10/13/2023 A Message from First Selectman Bindelglass
Good afternoon,
Like all of us, I woke up on Saturday morning to news of the horrors going on in Israel. As the events unfolded and the news caught up with what is happening, it only got worse and has persisted over the week. In my home, this has dominated conversation all week. As a Jew, this is a very personal thing, but as First Selectman I hope you will all join me in expressing your support for the Israeli people and pray for their safety and for peace. I am working with local clergy to set up a vigil in Easton.
Absentee Ballots became available on Friday October 6th and MUST BE RECEIVED no later than 8:00pm on the day of the election, November 7, 2023. Once you have completed your ballot, you can either deposit in the Official Drop Box or return in person to the Town Clerk's Office which is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. For more information please visit https://www.eastonct.gov/home/news/absentee-ballots-for-the-november-7-municipal-election-will-be-available-friday-october-6
As many of you know, there was a pretty horrific accident Sunday morning on Route 59. Because of the nature of the accident, it took a while to complete the investigation and release details and names. I would refer you to the Easton PD press release for more information.
A number of factors combined have made our streets, especially Sport Hill Road, extremely busy with traffic for Silverman’s farm. This is the height of apple and pumpkin season and both of the last two weekends had total washouts of the Saturdays and beautiful Sundays where people came out in droves. While we are happy to show off our town, and other farms clearly benefit from people passing through town, it is annoying at best. There were a number of folks working to direct traffic with close monitoring by the police. I have discussed this with the Chief of Police and we will continue to look for solutions. Our first concern is safety. Please keep in mind this is several weekends out of the entire year. Apple picking season has ended and crowds should be more manageable. If you live in town you know how to get around avoiding Sport Hill Road so take advantage of back roads. Thank you for your patience.
As I mentioned last week, we accepted the concept of moving ahead with renovating the current EMS headquarters. Now we are starting to move forward with appropriate approvals, surveys and selecting an architect. More to come.
Under bright sunshine on Wednesday, we had a ceremonial closing on the sale of the 19 acres along the Mill River on South Park Avenue to the Aspetuck Land Trust. The land trust unveiled new signage naming the land after former First Selectman William Kupinse and his wife Patricia. While important to preserve this beautiful property, for those of you who are relatively new to town, there has been so much rancor over the fate of this land over the years, that it may be hard to understand how important this is. This has been a long and drawn out process as you can imagine if you have ever been part of any real estate transaction, especially when state government is involved and there are too many people to thank for their part in making this a reality. Congratulations to the people of Easton who voted to make this happen.
Over the past several weeks the Senior Center has provided well over 200 Flu, Covid, RSV and Shingles vaccines to local seniors, including yours truly for Flu and Covid. There is one more date on November 14th from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Great job by the Senior Center for organizing and thank you to Valley Pharmacy.
The Aspetuck Health District will be providing flu shots to Easton residents on Monday, October 16th at the Easton Public Library from 11:00am to 1:30pm. Call 203-227-9571 ext. 235 for an appointment. We accept Medicare, Connecticare, Aetna and Cigna. https://www.eastonct.gov/aspetuck-health-district/news/flu-shots
The upcoming event at the Union Cemetery is a great opportunity for community members to learn more about our town’s past while helping clean and restore one of our oldest cemeteries. The Historical Society is holding two sessions with renowned expert Michael Carroll of Rediscovering History on Saturday, October 21st at 10:00am and 1:00pm. Attendees will be given an overview of cemetery preservation, safety guidelines for cleaning as well as a resetting demonstration. Cleaning kits and supplies will be provided to participants so they can learn first-hand with guidance on a selection of tombstones in need of care. Rediscovering History is a non-profit group of trained volunteers committed to cleaning up our cemeteries, honoring our fallen military members and preserving history. Through cemetery cleanups, they are bringing history to the forefront of our communities. The Historical Society of Easton is proud to sponsor this event and to help the Union Cemetery’s ongoing maintenance and repair costs. Light refreshments will be provided for event participants. Space is limited so we ask those interested to please sign-up early and for one session per person. Please visit the link for tickets and more details. If you are unable to attend, there is donation link if you would like to support our preservation efforts! https://historical-society-of-easton.yapsody.com/event/index/783505/union-cemetery-workshop
On October 26th from 10:00am-11:30am, in the community room of the Easton Public Library there will be a Climate, Coffee & Conversation with Lawmakers sponsored by the Connecticut league of conservation voters (CTLCV). CTCLV is a nonprofit, bipartisan organization working to protect the environment in Connecticut. This free event is designed to provide a unique opportunity for people to engage in meaningful discussions with lawmakers. Hosted by CTLCV, the idea is to offer an opportunity for open dialogue between constituents over a cup of coffee, to foster a deeper understanding of environmental issues and work towards innovative solutions. If you have any questions, please email ctlcv@ctlcv.org or call Julianna at 860-236-5442.
Bring the kids for trick or treat at Easton Town Hall on Tuesday, October 31st, from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. Immediately following, the ever-popular trunk or treat and bonfire will begin at 5:30pm on Tuesday, October 31st at SSES/Morehouse fields. If you are interested in signing up your trunk, please email eastontrunkortreat@gmail.com. This event is free. Candy donations will be accepted at the Park & Recreation office or the Extended Day Program (Room 139 @ SSES) through October 30th.
Have a nice weekend,
Dave