October 2020

Thank you to The Garden Club of Brookfield for the beautiful fall season display welcoming all who enter Brookfield at Federal and Candlewood Lake roads!

Town Hall Opening Town Hall, which has been open by appointment only, will re-open to the public on October 5. We will be checking visitors for COVID-19 related symptoms, and require visitors and staff to wear facemasks. We ask that residents first use on-line systems and phone calls to departments. If you must visit Town Hall, you should make an appointment. Walk-in visitors without appointments will be the last to be served. If an office has a visitor, additional visitors will be asked to wait in a meeting room. These rules will not apply to the Town Clerk’s office, which is diligently preparing for the election. They will only be available by appointment -- no walk-ins allowed until after the election. The office will be providing usual services, however, but questions regarding the election or ballots will be answered by telephone. Applications for mail-in ballots and actual ballots may only be dropped off in the Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of Town Hall. No ballots will be accepted in person. Applications to apply for mail-in ballots are and will be available at the front desk. Candlewood Lake Authority Vacancy There is a vacancy on the three-member board on the Candlewood Lake Authority. If you are interested in serving and have public safety or a finance background, please call the First Selectman’s office at 203-775-7301 or email FirstSelectman@brookfieldct.gov.

Sculpture for New Pocket Park Brookfield Arts Commission has selected COTYLEDON RISING as the centerpiece of the New Pocket Park, to be located near 756 Federal Road across from the entrance of the Greenway walking path. Please see the town website for the Arts Commission presentation and further details and photos of the sculpture. You can email First Selectman Steve Dunn at firstselectman@brookfieldct.gov with any feedback. The Board of Selectmen will discuss the proposed sculpture and any feedback received at its next meeting on Monday, October 5 at 7 p.m.

Tree City USA In a letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the Town of Brookfield was honored with earning the Tree City USA recognition for 2019 from the Arbor Day Foundation, National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. The town is one of 16 Connecticut communities to merit this accomplishment. Healthy community forests help make our state a better place to live by increasing the amount of shade, improving air quality, and creating a natural setting. Moreover, commitment to impressive forestry on a small scale helps further the nation’s efforts to conserve energy. As the smallest community in Connecticut named a Tree City, Brookfield should be especially proud of this accomplishment. This designation is the result of the dedication and hard work of Land Use staff and the Conservation Commission. The re-certification as a Tree City for the past 12 years has been an asset to programs hosted by the Conservation Commission and the Town, and has aided with various tree education events and community forestry projects. More information on this program is available at Tree City USA.

Steve Dunn First Selectman

Board of Selectmen Meeting 7 p.m. Monday, October 5 View the meeting on YouTube or connect by phone to participate in public comment. Meeting information can be found on the agenda on the town website.

Coffee with the Community 5:30 p.m. Monday, October 19 Residents are welcome to address the selectmen with any questions, comments or concerns. View the meeting on YouTube or connect by phone to participate. Meeting information can be found on the agenda on the town website.

Assessor Attention Business Owners: Personal Property Declarations will be mailed out the end of September and are due no later than November 2, 2020 by 4 p.m. Please note that if declarations are received in the office later than November 2, you will be penalized unless the postmark is November 2 or earlier. It must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service in order to be considered on time. If you do not receive a form or need to replace it, they are available on our website. You can drop your declaration in the black box at the entrance of Town Hall (available only during business hours) or call ahead if you need to make an appointment. If you have any questions, please call the Assessor’s Office at 203-775-7302. HRRA Recycling Public Education October 7 – Trash Talk – 6:30 p.m. Managing waste and knowing what to recycle can be confusing. Join us on October 7 to learn where our garbage and recycling really goes. What is the State of Connecticut’s universal recycling guide? What happens when you put the wrong thing in your recycling bin? What does China have to do with recycling in Connecticut? How can managing your waste save you money and how does it affects your taxes? Jennifer Heaton-Jones, the Executive director of the regional governmental solid waste and recycling authority, HRRA, will give a one-hour presentation followed by a 30-minute Q & A. You’re guaranteed to learn something new. Please register for Zoom Meeting on HRRA website. October 15 – Backyard Composting 101 – 6:30 p.m. Class will cover: What type of bin is best for you Where to locate your bin What to put into your bin (and what to avoid!) How to manage your bin Troubleshooting Harvesting your compost

Police Department The Police Department will resume car seat installations and checks on the first  and third Saturdays of every month from 8 a.m. - noon. You can schedule your car seat appointment by calling 203-740-4192 or emailing carseats@brookfieldct.gov. Public Works A well-attended Regional Hazardous Waste Disposal Day was held at Brookfield High School on September 12. The next event is scheduled for October 3 in New Milford. Additional information can be obtained on the HRRA website. Town Clerk Information regarding the November 3 election can be found here. Absentee ballots become available on October 2. Learn more about November’s Election Farmers Market Opened until October 23 The Farmers Market is open every Friday from 3 – 6 p.m. behind Town Hall.

Economic Development

Newtown Savings Bank celebrated the opening of its beautiful new Brookfield office on September 15 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and $1,000 check presented to the Regional YMCA of Western CT. The new branch can’t be missed at its new location on the corner of Federal and Candlewood Lake roads. “Local banks such as Newtown Savings are an important part of our community because they understand the importance of supporting the community. The ability to have partnerships and relationships with Newtown Savings Bank employees contribute to the success of our business and our community” said Marie Miszewski, Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Board Chairwoman.

Pictured left to right: State Representative Steve Harding, First Selectman Steve Dunn, NSB President and CEO Ken Weinstein and Marie Miszewski, Chamber of Commerce Board Chairwoman.

Reopening the Schools: The opening week of school went very well, given the unusual circumstances this year, and principals have received positive feedback. Students have adjusted well to new procedures, plans and expectations, and are becoming better thinkers, learners and problem-solvers as they navigate the new reality of Remote Learning. Teachers have been flexible and patient while working through technology issues and new procedures.   New School Building Update: Tecton Architects presented the Municipal Building Committee with an updated rendering [shown here] of the building's front exterior. The Board of Education is very pleased with the designs and the most recent changes to the landscaping and natural habitats. The project has cleared all local approvals, with the exception of Inland-Wetlands Commission. Technology: Eric Conklin, Director of Technology, has led the district in adding 100 wireless access points throughout the four schools in busy public access areas. These access points can handle more communication at higher speeds. Approximately 300 Chromebooks were loaned to students last spring for remote learning. The majority of those Chromebooks have been returned, cleaned, repaired and prepared to loan at the beginning of the school year. Although there has been a significant delay in the delivery of new Chromebooks, the district will be able to fulfill the needs of all 400 students at CES, HHES and WMS who requested Chromebooks. These 400 Chromebooks do not include the Chromebooks already distributed to BHS students as part of the 1:1 program. In addition, thanks to a grant from the State of CT, the district obtained one year of free Internet access for 40 families who indicated they do not have Internet access. The director has also applied for HotSpots grants to aid in Internet connectivity, which the State agreed to fund for one year.   National School Lunch Program: Finally, the district will be continuing with the National School Lunch program, for which all Brookfield students are eligible through December 31.

As you may know, we are open by appointment and would love to see you again! Click here for details. There is a lot going on at the Library. Please stop by and introduce yourself to our new Head of Adult Services, Rachel Leff, who comes to us from the West Haven Public Library. While you are here, be sure to wish longtime Circulation Supervisor George Grumman well on his retirement. Read more details about Rachel and George in our upcoming October newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. You will not want to miss our all-ages event Pumpkin Fest: A Literary Halloween Event! Show off your talents using an artificial pumpkin* or recycled materials such as a paper bag, paper mache, a shoebox or whatever suits your fancy. No real pumpkins, please. Prizes for all ages! Details here. Also, the Art Gallery at the Brookfield Library will be re-opening for limited hours. Stay tuned for details! As we approach Election Day, check out our website for voting information as well as a virtual program about the history of women’s voting on October 28.  If this pandemic has altered your employment status, consider joining us for an Employment Informational Session on October 6.  You can also take advantage of this time to learn a new skill: enjoy one of our sewing or tech programs (see dates here) or join our Outdoor Photography Class on October 17. What better season than the Fall to practice your photography skills? All of our Children’s storytimes and activities in October are fall-themed, too. Many things for Teens to do, too! Along with personalized book recommendation and book talks, there are Grab & Go Activity Kits and meditation classes for teens. Looking for a good bargain? The Friends of the Brookfield Library is having a mini-book sale on Sunday, October 11, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the parking lot. They will also be accepting donations of gently used books at that time. We hope to see you soon!

Our Fall 2020 Program Guide is available online and registration is underway. Due to the fluid nature of programs at this time, we will not print and mail out copies of the guide this fall. Information will continue to be updated on our website and Facebook page and is also available by calling the Parks & Recreation Office at 203-775-7310.  New special events this fall include:

Brookfield Parks Best Hand Poker Hike Haunted Graveyard Scavenger Hunt

Haunted House Driving Tour Smartphone Trivia and more!

Explore all of our Fall 2020 Programs here.

Stay in the know!

Town Boards and Commissions Visit our website regularly for updates and schedule of upcoming meetings. Visit our website Town Events and Activities Follow town department social media pages for all that is going on around town! Click to Connect