8/21/2020 A Message from First Selectman Bindelglass
Good evening,
It has been a relatively quiet week. We are still cleaning up from the storm and working hard on the Altice/Optimum response. For those of you who have ongoing internet/cable issues, I apologize. We have been in contact with them daily. I had discussed looking into ways we might be able to have another company also offer cable service in Easton. Now may be time.
We have filed a brief to participate in the investigation by the state into the storm response by UI. We will continue to pursue options for legal actions moving forward. One of my biggest concerns is that UI had identified a number of trees that needed to be cut back or removed, but the work was never done. A number of trees that fell during this storm and took down power wires had previously been identified and tagged for removal. The town has taken down hundreds of trees as well but it is difficult to find outside contractors to help further this process even though the money has already been appropriated. We will continue to work on this. Of course the trees are part of the rural beauty of Easton and we remove them with a heavy heart.
This week, we met as an Emergency Management Team (DPW, Police, EMS, and Fire) to do a post-mortem on the storm response. We are working on a number of suggestions and options. I will present a report to the town shortly.
Easton and the state continue to be leaders in dealing with the COVID-19 virus. You could say we are doing really well so we don't have to worry so much, or that we are doing really well because we do worry and are extra conscientious. I chose the latter. Please continue to be good citizens, wear masks in public and social distance. If you are travelling, especially to high risk states, please know and follow the rules. Quarantining when you get home from a travel advisory state is a state mandate, and violations are punishable by fines. Please avoid these states if at all possible. I do believe that if there is resurgence in this state it will come from travelers getting infected out of state and returning here.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rep. Anne Hughes created a COVID Community Response Team to address the need for personal protective equipment and other assistance by recruiting community members and student volunteers. The Community Response Team is seeking volunteers to help build face shields, gowns and masks, as well as donations to support the purchase of materials. The COVID Community Response Team encourages anyone interested in volunteering to build or sew PPE to contact student volunteer Eli Brennan at eli_brennan@outlook.com. Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation can go to SHAREtheProject.networkforgood.com .
Within our town and state outside activities such as sports are carefully restarting and we are monitoring carefully any increase or spike in our numbers. Plans for the Easton schools are available at www.er9.org . As recommended by the state and the health director, we are still holding off on most programs run at the Senior Center.
It is hard to believe that in this strangest of summers, we are already approaching Labor Day and the start of school. Enjoy these next few weeks and stay safe.
Dave Bindelglass