Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 15 over Weekend; State Hospitalizations and Positivity Rate Down
The State Department of Public Health reported 15 new COVID-19 cases for Westport over the weekend. The State’s daily test positivity rate down to 4.77% while hospitalizations were down as 154 more patients were released from hospitals.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 3,698 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 34 deaths
State Daily Test Positivity: 4.77% [down from 6.58%]
State Hospitalizations: 631 patients [-154]
Governor Ends School Mask Mandates February 28th
Governor Ned Lamont:
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is endorsing a plan developed in consultation with Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani and Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker to eliminate the statewide requirement that is in effect as part of Connecticut’s COVID-19 safety protocols for masks to be worn in all schools and childcare centers effective Monday, February 28, 2022, and on that date allow the determination on whether to require masks in these locations to be made at the local level.
The plan is contingent upon the Connecticut General Assembly voting to extend – through legislation – the governor’s existing executive order that enables the public health commissioner with the ability of implementing mask requirements in certain settings.
Governor Lamont’s COVID-19 emergency declaration and related authority to issue executive orders in response to the pandemic are set to expire on February 15, 2022. On that date, the governor will no longer be able to enact emergency orders on the pandemic. The governor and legislative leaders recently reached an agreement under which the legislature will pass a resolution continuing the public health and civil preparedness emergencies and determine which of the governor’s orders to continue through legislation and which to let expire. The governor recently provided legislators with a list of 11 orders he recommends continue after February 15, 2022.
“Connecticut is seeing a dramatic decline in cases caused by the Omicron variant, and children over the age of 5 have had the ability to get vaccinated for more than three months now,” Governor Lamont said. “With this in mind, I think we are in a good position to phase out the requirement that masks be worn in all schools statewide and shift the determination on whether to require this to the local level.”
While Governor Lamont endorses the plan to eliminate the universal mask requirement for schools and childcare centers, he recommends that it remain in place in other settings where it currently is in effect, including healthcare facilities, facilities housing vulnerable populations, public and private transit, and correctional facilities.
South Compo Road’s Finnegan House Withstands144 Westport Winters
A morning commuter clutches onto their coffee as they make their way past the David and Mary Finnegan House, constructed in 1878 on South Compo Road near Bridge Street. WestportLocal.com photo
Assessor’s Office: 2021 Grand List Up 2.4%
Westport Tax Assessor Paul Friia:
Town Assessor Paul Friia announced today that he signed the October 1, 2021 Grand List as required by state statute.
The net 2021 Grand List of $11,100,020,664 represents an increase of approximately 2.4 percent from the net 2020 Grand List of $10,830,370,714. The Grand List is the sum of the net assessed value of all taxable property – real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property. Motor vehicles and personal property are valued annually, while real estate is updated based on the market values determined as of the town’s last revaluation date of October 1, 2020.
Increases in the Grand List were in all three categories to include real estate, motor vehicles and personal property.
The 1.5 percent increase in real estate assessment is a result of continued residential and commercial new construction as well as renovation activity that occurred within the last assessment year. Construction on a new 32 unit condominium development located at 41 Richmondville Road, the completion of a 32 unit apartment complex at 1480 Post Road East, the reconstruction of the Volvo Dealership at 556 Post Road East and the building of approximately 80 new homes contributed to the increases in the 2021 real estate Grand List.
Personal Property increased slightly above 4 percent, suggesting a reinvestment in local new and existing businesses.
Motor Vehicles increased a total of 27 percent. This significant change is a result of the increases in new and used car prices and a 25% increase in new car purchases over 2020.
This year’s overall increase is an indication that Westport continues to remain a community of great interest to businesses and new residents.
The current 2021 Grand List totals are:
Real Estate: 10,304,249,099 (92.83% of list)
Motor Vehicle: $464,302,240 (4.18% of list)
Personal Property: $31,469,325 (2.99% of list)
TOTAL: $11,100,020,664 (100%)
The Grand List will be used for fiscal year 2022-2023 town budget calculations. The above figures are subject to change based on the outcome of the Board of Assessment Appeal hearings in March and further changes due to corrections or pending lawsuits.
The following are the top 10 taxpayers in Westport:
Top 10 Taxpayer – 2021 Grand List Assessment
Connecticut Light & Power Inc - Pers. Property - $139,809,200
60 Nyala Farms Road LLC - Real Estate - $83,340,130
Bedford Square Assoc LLC - Real Estate - $53,321,200
Equity One Westport Vill. Center - Real Estate - $33,126,100
Aquarion - Real/Pers. Prop. - $29,464,050
Byelas LLC - Real Estate - $24,856,700
LCB Westport LLC - Real/Pers. Prop. - $24,532,860
1735 Ashley LLC - Real Estate - $20,312,760
285 & 325 Riverside LLC - Real Estate - $19,470,500
Ronnie F Heyman Trustee - Real Estate - $18,214,400