5/3/2024 A Message from First Selectman Bindelglass
Good afternoon,
On Monday, we held our Annual Town Meeting, thank you Tom Herrmann for moderating. We discussed the budgets for the town, the Easton Board of Education and Region 9 (Joel Barlow High School). The total increase in expenditures is 2.87%. We hope that you will support those budgets. We discussed making changes to the demolition delay ordinance, passed in 2022, to make its focus more on historic preservation and to expand its membership. The larger membership will allow the committee to be recognized by the state in applying for certain grants. The amendments to the ordinance passed by a voice vote. The last consideration was the town’s proposed lease with the New England Prayer Center on the South Park property. The Blazes, who run the center, are holdover tenants on the South Park Property and have been good tenants for years. Having a formal lease protects them and the town going forward, while maintaining the status quo which has been good for both, and provides the town with a revenue stream which helps offset our debt payments. I hope that you will vote yes for this as it is endorsed by the Board of Selectmen (see today’s Easton Courier).
Last night at the Board of Selectmen meeting, we decided to establish a committee to review the structure and procedures of the fire department. We are ready to work on updating communications and other recommendations from our consultants as well as preparing for possible changes in OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rules for fire departments. We also heard a presentation by the Park and Recreation Commission Subcommittee, looking at ways to update their long-term plans. Lastly, we approved the purchase and sale agreement for 444 Sport Hill road as part of the EMS renovation project. Prior to closing on this property, the appropriate testing of the soil will be completed.
The Electronics Recycling Event will take place on Saturday, May 4th from 10:00am-2:00pm at Samuel Staples Elementary School. Also, on Saturday, May 4th from 11:00am-1:00pm will be the Easton Electric Car Show at SSES. Both events are sponsored by the Easton Energy & Environmental Task Force.
Easton families are welcome to attend our Annual Fishing Derby on Sunday, May 5th from 8:00am-10:30am at Easton's Aspetuck Park, 369 Black Rock Road for ages 15 and under. No pre-registration is required. Bring your family, chairs, snacks and your fishing poles. We will provide the live worms. Prizes will be awarded in 3 categories at 10:30am, Biggest Fish, Smallest Fish, Largest Tagged Fish.
Everyone in Easton participates in a community sponsored recycling program which is paid for with tax dollars. Currently we pay $63.09 per ton for recycled waste. Of that amount it is estimated that $18.37 per ton of that cost is what is paid to clean up residual waste on recyclables. That means when you put a jar with leftover food in it in your recycling bin there is a significant increase in the cost to recycle it. Cleaning our recyclables better would create a significant savings. Our anticipated costs for recycling this year is $277,982, so we are talking about big numbers.
From the Aspetuck Health District: May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month is an excellent reminder that checking yourself, children, and pets each day is an important way to reduce the possibility of tick-borne illness. The mild winter and wet spring means that the tick population will be especially active. The Health District will identify ticks for a $10 fee and send ticks to the State of Connecticut laboratory for testing if appropriate.
Rabies is a deadly virus. Human exposure can result after a family pet has come into contact with a rabid animal. If your pet had physical contact with a wild animal, please keep your animal outside of your house and away from people until it has been assessed. If you must tend to your pet, wear gloves. Call your veterinarian and your town’s Animal Control. Bats found in the home are another source for human exposure. Bats that meet certain criteria can be tested for rabies at the state lab. Call the Health District at 203.227.9571 ext. 235. with any questions or if you are concerned about potential human exposure.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) reminds everyone to check their skin for signs of skin cancer. People of all skin tones develop skin cancer. A lifelong habit of checking your skin can help you spot signs early. Protecting your skin from the sun plays a key role in preventing skin cancer.
Please visit the Easton Senior Center for the ½ price tag sale through May 16th. All proceeds benefit the senior center.
Easton’s Here to Help is looking for parents and guardians of Easton students to participate in an ongoing survey. This survey touches on substance use, knowledge of products, social media, and other challenges parents and guardians may be facing. Participants can remain anonymous, and by completing this survey it will help EHTH understand what areas need to be addressed to better help our community. The survey can be completed by clicking https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdk-utdHoYMO-Pv9lqyMYxQ2NBueVyL7DTmWPeMo2EHy2iqSQ/viewform.
Have a good weekend,
Dave