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.
Lord and Taylor, Danbury Mall Paediatric Vaccination Clinics Open for Ages 12-15
The Community Health Center has announced that registration is open for their Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at the Lord & Taylor site in Stamford, and the Danbury Mall site in Danbury, Connecticut. The paediatric clinics will offer six days of vaccines, each with their own respective second-dose date.
According to the Center, parents will be asked to electronically give consent for their child to receive the vaccine, and “even though they have already given consent through this process, we strongly encourage the parents to attend the vaccination clinic with their child.” a center representative said in a release. Questionnaires and consent forms will also be given at the site, or can be found here.
Parents can sign up for the Danbury Mall and Lord & Taylor vaccine clinics through the VAMS website, the Vaccine Appointment Assistance Line (1-877-918-2224), or by registering directly through the Community Health Center direct links (below).
Lord & Taylor Dates and Registration:
110 High Ridge Road, Stamford, Connecticut
Lord & Taylor, May 13th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 14th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 15th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 16th: Click here to register,
Lord & Taylor, May 17th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 18th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall Dates and Registration:
7 Backus Avenue, Danbury, Connecticut. The entrance to the site is located near the former Sears auto center in the parking lot. Please follow the directional signage to enter the area.
Danbury Mall, May 13th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 14th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 15th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 16th: Click here to register,
Danbury Mall, May 17th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 18th: Click here to register
Westport Public Schools named “Best Community for Music Education” Ninth Year in a Row
The Staples High School Jazz Band prepares a pre-recorded piece for America’s Voices performances. Press ReleaseThe Westport Public Schools has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation for the ninth year in a row. Recognized for its outstanding commitment to music education, Westport joins 623 districts across the country in receiving this prestigious award for 2021.
The Best Communities Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Districts that have been recognized by the NAMM Foundation are often held up as models for other educators looking to elevate their own music education programs.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Westport answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. The Music Department has been fortunate to forge partnerships with community organizations such as the Westport Library, the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts, PTA Cultural, WestPAC and Westport Arts Advisory Committee, all who recognize and value the importance of the arts in education.
This award also recognizes that Westport is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the new federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA recommends music and the Arts as important elements in a well-rounded education for all children.
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
Hillspoint Road: From Bumpy to Tolerable as New Asphalt Covers Old Aquarion Work
With the lanes closed for several weeks and heavy machinery moving about the neighborhood, Aquarion Water Company updated the water main system in the area of Hillspoint Road’s coastal section this past winter. The replacement was a much needed upgrade to the aging infrastructure, however the destruction of the roadway to access the main left drivers less than comfortable when the holes were patched up with small sections of asphalt, causing a rough, uneven ride.
This week, the patches were re-done by the water company with a more permanent solution - turning the roadway from bumpy to tolerable as the surface was evened-out. According to employees this past Winter, the roadway may not be completely re-surfaced for several months - possibly reaching towards next year. Crews will continue working on fixing the bumps this week, although the total repaving of one of the town’s most famous routes to its former glory will be looked forward to by all who travel along the coast.