First Selectman's Report - 3/18/2022

1. Last night, the C-Tip application for ARK Distillery was approved. Congratulations to ARK Distillery, and thank you for choosing Colchester!!
2. Today Lieutenant Walter Cox retired from the Colchester Hayward Fire Department. Lieutenant Cox spent thirty years as part of our town's fire department. Lieutenant Cox was the Town of Colchester's first Career Fire Chief, and he served in that capacity for 16 years before moving to the Career Lieutenant Position in 2020. We wish him the absolute best in his future endeavors and are eternally thankful for his service to our community.
3. The ARPA committee is still accepting small business applications. There is $1M in ARPA funds specifically earmarked for our local businesses, and a business may receive up to $25K in federal funds. Please apply and complete your ARPA Application here: https://www.colchesterct.gov/your-government/arpa-ad-hoc-committee. You may reach out to [email protected] if you have any further questions. Deadlines for local businesses are April 30th. The Board of Selectmen will begin approving business applications very soon.
4. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved of the Attestation Agreement businesses will sign when receiving their ARPA money. The Attestation Agreement ensures that any funds received from the Town of Colchester will be used for the primary purpose as requested in their ARPA application. The remaining funds may be used for other capital improvements or to support compensation costs. The Attestation Agreement will be utilized to ensure accountability behind the approved ARPA funds.
5. ARPA Initiative Completed: The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the utilization of ARPA funds to establish a state-of-the-art Hybrid Meeting Room. With a state-of-the-art Hybrid Meeting Room, the community will have unparalleled access to town meetings while simultaneously meeting all FOI standards.
6. ARPA Initiative Update 1: RFPs (Requests for Purchase) for our Recreational Playgrounds and our Field Irrigation will be going out to bid. I expect to bring the Playgrounds, the Field Irrigation, the Tennis Courts, the Pickleball Courts, and the Strategic Planner requests to the Board of Selectmen as soon as possible.
7. ARPA Initiative Update 2: I am consulting with UHY on the Community Gift Card Proposal. The intent is to provide each household the opportunity to claim a $100 Gift Card. With historic inflation and rising gas prices, this will be an opportunity to help our citizens directly. With the geofencing technology that the cards will have, purchases will be limited to Colchester – allowing our local businesses to benefit.
8. ARPA Initiative Update 3: The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the First Selectman to sign all necessary documents for Stephen Jager Associates LLC to conceptualize floor plans for the proposed renovation and expansion of the Police Department.
9. The Board of Selectmen unanimously expressed support for the Planning and Zoning Commission on the thoughtful development and adoption of regulations for the potential establishment of the future recreational cannabis business.
10. The Colchester Business Association will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Colchester Urgent Care Center on Saturday, March 19th, at 2 pm at their 100 Linwood Ave location. We hope you all can make it.
11. Dog Litter Ordinance Update: 357 citizens voted in our online poll, with 245 (68.63%) in favor, 82 (22.97%) against, and 30 (8.40%) not sure. We are still waiting for information from the Connecticut Council of Municipalities regarding the enforcement and effectiveness of an ordinance like this.
12. The Board of Education would like the public to attend a Budget Workshop on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022, at 6 pm. Please follow this link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83155514471?pwd=ZU5ESnF2WmtyQTFtOVJISjhneExSZz09.

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