First Selectman's Report - October 27, 2014
FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT
October 27, 2014
Announcing Leaf Collection 2014
The Town of Simsbury’s Public Works Department is kicking off its annual Leaf Pick-Up with a new on-line program. To find out when your leaves will be picked up, all you have to do is go to the Town of Simsbury website at www.simsbury-ct.gov and click on “Leaf Collection 2014” on the front page under “Town News.” That will take you to a site where you enter your street number and name, and the site will give you the date. Remember that the pick-up is for leaves only, and the leaves must bagged in biodegradable brown paper bags. The leaves must be left at the edge of the road and will be picked up on the scheduled day. The first day of leaf pick-up is on November 12, 2014. I would like to thank Public Works for all that they do. With this new website tool, it has never been easier to find out when the leaf pick-up is taking place!
Don’t Forget to Vote on November 4, 2014
The State-wide election will be held on November 4, 2014. Residents have until tomorrow – Tuesday, October 28, 2014 – to register in person to vote. There are also provisions for registering to vote on the day of the election itself and you can call the Registrars at 860-658-3267 or 3269 if you need more information on this. I encourage you to visit the Town Clerk’s website which has lots of excellent information concerning the election, including sample ballots, the explanatory text for the proposed amendment to the State Constitution regarding absentee ballots, information about how to determine your polling place and much more.
On Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, all polling places will be open from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. The polling places are as follows:
District #1 - Henry James Memorial School, 155 Firetown Road, Simsbury
District #2 - Latimer Lane School, 33 Mountain View Road, Weatogue
District #3 - Tootin' Hill School, 25 Nimrod Road, West Simsbury
District #4 - Tariffville Grammar School, 42 Winthrop Street, Tariffville
Once again, if you don’t know your voting district, just visit the Town Clerk’s website at www.simsbury-ct.gov, click on Departments and click on “Town Clerk.” You will find a tool that allows you to put in your address to identify your polling place. I would like to thank the Town Clerk and the Registrars of Voters for everything they do to ensure a fair and accessible election process.
Don’t Forget Our Halloween Party on Thursday, October 30, 6:00 to 7:00 at the Simsbury Public Library!
Just a reminder that our Culture, Parks and Recreation Department, Social Services Department and the Simsbury Public Library are putting together a wonderful Halloween party at the Library on October 30, 2014 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm with a wide range of activities and, of course, treats! Don’t forget to wear your costumes and be prepared to have lots of fun!
Farmington Valley Health District Continues to Monitor Ebola Status
As you all know, the Farmington Valley Health District serves as the Town of Simsbury’s Health Department. The Health District recently met with Town emergency personnel, including representatives from the Police Department, the Fire Department and our volunteer Ambulance organization to review its protocols and procedures for responding to infectious diseases including early identification of cases and strategies to control the spread of illness. The Health District is working closely with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to ensure that it stays current with the guidance coming out of the Governor’s office and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The Director of the Health District, Jennifer Kertanis, told us that the best precautions residents can take are already familiar to us:
• Stay home when you are sick to prevent the spread of your illness to co-workers, teachers and classmates.
• Get a flu shot—the flu kills thousands of people a year and contributes to significant sick time from school and work.
• Wash hands regularly with warm water and soap and reinforce this practice with children.
• When you do cough or sneeze—cough into your elbow, use a tissue and immediately wash your hands.
• Always avoid contact with someone else’s bodily fluids including blood, vomit and urine.
For information about Ebola, I recommend that you visit the State of Connecticut’s website on the subject which you can find at www.ct.gov/ebola. The site provides risk information about Ebola virus infection, a map of the West African countries affected by Ebola, and information about actions the state of Connecticut is taking to prevent the spread of the virus should someone in Connecticut become sick with Ebola. The site provides links to additional resources and information from the CDC and other partners. In addition to the state website, residents with questions about Ebola or other infectious diseases should contact the Farmington Valley Health District at 860-352-2333 for the most current information.
Chief Ingvertsen, Captain Boulter Honored as Among First 100 Plus by Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence
I am pleased to report that our Chief of Police, Peter Ingvertsen and Police Captain Nicholas Boulter are being honored by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence as First 100 Plus “men who have made a difference in [the Coalition’s] work to assist victims of domestic violence in Connecticut.” CCADV research reveals a pressing need for public education with regard to awareness of domestic violence risk factors for potential lethality. The State of Connecticut has averaged 14 domestic violence homicides annually over the past decade. Chief Ingvertsen and Captain Boulter have worked with organizations like CCADV and Interval House and demonstrated leadership on this and a wide range of public safety issues. It is no surprise that they are being recognized state-wide for their leadership in this very difficult area.