First Selectman's Report January 10, 2025

Norton Park Construction Begins
Command Construction has begun work at the site of the future Norton Park in Westchester. Construction on Phase 1 of the park is being funded under ARPA. Phase 2, which includes remediation of the brownfield at the former paper mill site, is expected to begin later this year. Brownfield remediation is being funded with over $1 million in grant funds from the State of Connecticut DECD and DEEP.
This week, the Town received bids for the brownfield remediation work. These are currently under review. The Board of Selectmen expects to award a contract in the coming weeks.
Recreation Needs/Bacon Academy Athletic Complex
Next Thursday, the Recreation Needs Committee will present to the Board of Selectmen regarding recommendations for the Bacon Academy athletic complex and Recreation Complex. The committee has been meeting since spring 2024 and has involved site-walks of all athletic fields, meetings with sports leagues, and a community survey to help determine needs and priorities for future investment in our athletic and recreation resources.
The committee’s recommendations include installation of artificial turf fields at Bacon. To hear their detailed recommendations, please join the BOS meeting at 7:00 PM on January 16 - held in-person at Town Hall and via Zoom.
Youth Center Renovations Update
Installation of the new porch at the Youth Center is nearly complete. The porch was one of the areas identified in engineering reports last year as being in-need of replacement. These repairs are part of the ARPA-funded renovations to the Youth Center that are currently underway. Rehabilitation of the third floor has also been contracted and is expected to proceed later this winter or early spring. Additional engineering and construction work to preserve the structure of this 1800s building is also planned for later this year. This ARPA-funded proactive maintenance will reduce future costs related to maintaining this historic structure.
In the meantime, Colchester Youth Services programming is temporarily operating its “After 2” youth programming at the former Senior Center building located at 95 Norwich Ave.
Cragin Library Extended Hours
The Cragin Memorial Library is now open Tuesday evenings until 8:00 PM! For the first time since 2013, the Library will be open four evenings a week, for a total of 52 hours open per week. The additional hours will be helpful for students of all ages looking for a quiet place to study, additional library programs, and more opportunities for community organizations to use the Library’s meeting spaces.
Thank you to the Board of Finance and town residents for supporting the restoration of library hours as part of the 24/25 budget.
Airline Trail Spur/Dog Park Path
Colchester Public Works Grounds Crew made repairs to washouts on the airline trail spur and cleared debris and fallen trees from the staircase and walking path that connects the airline trail to the dog park.
Thanks to the crew for working through this very cold, windy week!
Board of Education Magnet Proposal Survey
The Board of Education invites residents to take a few minutes to complete a survey on the proposed magnet program at Bacon Academy. The survey will be open until January 16 at 12pm. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPSMagnetSurvey
For more information on Board of Education and school-related news and events, please sign up for school news by clicking here: https://www.parentsquare.com/community_signups/7628da76-18dd-4cc8-afb4-b...
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Colchester Veteran's Coffee House
The next military veteran Coffee House is on Friday, January 17 from 10:15 am - 12:00 pm at Cragin Memorial Library. All military veterans are welcome to attend. Coffee and light snacks will be provided. For questions and/or suggestions for speakers, call Mary Emerling at (860) 537-2921. Hope to see you there!
January Tax Bills
Notice from Tax Collector Michele Wyatt. Motor Vehicle Supplements were mailed on December 17th. The second installment bill for Real Estate taxes was sent in July 2024. No additional bills for the second installment of Real Estate taxes will be mailed.
For complete notice: https://www.colchesterct.gov/tax-collector/pages/legal-notice
Statewide Active Transportation Plan
CT Department of Transportation is hosting a public open house in Norwich on Wednesday, January 22 from 6PM to 8PM as they develop the new Statewide Active Transportation Plan. The meeting will be held at Norwich City Hall, Room 335 - located at 100 Broadway in Norwich, CT.
The project is comprised of three phases. The first phase is underway moving through spring 2025 and includes identifying existing active transportation conditions on state roads, such as presence of bicycle lanes, shared use paths, and sidewalks; assessing the state’s existing active transportation programs; and determining the statewide active transportation needs. The second phase includes development of proposed active transportation infrastructure improvements, prioritization of projects and potential funding sources, and recommendations for
programs or policies that can improve conditions for active transportation. This phase will continue through fall 2025, culminating in the third phase of publishing the Active Transportation Plan in 2026. Public outreach will be conducted at all three phases to engage communities and gather feedback to inform the plan.
The public and stakeholders can submit comments and questions throughout the project. Please submit comments and questions to [email protected] or (860) 594-2020. Please reference Project No. 0175-1618PL in the email or voicemail.
2025 Summer Day Camp Employment Opportunities
Now accepting applications for Summer Day Camp Staff. Camp is our most exciting time of year! 2025 Summer Day Camp will be held June 23, 2025, through August 15, 2025. Please be sure to submit your application before March 1, 2025. Applications are available on our website at www.colchesterct.gov/recreation-department.
Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester