June 2023

What a wonderful Memorial Day Parade! A special note of thanks to the Brookfield Lions Club organizers, all of the participants, marchers, decorators of floats, drivers, clubs, groups, students, Police, First Responders, Veterans, the Governor’s Horse Guard, and to ALL who helped make the parade great. I thank you! It's a special time to pay homage to those who selflessly gave their lives in defense of the United States of America. May they rest in eternal peace.

Special thanks to the volunteers of the Brookfield Food Pantry, another incredibly special group of volunteers who work extraordinarily hard to ensure those in need have what they need. As our Director of Human Services said, they truly are “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” Our food pantry is run by an amazing group of dedicated volunteers who unpack trucks from the food bank, shelve and pack bags of food, and greet clients with smiles and unfailing good humor, despite the weather. Our volunteers serve eligible residents by providing nutritious food, cleaning products, health and beauty aids and household paper goods each week. If you see them outside working bundled against frigid temperatures, in pouring rain, or the intense heat of summer – please say thank you to them! They are the people who make the world go ‘round.

Last year Brookfield Food Pantry served the equivalent of 74,145 meals. This service is made possible through the extremely generous donations of Brookfield residents, churches and businesses. For residents who think they could benefit from using the Food Pantry, we encourage you to contact Brookfield Social Services (203-775-7312) for a simple intake and explanation of services.

For those who may not have heard, Ledges Preserve is $325,000 closer to being protected in perpetuity. Thank you to the The Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy for all of the work their staff put into this rewarding endeavor. We're delighted to have the conservation value of this property recognized by the state to “protect what we love.” Please see the below link for more information: $325K granted for 45-acre Brookfield preserve to add open space (ctinsider.com)

Highlighting a message from our Director of Public Works regarding road work: The Micro-surfacing process currently being utilized for road paving is much different than traditional paving and in no way is supposed to take the place of traditional paving. Traditional paving adds structure to the road. Microsurfacing is not structural and is used to preserve roads that are in relatively good condition. Where traditional paving goes down as a solid and is compacted, microsurfacing is applied as a liquid and will harden over time. Because it is applied as a liquid the application can get a bit messy. Once it is applied, it can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes before it can be driven on. At first it will appear rough, and as cars drive on it, some surface stone will fall off - especially around corners and in cul de sacs where cars turn sharply.  That is normal. As time goes by and as more cars drive over the micro surface, it will become smoother and the small stones will stop separating. Micro surfaces may never get as smooth or appear the same as traditional paving. It is a great road preservation technology that will prolong the life of a road at a fraction of the cost of traditional paving, and over the long haul - if used correctly - will save taxpayers money. Please be patient with the process. If you have any questions please call Ralph Tedesco at 203-775-7318.

Lastly, CONGRATULATIONS to all who have loved ones graduating, getting married, having children, and doing awesome things in their lives! This time of year, we hear about so much goodness and it's such a happy time – a time to celebrate those we hold dear.

Happy Father’s Day to all our great Brookfield Dads!

Please join us for the Spring Into Summer Block Party on June 4^th from 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Old Route 7. Please see flyer included in this newsletter. I hope to see you there!

Yours in Service,

Tara Carr

First Selectman

Board of Selectmen Meeting

Monday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m., Meeting Room 133. The meeting agenda will be posted on the town website the Friday afternoon before the meeting and live-streamed and recorded for viewing.

Board of Selectmen Coffee

 with the Community

Saturday, June 24, from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at Jesters Coffee located at 331 Federal Road. We encourage you to stop by with any questions or concerns for the Board of Selectmen.

Farmer’s Market Opens Friday, June 16

The Brookfield Farmer’s Market celebrates its 10th anniversary season this year, and we hope you can join us on Fridays beginning June 16th through October 20th. The market will be open from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Shop for jams and pickles, bread, chocolates and more, visit our craft vendors for candles, jewelry and clothes, and new this year - a seafood vendor.

Do you own or manage woodland of any size? Gain woodland management knowledge and skills that will benefit your family, wildlife, and the environment. The Forestry Division has Service Foresters available to provide technical advice and assistance to woodlot owners throughout the State. This free service is available to private citizens, municipalities, conservation groups, or other private or public organizations. This is a FREE State of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Dept. program. Visit https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Forestry/Landowner-Assistance/Technical-Assistance-and-Service-Forestry-Support-for-CT-Landowners.

Public Works

The 2023 paving list has been posted. The list on the town website will be updated regularly.

Town Clerk

June 12^th is the last day that an enrolled elector can transfer from one party to another and be eligible to vote in a municipal primary of the new party. (Sec. 9-59). If there is cause, a Primary will be held on September 12, 2023.

Tax Collector

Real Estate and Personal Property - Address Change Form

If your mailing address has changed, please complete this form on the town website.

Car Bills

Please notify the DMV if you have moved. Your billing is based on the information you have provided to them. The Town Tax Code found on your registration is the town that will bill you. Brookfield’s Town Tax Code is 018.

Economic Development

Brookfield Parks & Recreation has a new website and online registration. Web link here.

Summer Camp Registration is open with continuous enrollment.

Click here for the Brookfield Public Schools update on the Superintendent’s June update on the town website.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

The Board received a presentation from Katherine Abrego, World Language/ELL Curriculum Leader and Keith Johnston, WMS French Teacher regarding the French Exchange Program that recently took place. Brookfield students and families hosted 48 middle school students from College Assomption in San Tropez, France for a week from April 15-22. French students participated in the school day and accompanied Brookfield students to after-school clubs and extracurricular activities. Ms. Abrego and Mr. Johnston shared a video which recorded the various activities that the students participated in throughout the week. Host students spoke about their most memorable aspects of the experience. Students reported some challenges with language, but noted a lot of similarities regarding the French students’ interests in fashion, sports and pop culture. Mr. Johnston is beginning to plan the next half of the exchange. Brookfield students are hoping to visit France next year. To watch Ms. Abrego and Mr. Johnston's presentation, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/d70hJHMPeQA?feature=share&t=1405

BHS Principal, Marc Balanda and Mr. Jonathan Neuhausel, Technology Teacher, introduced 11th grade students Shriya Jonnalagadda and Diya Girish Kumar who are two of just eight students from Connecticut qualified to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas, TX on May 14. ISEF hosts 1,500 of the world's best student scientists who are eligible to win prizes of up to $250,000. Diya and Shriya will be presenting their work on ParkPD, a deep learning framework that they created which combines clinical and blood-based biomarker data to predict Parkinson's Disease severity accurately and reliably over time. ParkPD has the potential to revolutionize the field of Parkinson's Disease research by aiding in personalized treatment approaches and disease management strategies through early detection. To hear more about Diya and Shriya's project, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/d70hJHMPeQA?feature=share&t=3250

SUBSTITUTE COMPENSATION

Mr. Ken Post, Business Director, recommended a new Substitute Pay Schedule that was unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. Mr. Post has met with ESS several times to talk about how to improve fill rates for substitutes and attract more long-term substitutes. The new pay schedule would result in an increase of $8,000-$9,000 to the operating budget for this current year, but has the potential for significant savings, particularly if ESS is able to attract long-term substitutes. Hiring long term substitutes have been very costly for the district. The new pay rates would be: Daily Teacher Substitute - $100; Building Substitute - $110; Paraprofessional - $95; Long-Term Teacher Substitute, up to 60 days - $150; Long-Term Substitute, 61+ days - $200. These rates make Brookfield much more competitive with surrounding districts. To hear the discussion about substitute pay rates, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/d70hJHMPeQA?feature=share&t=8138

CANDLEWOOD LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Mrs. Fernandes provided an update and shared a slideshow illustrating progress of construction at Candlewood Lake Elementary School. The Terrazzo floor on the 2nd floor of the building is complete. White board/smart board installation is complete in all classrooms. The brick facade, and the steel & wood canopy on the outside of the building are nearly complete. They are currently working on water and window testing, the open stream in front of the building, and computer servers. The main stairwell will be complete by July 15. Most landscaping will take place next spring. The moving of teacher boxes and supplies is on schedule. In the next week or so, the Board will have a special meeting to approve the Playscape and Small wares package along with the MBC. To hear Mrs. Fernandes' update and see the slideshow, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/d70hJHMPeQA?feature=share&t=8679

Senior Center

BROOKFIELD FISH (Friends in Service Here) NEEDS YOU

FISH drivers take ambulatory seniors to nearby medical appointments. We’d

like to increase our available driver pool. If you’re interested, please leave your

name and telephone number or email at 203-616-9678.

Renter’s Rebate

Filing period continues through October 1. If you rented in 2022, were age 65 or older or disabled and your income (including Social Security) was no more than $38,100 for individuals and $46,400 for couples, you may be eligible to receive a rebate from the State. For more information about this program and your eligibility, please contact Ryan Soto at 203-775-7312.