs. Ten full-time positions have been filled in departments ranging from Public Works, Police to Library and Public Relations. Thank you to our hiring managers in each department as well as our three-person Human Resources Department. The police department has also made several promotions to the positions of Lieutenant and Sargent.
We have hired a part-time zoning enforcement inspector which was a new position in the adopted FY 24 budget. The primary focus this summer will be on addressing the parking of larger commercial trucks in residential zones. We also continue efforts to address unregistered and inoperable vehicles in residential areas.
Public Works and Engineering have completed the first round of street repaving projects and now are preparing for the second round of streets which will be paved later this month and early August. Also, the northbound lanes of International Drive are being reconstructed using a State grant. This project is expected to be completed mid-summer.
Lastly, staff has continued to facilitate the installation of solar arrays at the Poquonock Fire Station, 340 Bloomfield Ave as well as the Police and Public Works facilities on Addison Road. Assistant Town Manager Scott Colby continues to work on a potential virtual net metering project with a private vendor which would substantially increase the amount of electricity the town utilizes through renewable energy sources.
Pickleball and Tennis Courts at LP Wilson Community Center
The new cement courts have been poured and are now curing for the next several weeks. Once the courts have cured in accordance with engineering specifications, the final surface and line striping will occur. Fencing will also be installed as well as a shade structure. Weather permitting, it is expected that the facility will be ready for use in mid-August.
Summer Block Parties
The Windsor Youth Services Bureau and Windsor Police Department invite families to come out and play at our annual Community Block Party Series! The block parties run from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM and admission is a school snack donation for the Weekend Wheels program.
Families can enjoy tie-die shirts, bounce houses, face painters, henna artists, music, and free food! This event is created by the Windsor Youth Services Bureau Summer Teen Employment Program to promote family fun and community spirit in a substance-free environment. Parties will be held at:
- Sharshon Park Block Party – Friday, July 14th (Skitchewaug Street)
- Lancaster Park Block Party – Friday, July 28th (Lancaster Drive)
- Deerfield Park Block Party – Friday, August 11th (Seymour Street)
For more information please call the Windsor Youth Services Bureau at 860-285-1946 or visit townofwindsorct.com/recreation/ysb/.
CHR Mental Health First Aid (MHFA Certification
Our Social Services and Youth Services Bureau are once again offering the two-part Mental Health First Aid certification course on September 18 & 19 from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the L.P. Wilson Community Center. Taught by an instructor from Community Health Resources, this free course is for those 18 and older interested in learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. This course was held previously last May with 21 residents participating. Register at www.townofwindsorct.com/recreation or call 860-285-1839 to register.
Windsor Garden Tour
“Windsor Gardens – Rhythm & Soul,” Garden Tour will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at eight garden locations in Windsor, CT. Brought to you by the Windsor Garden Club and participating Windsor residents. This year will be unique in that we are featuring both beautiful, traditional gardens and showcasing gardens that reflect themes of sustainability and community.
Tickets are $25 per person. To purchase tickets, go to the Windsor Garden Club at https://www.facebook.com/windsorctgardenclub/ or at The Blue Dragonfly, Jordan Florist, or Woodland Gardens in Manchester. This event is rain or shine.
CT DOT Wrong Way Detection System
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) is designing a Wrong Way Detection System to be installed at 42 limited access highway off-ramps that are considered high-risk locations for wrong-way drivers. A Wrong Way Detection System may consist of radar, video and/or thermal cameras. These devices will be deployed at off-ramps as the primary detection for wrong-way vehicles. The detection will activate flashing red circular lights located on the wrong-way signs alerting drivers they are traveling in the wrong direction and need to take corrective action. Connecticut State Police and CT DOT’s Newington Headquarters will be alerted if a driver continues driving in the wrong way. It is anticipated that the project will be advertised for construction in August.
In Windsor, CT DOT plans to install these systems at the five following locations.
- Windsor – Route 20, East – Route 75
- Windsor – I-291 West – Exit 1
- Windsor – I-91 South – Exit 38A-38B
- Windsor – Route 20 East – Hamilton Road
- Windsor – I-91 North – Exit 34
Motor Vehicle Break Ins
As has been the experienced across the region and state in the past several years, there was a rash of car burglaries in a few areas of town recently. We once again are urging residents and business owners to take care to lock their vehicles, remove any valuable items from them and if possible park in well-lighted areas.
Police Officers on the overnight shifts patrol both residential and commercial areas. Unfortunately, it does not take long for individuals to hit an area and flee prior to police being notified. Individuals committing these types of crimes may be using stolen vehicles or on occasion steal a vehicle they have broken into. Therefore, similar to other area towns, the Police Department has deployed Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) to increase crime prevention and reduction.
In 2019, the department deployed two mobile license plate readers on patrol vehicles. Building on this, the department has deployed six fixed cameras at various locations in town, focusing on the I-91 corridor from exits 34 through 39 as well as in the town center. The units are motion activated and only take a still image of passing vehicles.
The images capture objective data and do not capture occupant descriptions. The ALPR system will alert police in real-time when a vehicle is identified as stolen, or a known or wanted suspect vehicle from a state or national crime database enters the town, or if a vehicle involved in an Amber Alert or Silver Alert is detected. The cameras are not “red light” cameras and are not intended for traffic enforcement or parking violations.
The ALPR system can assist officers in detecting crimes as well as identifying, apprehending, and convicting individuals associated with criminal activity.