Town Manager's Report - October 4, 2021
There’s a lot to do in Windsor this weekend!
Make plans to be in Windsor Center this Saturday, October 9th – you won’t be disappointed.
- The Windsor Jaycee’s will be hosting the 25th annual Chili Challenge on the town green from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Many local businesses, civic groups and creative cooks will be there with some of the best chili you have ever tasted.
- In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Windsor Human Relations Commission will sponsor a Salsa Dance lesson during the Chili Challenge. Jeremy Gonzalez will lead the demonstration and instruction which will take place in front of Town Hall from noon to 1:00 pm. For details and to sign up, go to the town’s website at townofwindsorct.com.
- Start your holiday shopping early at the Lions Club 46th Annual Fall Arts and Crafts Festival, also on the town green from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- The annual Kiwanis Club Canoe Race to benefit the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank will be held from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the green for those who would like to make a donation.
- The Windsor Garden Club will be hosting a plant sale near the Eagle Green in front of the library from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Inside the library, an opening reception from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM will be held for Barbara Alex, the Artist in Residence.
- Next door at Grace Episcopal Church a rummage sale will be held from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Finally, a short jaunt down Palisado Avenue, the Windsor Historical Society’s “All Together Windsor” 100th anniversary celebration will be taking place from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM featuring live music, interactive displays and a variety of food vendors.
There’s something for everyone this Saturday in Windsor Center and plenty of time to take it all in! Enjoy a wide variety of fun fall activities while supporting these valuable community partners.
Visit the town’s website at www.townofwindsorct.com for a map and more details.
Shred Event
Windsor Federal Bank will be sponsoring a shred event for all Windsor residents. The event will take place on Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at 250 Broad Street. Please note that this is for paper only and no media. Paper clips are okay but no binders, metal etc. will be accepted for shredding.
Windsor’s 2021 Leaf Collection Program Starts on October 18th
Windsor’s 2021 leaf collection program will begin on Monday, October 18th and will end on Friday, December 10th. During this eight-week period, your leaves will be picked up on the same day as your trash pick-up.
Residents must place their leaves at the curb in 30 to 40-gallon paper leaf bags. Leaves may also be placed in similar-sized containers that are labeled with a “Leaves Only” sticker that can be easily identified by the driver (the sticker facing the road). Residents can obtain these stickers at the Town Hall or the Windsor Transfer Station.
The transfer station also accepts residents’ leaves at no charge and uses them to produce compost. Leaves must be clean and must not contain other items that will compromise the quality of the mulch that will be created. These items include grass clippings, branches, or other items.
If you choose to self-haul your leaves to the transfer station, there is no charge during this period for dropping off clean loads of leaves, (no contaminants or plastic bags).
The transfer station accepts leaves Mondays and Fridays from 8:00 AM to 2:45 PM, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 2:45 PM, and Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM. Residents should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to closing to allow sufficient time to unload their vehicles. The Windsor Transfer Station is closed on Thursday and Sunday. It is located at 500 Huckleberry Road in Windsor. If you have any questions regarding recycling or composting in Windsor, please call the Transfer Station at 860- 285-1833.
COVID Vaccination
As of September 29, 2021, 68.61% of our total population was fully vaccinated. This is up from 66.86% as of September 8th. This is also 4.07 percentage points higher than the state-wide rate of 64.54%.
77.52% of town residents, 12 years old and above, have been fully vaccinated. This is up from 75.54% as of September 8th. This is 2.07 percentage points higher than the state- wide rate of 75.45%.
In the month of October, the town’s Health Department will be conducting several COVID vaccination clinics. Dates and locations can be found on the town’s website.
Also, private providers such as the two CVS locations in town are offering COVID vaccinations as well.
Flu Vaccine Updated Information and Clinics
As the 21-22 Flu Season approaches, there is some uncertainty about this year’s flu season. Some experts predict a difficult one.
There were low levels of flu activity last year (Flu Season 20-21) due to the mitigation strategies that were in place for COVID-19 prevention. The mitigation strategies that were employed last year prevented influenza transmission, so there are not many people who were recently infected. Therefore, it is important for persons to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families and their communities and avoid the potential of having both influenza and COVID-19 as well as overburdening the healthcare system.
Therefore, to meet the need to get persons vaccinated, the Windsor Health Department is busy hosting Flu Vaccine Clinics in Windsor. Clinics have been planned and offered at the Windsor Public Schools as well as private schools. The vaccine is also offered to all Town of Windsor staff and clinics are set up at departments located off-site.
In addition, the Windsor Health Department will host a Flu Vaccine Clinic at the Health and Harvest Fair at the Senior Center on October 7th for those 55 years and older as well as disabled adults 18 years and older. Another public clinic will be held at Town Hall on Monday, October 25th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
The Windsor Health Department also partners with local businesses and organizations if they request flu vaccines for their staff or residents and continues to work in partnership with the town of South Windsor to administer flu vaccines on Wednesday, October 20th at one of the South Windsor Fire Stations.
For more information on the flu vaccine, visit the town website at www.townofwindsorct.com and follow updates on our social media platforms.
November 2, 2021 Municipal Election
The 2021 Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 2nd. All polling locations will be open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Absentee ballots are available in the Windsor Town Clerk’s office to voters this year. Any voter wishing to vote by absentee ballot, in the municipal election, may download an application from the town’s website at www.townofwindsorct.com or can call the Town Clerk’s office at 860-285-1902. Absentee ballot applications will not be automatically mailed out
Those eligible for absentee ballots include military personnel; anyone who will be absent from Windsor on Election Day; anyone who is unable to get to the polls on Election Day due to illness or physical disability; anyone whose religious beliefs forbids them from voting on Election Day, anyone who is working at a polling place other than their own district; or for the reason of COVID.
Windsor Job Fair
Our Economic Development Department and Windsor Chamber of Commerce are collaborating on a Community Job Fair. This event is in response to the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses and an increased need to recruit employees.
The Job Fair will be held on Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Community Center, 330 Windsor Avenue. It will be free and open to job seekers and the public.
Local businesses will be invited to pre-register to secure a free table for the event. More information regarding the Job Fair will be circulated in the coming week.