10/21/22 A Message from First Selectman Bindelglass
Good afternoon,
At last night’s Board of Selectmen, we made several new appointments to boards and commissions. We reviewed a proposed new fee structure for the Planning and Zoning permits which will be attached to the Board of Selectmen minutes on the town website. The Selectmen plan to ask the Board of Finance for funds to repair the roof on the barn that is on the 10.9 remaining acres at South Park. We are looking to retain an outside expert attorney to advise us on whether we can enforce the 5G moratorium that has been in place for the last several years.
Absentee Ballots are available at the Town Clerk’s office for the November 8, 2022, State Election and federal elections. Please copy and paste the following link into your browser for further information https://www.eastonct.gov/home/news/absentee-ballots-available-for-november-8-2022-state-election-available-today-friday
Also, as some of you know the state legislature has redrawn the boundaries of the state assembly (house) districts. For years, all of Easton has been included within the 135th district. That is no longer the case and part of Easton is now in the 112th district. If you follow the link above, the process is explained. The candidates for the 135th are incumbent Democrat, Ann Hughes and Republican Alex Burns, and in the 112th incumbent Republican Tony Scott, and Democrat Sheila Papps.
This year’s ballot is a very important question about amending the state constitution to allow for early voting. Most states in the country have provisions for early voting. Connecticut has only the standard absentee ballot system, but no way for people to vote prior to election day. Obviously, this is designed to allow more people to participate in our elections. Please give some thought to this question and look for it on the ballot.
Regarding the situation at EVS, recent water tests conducted by the Aspetuck Health District indicate that there is no harmful oil, gasoline or other such products in the wells serving the Fire House and EMS buildings. No bacterial contamination was found in either well. There were some common physical parameters that were elevated such as color, hardness and sodium. Similar to many household wells, these can be due to iron, turbidity and/or calcium which can be reduced with treatment. The Health District has recommended a water treatment professional be consulted to determine appropriate treatment options and has discussed this with the two organizations. The final water test reports will be posted with the Board of Selectmen minutes on the town website.
There are several roads in town in various states of disrepair that the town expects to repave soon. We are unfortunately being held up by Frontier which has dug trenches in several locations to lay fiber. Due to some problems in other towns, the state regulatory agency PURA has made them redo a number of locations and that has delayed their work in Easton. We continue to push them to finish quickly so DPW can pave the roads. I apologize for the inconvenience.
The Flu Clinic is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th from 2:00pm-3:30pm at the Easton Public Library Community Room. To schedule your appointment, please call 203-227-9571 x241. Insurances accepted are Medicare B, Aetna, Cigna, Connecticare. The necessary paperwork and self-pay cost information can be found on wwhd.org.
DON’T MISS THE 1ST ANNUAL FREE SPIRIT FESTIVAL DAY sponsored by the Easton Park & Rec Department, Cemetery Committee and Christ Church on Saturday, October 29th. The day will start with a 5K walk/run starting and ending at Christ Church. On site, there will be pumpkin decorating, face painting, a fun run and much more. The Union Cemetery of Easton will be on site and the Easton Public Library is offering two sessions for children. Please go to https://www.eastonlibrary.org/ as REGISTRATION is REQUIRED FOR BOTH EVENTS. More information can be found on https://eastonct.myrec.com/info/default.aspx
On Saturday, October 29th from 10am-2pm at Samuel Staples Elementary School the Town will host an Electronics and Prescription Drug Take Back Event.
For more information and to view a list of accepted items for Electronics Recycling copy and paste this link to your browser: https://www.eastonct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3071/f/news/electronics_and_prescription_drug_take-back_0.pdf
Halloween is coming! There are so many wonderful Fall and Halloween activities that you can find at our farms. It is well worth visiting them. The Annual Trunk or Treat and Bonfire hosted by the Easton Park & Rec Department, Redding Girl Scouts and The Lions Club will take place on Monday, October 31st at 5:30pm at Samuel Staples. Please come join the fun!
Unfortunately, even the happiest of events can also have a dark side. There have been concerns about the production of candy which is actually laced with an extremely dangerous drug called Fentanyl. Attached are some safety tips from the health department.
With Halloween right around the corner, the Aspetuck Health District is encouraging the community to practice the following tips for a safer and fun-filled holiday:
- When trick or treating, allow kids to only take candy and treats from trusted neighbors, family, and friends. Don’t eat candy until it has been inspected at home. Check wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers.
- Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape so you’ll be more visible; carry a flashlight.
- Make sure your child can see! Masks and large hats or wigs can block vision. All costumes should be fire-resistant.
- For older children who may be trick or treating without parental supervision, set a curfew and remind kids to stick with a group and check in with parents periodically.
- If you are out driving, remember that kids tend to dart across streets and may not be paying attention to their surroundings. Slow down and keep your eyes peeled.
For general public awareness, the Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced an emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available across the United States. Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” in the media, these colorful pills could be mistaken for candy by children and young people. It has recently been reported that some fentanyl laced pills that look like candy have also been packaged in bags that look like popular Halloween candy. Authorities in California recently found the dangerous opioid inside boxes of Sweetarts, Skittles, and Whoppers.
Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid that is being pressed into fake pills or cut into heroin, cocaine, and other street drugs to drive addiction. Fentanyl is being seized in multiple forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that resemble sidewalk chalk. Parents and caregivers need to be educated on current drug trends and have conversations with their children, as appropriate. For more information and tips about how to talk with your child about drugs, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill
Stay alert and make sure there is more treats than tricks this Halloween.
Have a great weekend,
Dave