Town Manager's Report - November 15, 2021
Public Building Commission
Thank you to Rick Hazelton, Chairperson of the Public Building Commission and his fellow commission members for their fine work overseeing the two large public safety facility projects to fruition. These projects have been the town’s largest capital projects in over two decades.
Friends of Northwest Park
I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to all of the volunteer members of the Friends of Northwest Park for helping to grow the park into the gem that it is. Their collective passion and dedication are recognized and greatly appreciated.
Winter Parking Rules
As a reminder, from November 15th to April 15th of each year, there is no parking on Windsor streets between the hours of 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM.
Also, there is no parking on any street during a snow or ice storm that has been in progress for 1 hour or more. Residents are asked to not leave their vehicle on the street in such a position that it impedes snowplowing operations or the free flow of traffic.
Please remember to clear sidewalks (and fire hydrants if there is one abutting your property) within 12 hours after a storm in accordance with our code of ordinances.
Town Hall Closed Thursday and Friday
Town offices will be closed on Thursday, 11/25, and Friday, 11/26, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
COVID-19 Vaccination
Per data published by the CT DPH on November 10th, 71.12% of our total population has been fully vaccinated, while the state-wide rate is 67.77%. Our rate is up from 69.17% on October 6th. Of those persons 12 years and older, the town’s vaccination rate is 80.35%, the state-wide rate is 77.79%.
The state has not yet published vaccination rates for children 5 year to 11 years old.
Lifting of Mask Mandate
After consulting with the Health Department and due to the steady decrease of COVID-19 cases in the Town of Windsor, the town has lifted the indoor mask order effective this past Friday evening.
The town and school buildings will operate under current State of Connecticut guidance and regulations. Please be advised that it is recommended that you wear a mask while inside for your safety and the safety of others. Unvaccinated individuals will still be required to wear a mask per State of Connecticut guidance.
As background, when the mask requirement was put in place in mid-August we were part of a voluntary county-wide effort as the number of positive cases were increasing. At the time we were using the CDC’s Community Transmission metrics as a guide. In late October the majority of Hartford county towns had lifted their community-wide indoor mask requirements as overall positive cases declined and vaccination rates increased. The indoor mask order was lifted based on Windsor’s lower positivity rate, a town vaccination rate of over 71% and no other towns in the region having a mask requirement.
Moderna Booster Shot Clinics – Town of Windsor
The Moderna booster shot has been approved by federal agencies and the Health Department anticipates holding COVID Booster Shot Clinics starting the first week in November. Clinics will run from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and anticipated dates are listed below:
Tuesday, November 16 – Windsor – 330 Windsor Ave
Thursday, November 18 – South Windsor – Evergreen Way
Tuesday, November 23 – Windsor – 330 Windsor Ave
Wednesday, November 24 – South Windsor – Evergreen Way
Appointments are needed for these clinics and will be through the statewide VAMS software.
Also, please remember to get your annual flu shot.
Windsor Small Business & Nonprofit Recovery Grant program
Does your business or nonprofit need help? A recovery grant program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, is now available and was established to provide limited, one-time direct financial assistance to eligible Windsor small businesses and nonprofits that employ 25 or fewer employees and that have been adversely impacted by the COVID pandemic. It is intended to help small businesses and nonprofits recover from the public health emergency and become stronger in the current marketplace. An Application Workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. for those interested in applying for the program. The workshop will provide an online overview of the grant program. The grant application and review process will be described. You will need to register in advance for this meeting. Please go to:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrfuyvqjIsG9xIGR6xXqj27jbog01iIlhY. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions related to the Small Business and Nonprofit Recovery Grant Program should be directed to Patrick McMahon at mcmahon@townofwindsorct.com. Applications are due no later than December 7, 2021.
Fifth Annual Cards for the Troops
The Youth Services Bureau is collecting holiday cards for our fifth Annual Cards for Troops! We are asking that the Windsor community take some time to create holiday cards at home and then drop them off at the Youth Services Bureau located at the L.P. Wilson Community Center, 599 Matianuck Avenue. The collection ends Monday, November 29th. This will ensure that the troops get their cards delivered in time for the holiday! This event is for all ages, and registration is not required. Call the Youth Services Bureau at (860) 285-1946 for more information.
Windsor Youth Theater – ‘Knight Past Dawn’ and ‘Pirates Past Noon’ performances
The Windsor Youth Theatre presents the ‘Magic Treehouse Musical’. Enjoy live performances of both “The Knight at Dawn” and “Pirates Past Noon.”
The performance dates are Saturday, November 20th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 21st at 2:00 p.m. at the LP Wilson Community Center Auditorium. Tickets are $12.00 for adults and $10.00 for students/seniors. For more information, call 860-285-1990.