First Selectman’s COVID-19 Update: Most Town Buildings to Reopen - Masks Required
Press Release from First Selectman Jim Marpe issued the following update today:“Effective June 1, Town facilities, including the Westport Library, will be expanding capacity with the goal of returning to full in person and pre-COVID access. However, given the uncertainty of vaccination status, masks will continue to be required in all Town facilities. The following procedures will be in place” - Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe
Yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order enacting updated COVID-19 mask protocols in response to the new recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These recommendations allow fully vaccinated individuals to forego the use of a mask either when outdoors or when indoors with other fully vaccinated individuals. According to the Governor’s order, a face covering is required when indoors in a public place or when safe social distancing of approximately six feet from every other person is not maintained - specifically for those who are not fully vaccinated. Click here to read the entire Executive Order No. 12. According to the Westport Weston Health District, “In accordance with CDC and the CT Department of Public Health guidelines, the use of masks outdoors is no longer required, but recommended if an individual is outdoors in crowded conditions with others of unknown vaccination status and it is not possible to physically distance from others. Businesses, state and local government offices and event organizers may choose to require universal masking when there is uncertainty of the vaccination status of individuals visiting their facility and/or large crowds may be anticipated.” More information from the CT DPH can be found here.
Please note that this guidance does not mean that masks are no longer required or that social distancing is not recommended. Rather, it is a communication to those who are fully vaccinated that they may forego the use of a mask in certain, if not most, circumstances. Individual businesses and offices may continue to require people to wear a mask in their facilities.
Currently, there is no process in place to recognize the vaccination status of others. Because of that uncertainty, it is recommended that individuals err on the side of caution and assume in certain larger gatherings that there are those who are unvaccinated, and a mask should be worn. Since many institutions will follow this logic, most indoor mask wearing provisions will remain in place until there is a higher degree of certainty of increased vaccination rates.
Effective June 1, Town facilities, including the Westport Library, will be expanding capacity with the goal of returning to full in person and pre-COVID access. However, given the uncertainty of vaccination status, masks will continue to be required in all Town facilities. The following procedures will be in place:
Town Hall:
The building continues to be open to the public. Effective June 1, walk-in services for certain departments will be reintroduced. Visitors may park in the front or the rear of the building and enter through the front entrance or the handicap ramp. Sign-in will continue as visitors enter the building at the reception area. Masks will be required to enter Town Hall.
Appointments:
Appointments and remote services continue to be encouraged for the most efficient service. Most appointments will occur in the Town Hall lobby to allow for optimal air circulation and social distancing. For those who prefer to meet outdoors, the exterior tent will be reinstalled.
Plan review meetings with the Land Use Departments (Planning & Zoning, Conservation, Building and Fire Marshal) continue to be encouraged using remote technology, but those requiring in-person meetings that exceed 15 minutes should schedule an appointment during the hours of 9:30 am-12:30 pm Monday – Friday in the Town Hall lobby. Plan review with the Building Department and Fire Marshal will follow the same protocol at Fire Headquarters at 515 Post Road East.
Public Meetings:
Some public meetings will begin to return to in-person attendance by both Board/Commission members and the public. Municipalities are still authorized to host remote public meetings until July. It is expected that additional board, committee and commission in-person meetings will gradually return over this time period. Public meeting announcements will indicate how meetings will be conducted.
Parks & Recreation:
The Parks & Recreation Department will reopen its administrative office to the public beginning June 1. Masks must be worn. Please practice social distancing. Remote and online options remain the preferred methods of interacting with the Parks and Recreation Department.
Police Department:
The Police Department lobby is fully open, including the records window. Follow signage for safety procedures. Remote and online services remain preferred methods of business interaction.
Reopening Updates:
For the latest on reopening updates, please visit here. Our goal is to make the Town’s transition to pre-COVID operations as safe as possible for residents and employees. Your continued patience and cooperation are appreciated.
Certainly, anyone may wear a mask if they prefer to do so. Civil and courteous behavior towards all should continue to be the norm. Some individuals with underlying medical conditions who may be more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 should consider continued mask wearing. Such conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes and those immunocompromised. More information on underlying medical conditions can be found here.
Board of Selectmen Resume In-Person Meeting at Town Hall, Welcomes Public to Attend Socially-Distanced
The Westport Board of Selectman, l-r Second Selectwoman Jen Tooker, First Selectman Jim Marpe, and Third Selectwoman Melissa Kane, met at the Town Hall Auditorium for this morning’s Board of Selectmen meeting. Held virtually since March, the Board members were excited to be back on the stage for the meeting and welcomed members of the public to begin attending meetings in-person at the large meeting space.
The meeting began with members describing announcements for the community, which included the Westport Library’s Booked event with violinist Itzhak Perlman, the beginning of the Westport Farmer’s Market tomorrow , the Westport Women’s Club Art Show, and the Westport Garden Club’s plant sale next week.
They continued the agenda to accept gifts for the Town of Westport Art Collection from notable local artists such as Larry Silver, Jerri Graham, and Naiad and Walter Einsel. The pieces will be added to the collection, which is shared throughout the town’s public buildings, such as the schools, and will include a Fall showing at the MoCA Westport.
They then gave support for a July 11th Westport Artists Collective trunk sale, which will be located in the Jesup Road parking lot. Selectwoman Kane assured that the organization would contact the local businesses whose customers use the lot to park while shopping in the downtown area.
The last three agenda items referred to infrastructure - both digital and physical. The new Town of Westport website system was described as a success, with a request for addition items for the online hosting of Westport’s Zoning and Subdivision Regulations. The website allows for residents and Town employees to quickly access regulations and permits within the Town through a simple to use website. The upgrades would allow the Town to continue its ability to be user-friendly and would coincide with the town’s recent updates to the entire online system. Westport was ahead of the game when the pandemic struck, as many Town functions were already digitized for residents and staff to use.
The Board then discussed a sanitary sewer project in the Main Street area of Gorham Avenue and Lone Pine Lane, for which AI Engineers of Middletown was awarded the design contract. Director of Public Works Peter Ratkiewich said that about 75% of homes in the area were in favor of the upgrades, which was also described as a long-haul project by the Director. The Board supported the contract.
The big ticket item on the agenda was the approval of a contract for a $455,800.00 appropriation for underground fuel and oil tank upgrades at the Parsell Public Works center on the Sherwood Island Connector. The project would upgrade the current tanks to above ground tanks for both vehicle fueling stations as well as the heating oil holding tanks. The Board supported the contract, which was won by American Petroleum Equipment and Construction Company.
First Selectman: No Compo Beach Fireworks this Independence Day
Press Release, First Selectman Jim MarpeTown of Westport officials, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees of the Westport Police Athletic League (PAL), have decided not to hold the annual Compo Beach Independence Day fireworks this year. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), current and expected guidance from the State’s Department of Health (DPH) regarding large-scale events, and the continued uncertainty of the pandemic and its variants have been considered. Based on this information, it is in the best interest of residents, visitors, employees, and the organizers to forego this highly attended event this year.
Although mask wearing rules are being relaxed and we are headed toward widespread vaccination, the CDC and other health and government officials continue to recommend social distancing in large gatherings of any kind for the foreseeable future. Westport Weston Health District Director Mark Cooper stated, “The CDC recommends that everyone, fully vaccinated or not, should social distance and continue wearing masks in crowded settings and outdoor venues like concerts and sporting events where you will be around large groups of strangers. In most outdoor scenarios, the transmission risk is low. However, when outside in places where you are likely to be with many people from outside your household, people must maintain social distancing and should still wear face coverings.”
As a practical matter, there is no way to enforce social distancing and mask wearing in the crowded environment of the Compo Beach fireworks event. It is inadvisable to plan for an event like the Town’s annual fireworks display where thousands of people congregate in close proximity and cannot socially distance. The possibility of alternative sites was considered, but all of them created even greater concerns regarding accessibility, safety and logistics.
Unfortunately, there is no luxury of taking a “wait and see” approach to determine where the community is in its COVID recovery efforts come July. The logistics and the need for early planning, permitting, and funding, as well as arranging for the display itself, requires significant lead time. PAL is the longtime sponsor of this annual event, and, although the Town is very much involved in planning and conducting, it is not Town funded. The decision as to whether to hold this major, large-scale event needed to be made now, based on the information available at this time, and in coordination with all the organizers.
Mr. Marpe stated, “I am disappointed that this year Westport could not hold the large celebration we had hoped for. But our town has come too far in our successful battle to overcome COVID to risk a possible setback by conducting a major gathering prematurely. I am happy that this year’s July 4th holiday still offers an opportunity to celebrate safely with smaller groups of families, friends, and neighbors.”
“We have had tremendous support from so many individuals and town organizations throughout this past year. It took a community-wide effort to manage this devastating health crisis. We have not yet completed the race, but we are closer to the finish line, and nearing a return to normalcy. I am confident that next year’s celebration at Compo Beach will be the most memorable one in many years.”
First Selectman: Beach Passes Begin Tomorrow, Eversource in Hot Water over Poor Storm Isaias Response
Press ReleaseThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has published interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals. Included in the guidance is that fully vaccinated individuals may forego the use of a mask when outdoors, or when in the company of other fully vaccinated individuals. Among other provisions, the use of a mask, and social distancing is still required when in a crowded outdoor setting or when indoors with others who are not vaccinated. The full guidance can be found here.
Last week, we shared Governor Lamont’s announcement to ease the COVID restrictions in the State of CT. Effective tomorrow, May 1, all restaurants will be allowed to remain open until a 12:00 AM closing time. Beverage-only service outdoors will be permissible and the 8-person limit on outdoor dining will be lifted.
As a reminder, as of May 1, vehicle parking emblems will be required on all vehicles to enter Compo, Soundview and Old Mill beach parking lots and on May 29, 2021 at Burying Hill Beach. All vehicle parking emblem purchases must be made online at www.westportrecreation.com. Daily parking for non-residents will be allowed this summer at Compo Beach and Burying Hill Beach. Visit www.westportrecreation.com for daily parking rates.
Effective Wednesday, May 19, all remaining State gathering restrictions will be lifted, except, masks will continue to be required in all indoor public settings where social distancing is not possible. We encourage those who are fully vaccinated to follow the CDC guidance for mask wearing and social distancing in crowded outdoor settings. The State revisions are contingent upon a low incidence of COVID-19 and the Connecticut population continuing to get vaccinated. Additional clarification is still forthcoming.
In our last several messages, we outlined the various town entities and departments that are making efforts to return to normalcy by planning outdoor events and activities this spring and summer. We continue to encourage and support outdoor activities that can be conducted with caution and sensitivity for all. As we reintroduce these types of gatherings, our priority is to maintain the health and safety of residents and employees.
Plans continue for holding the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31, 2021. Organizers will be asking parade participants and observers to create a socially distanced and safe parade by taking into consideration the current conditions and advice from the CDC relative to outdoor gatherings. With hopes for good weather, we are looking forward to this wonderful Westport tradition that honors veterans and service members. We encourage all who attend to wear a mask in crowded areas and to social distance.
We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Walkup clinics that do not require an appointment can be found here.
For the latest updates on COVID-19, visit the Westport Weston Health District website.
PURA Final Decision
On Wednesday, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) released its Final Decision on its investigation into Electric Distribution companies’ Preparation for and Response to Tropical Storm Isaias. As it relates to Eversource, PURA concluded that:
“Eversource did not satisfy the performance standards for managing its municipal liaison program, executing its Make Safe responsibilities, communicating critical information to its customers, or meeting its obligation to secure adequate resources in a timely manner.”
As a result, PURA will consider fines and penalties against Eversource and will require a reduction in ratemaking return on equity for Eversource.
I provided lengthy testimony related to PURA’s investigation on behalf of the many residents who reached out to Town Hall and Town officials in search of support and assistance during the aftermath of Storm Isaias. I am pleased that PURA heard the evidence and is taking significant action to ensure customers receive better service from utility providers during emergency situations. PURA’s full final decision can be found here. For more information on the Town of Westport’s response and follow up on Storm Isaias, please click here.