Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 17; One Death; State Positivity Rate 3.14%
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 17 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 1,295 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 27 deaths.
State Daily Test Positivity: 3.14%
10.8 Billion Dollar 2020 Grand List Announced; Down 5.4% from 2019
Town Assessor Paul Friia announced today that he signed the October 1, 2020 Grand List as required by state statute.
The net 2020 Grand List of $10,830,370,714 represents a decrease of approximately 5.4 percent from the net 2019 Grand List of $11,445,273,580 and was due mostly to the recently completed revaluation of October 1, 2020. The Grand List is the sum of the net assessed value of all taxable property – real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property.
While the overall Real Estate Grand List declined from the 2015 assessments, the actual percentage of change without the revaluation influence was an increase of just under 1.0 percent. This increase is a result of continued new residential and commercial construction as well as renovation activity that occurred within the last assessment year. Work was completed on the new assisted living facility at 1141 Post Road East and the gas station at 1830 Post Road East, while work continues on the condominium development at 500 Main Street and residential units at 41 Richmondville Road. Westport remains a community of great interest to businesses and new residents as evidenced in the significant increase in sales since the beginning of 2020.
While real estate is updated based on the market values determined every five years, motor vehicles and personal property is valued annually. The increase in the Motor Vehicle Grand List was approximately 3.9%. The Personal Property Grand List remained largely unchanged from last year, due to both the closure of businesses and a slowdown of new business openings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Totals:
Real Estate: $10,148,497,205 (93.70%)
Motor Vehicle: $364,441,700 (3.37%)
Personal Property: $317,431,809 (2.93%)
TOTAL: $10,830,370,714 (100%)
Top 10 Taxpayers 2020:
Connecticut Light & Power Inc. : Pers. Property ($140,509,070)
60 Nyala Farms Road LLC: Real Estate ($83,338,970)
Bedford Square Assoc LLC: Real Estate ($53,321,200)
Equity One Westport Vill. Center: Real Estate ($ 33,126,100)
Byelas LLC: Real Estate ($24,856,700)
Aquarion: Real/Pers. Prop. ($24,148,760)
LCB Westport LLC: Real/Pers. Prop. ($22,302,600)
1735 Ashley LLC: Real Estate ($20,310,860)
285 & 325 Riverside LLC: Real Estate ($19,470,500)
Ronnie F Heyman Trustee: Real Estate ($ 18,214,400)
MoCA Celebrates Season with Winter Lights Festival February 27
Press ReleaseMoCA Westport and the Up | Next Teens organization invite the community to attend an experiential Winter Lights Festival at MoCA Westport (19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport) on Saturday, February 27th from 12 - 6 p.m.
The Festival will feature a Maker and Crafts space in a large airy outdoor tent including supplies and step-by-step instructions for families to work together to create winter-themed decorations. These decorations will be incorporated into a walk-through Light Path, which will be lit at sun down. The public is invited to view the experience through the following weekend.
Attendees will also experience live performances by local high school musicians, can purchase delicious food offerings from The Melt on-site truck, and enjoy complimentary hot cocoa from Sheila Barton Events.
The Festival also includes complimentary access to MoCA Westport’s exhibition, Hindsight is 2020, featuring close to 200 high school student artists from across the region.
Members of MoCA Westport’s Teen Council will be on site to share their artwork and unique goods available for purchase during the entirety of the afternoon.
Tickets for the event are now available for purchase on mocawestport.org for two-hour blocks of time. Tickets for MoCA Westport Members are $25/family or $10/individual; Non-Members can purchase tickets for $30 family/$15 individual.
MoCA Westport Executive Director Ruth Mannes stated, “We are so thrilled to work with the Up | Next Teens organization to share this event with our members and friends. We invite all new and familiar faces to MoCA Westport to enjoy this immersive experience combining the arts, music, food, and community.”
Addison Moore, the Up | Next founder added, “Everyone says that we are the future. But there is no future without a vision for success. Up | Next is excited to partner with MoCA Westport as we work hard to help local teens flex their muscles of new ideas, imagination and creativity. When it comes to innovative leadership, we’re up next.”
Up | Next is a student run organization designed to address three major goals, 1) Supporting a cause: that of helping feed those in need, 2) Educating teens: teaching youth how to invest in business, manage business, and be leaders in business, and 3) Providing support to youth to bring their project’s vision to fruition. To learn more about Up | Next, please contact the organization at UpNextMail1@gmail.com.
The event is also in partnership with the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce.
All State of Connecticut safety protocols will be explicitly followed, including wearing of face masks, social distancing, and timed visits.
In case of inclement weather, the rain date for the event will be Saturday, March 6th.
For more information on the Winter Lights Festival, please visit mocawestport.org or contact MoCA Westport at info@mocawestport.org or 203/222-7070.