National Volunteer Week Established in 1974 by Presidential Proclamation
April 18 - 24 is a time to celebrate people doing extraordinary things through service. We thank our Brookfield volunteers who generously participate in town government on boards and commissions; support our youth and adult sports activities; work with local non-profits; support the Brookfield Food Pantry and serve as EMTs and firefighters. This last year has certainly been extraordinary and I thank you for your unparalleled dedication to our residents.
I’d also like to recognize all of those community volunteers who stepped up so generously to staff Brookfield vaccination clinics since January. We could not have vaccinated so many Brookfield residents without your help. Thank you for helping us move forward.
Steve Dunn
First Selectman
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Town Budget Process in April
The Board of Finance Public Hearing for FY 2021-2022 Town and School Budget Operating and Capital Projects is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6 at 7:00 p.m. and will be held virtually. Copies of the proposed budget are available at the Town Clerk’s office and the town website. You can view the meeting live on YouTube or to participate with public comment, the Call-In Information and YouTube information is on the agenda on the town website.
The Board of Finance will finalize the budget the week following the Public Hearing, then present the budget at the Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m. (tentatively to be held at the Brookfield High School Auditorium). The date of the Budget Referendum is recommended for Tuesday, May 18 and will be set at the Annual Town Meeting.
Board of Selectmen Meeting
7:00 p.m., Monday, April 5
You can view the meeting live on YouTube or to participate with public comment. Call-In and YouTube information is on the agenda on the town website.
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Coffee with the Community
5:30 p.m., Monday, April 19
Residents are welcome to address the Selectmen with any questions, comments or concerns. You can view the meeting live on YouTube or to participate with public comment, and information is on the agenda on the town website.
The Brookfield Film Festival Goes to the OSCARS!
The Brookfield Arts Commission will be hosting the Film Festival virtually this year. Starting April 2, you can watch the 2021 Oscar Nominated Short Films in the comfort of your own home! For further details, see the flyer on the town website.
Red Cross Blood Drive
Sponsored by the Brookfield Lions Club
Wednesday, April 21
1:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Saint Joseph Catholic Church
163 Whisconier Road
Parish Center Gym
For an appointment, go to the
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COVID-19 Vaccination Information
Effective April 1, anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Connecticut. For information about availability and how to register, please go to the town website. Beginning April 6, 2021, the Brookfield Health Department will be moving their Vaccine Clinics to St. Joseph's School located in Brookfield Center at 5 Obtuse Hill Road.
COVID-19 Update:
As of April 1, Brookfield remains in the Red Zone with our number of cases and positivity rate increasing week to week. We continue to ask that all Brookfield residents practice Covid-19 precautions.
Assessor
Note to all commercial building owners: You should have received an income and expense form for the 2020 grand list in the mail. If you have not, please print one from our website. Income and expense forms are due in our office no later than June 1, or there will be a 10% penalty. Please note, if you own an apartment building, you must include a list of all residents and their apartment numbers.
If you are 65 or older as of December 31, 2020 or are a veteran who served during wartime, you may be eligible for a state or town tax benefit. If you are already receiving benefits, you should have received the paperwork. If you have not, please call our office. If you have never applied before, you can find the paperwork online. Please remember that when applying, we will need a copy of your tax return and proof of all your income, including Social Security. If you have any questions, please call our office at 203-775-7302.
On November 19, 2020, the 2021 real estate revaluation began. The inspectors will be measuring and taking exterior photos of homes and outbuildings. They will not be entering homes. The inspectors will be wearing yellow vests and ID tags. This process will take several months to complete. Please refer to the town website, which details the roads that are being inspected.
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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. to noon beginning April 3, 2021. You can schedule your car seat appointment today by calling 203-740-4192 or emailing carseats@brookfieldct.gov
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Still River Greenway
Maintenance Update
We expect additional closures of the pedestrian bridge the week of April 5 - 9 to complete our routine maintenance. Work is very weather-dependent and may be delayed and rescheduled in case of rain or threat of rain.
A reminder that when the pedestrian bridge is closed, there will be no access to the bridge from either direction while work is in progress. If entering the Greenway from the northern section (Town Center District), be prepared to turn around before the bridge.
Please consider using only the southern section of the Greenway while work is in progress. A reminder that parking for the southern section is available in the lot next to the Brookfield Police Department or at the Brookfield Town Hall.
Tax Collector
Intent to Lien Notices
Real Estate Intent to Lien Notices will be sent out in April for taxes that are still outstanding for the 7-1-2020 and 1-1-2021 billing due dates.
July 2021 Billing
If your Real Estate taxes are escrowed, the bank should request your Real Estate bill.
If you change banks or pay off your mortgage, please contact the office to let us know where the bill should be sent.
If you have sold or no longer have a car, please make sure you give the required documentation to the Assessor’s office so that you are not billed erroneously. If you have transferred your registration to a new car, you do not need to contact the Assessor.
Town Clerk
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Public Works
The Residential Brush Yard will be opening on Saturday April 10 and will be open most Saturdays through December. For hours and additional information, please find on the town website.
This year, the town added a glass recycling container. It is located in the parking lot at the entrance of the brush yard and before the gated entrance, so it can be conveniently accessed by Brookfield residents on a 24/7 basis.
Social Services
Stimulus payment
You may have already received the third government stimulus payment that is coming for every individual earning or receiving less than $80,000 per year. It will come in the same way you have received other stimulus payments. This will not affect other Federal, State or local government programs you may have. If you have concerns, you can check on the status of your stimulus payment on the IRS website.
UniteCT
Acting through the Department of Housing (DOH), the State of Connecticut is developing the UniteCT Program. This $235 million program will provide rental and utility payment assistance to qualified Connecticut households financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For additional information, you can check the State website and flyer below.
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Streetscape Phase 4 was approved by residents at a Town Meeting in the BHS Auditorium on February 23. This project will connect the sidewalk at the Agora Restaurant north 1,900 feet to the entrance at Newbury Village. When completed, it will be the largest of all streetscape phases currently planned in the Town Center District. The attached presentation on the town website was made to those in attendance.
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Spring has sprung! The Library has re-opened to the public for browsing and computer use. It is so nice to see our patrons again, albeit with the mask requirement. We continue to offer curbside service for materials, if you prefer, and there are still many online resources you can access with your library card.
While most of our programs remain virtual, you will see that we continue to offer something for everyone. The beauty of the season unfolding around us is the focus of many of our programs this month, from raising chickens to butterfly gardens to recycling.
National Library Week is celebrated in April, and it is also National Poetry Month. Join us for a Zoom discussion with the Town’s own Poet Laureate, Atom Rush. Additionally, there will be poetry readings for children posted every Monday at 4 p.m. on our Facebook page.
We’re a few days away from announcing the title of our fourth annual One Town One Read. Keep watching our website and social media for clues and the big reveal. We have many OTOR programs planned for all ages.
Kids on break from school this month? We have outdoor story times, Zoom crafts and science activities ready for them, and the llama will return to the library. Plan to come and see him on our lawn! Later in the month, look for our outdoor Earth Day celebration. We’re hard at work planning small group outdoor movie showings, so look for information on that soon.
Teens can participate in an in-person sky-gazing event and “Q and A” with an astronomer on the Library lawn (masks required) or pick-up a Super-Secret Book Bag or another grab-and-go craft celebrating National Poetry Month.
Adults also have the offerings of several Zoom book clubs, as well as a knitting and crocheting group, a women’s money roundtable and an important discussion regarding sexual violence.
The Friends of the Library have been busy, too. The group will be overseeing a Library Giving Day campaign, as well as holding a Spring Craft Fair on our lawn with a mini-book sale and a food truck. Get outside and join us on April 24 for the fun.
Please see our website for dates, times, and registration details for all of the above. We can’t wait to see you!
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Spring is here! Upcoming programs through Parks & Recreation in April include:
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Spring Break Vacation Camps (April 12-15) click here.
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Sports Programs for Ages 2-4 click here.
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Tennis Lessons click here.
- Train for a 5K – Sessions for Kids and Adults
- Golf Lessons for Adults and Juniors
And so much more!
Watch for our Spring and Summer Program Guide to be released online the week of April 12, including information on additional Spring programs, summer camps, beach and boat passes, Williams Park tennis passes and the Newtown Savings Bank Concerts in the Park series.
Program 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.
The Parks Department has been hard at work preparing fields for your use this Spring. Please respect field closure signs and avoid use of any field with standing water.
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Brookfield Public Schools
Click here to see the Brookfield Public Schools April updates that include the following:
- Candlewood Lake Elementary School Update
- Educator Vaccinations
- ESSER II Rescue Plan Federal Grant
- Parent Webinar Training Available
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Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA)
If you are age 65 or older as of 12/31/20, and eligible for the Town’s elderly or totally disabled tax relief (requirements can be found here), you may be eligible to defer your sewer benefit assessment. If you are currently deferring your assessment, you will need to re-apply each year. An application will be mailed to you. If you have never applied before, you can find the policy and application online at Deferral Regulation & Application. Applications need to be submitted by May 15 and can be mailed or dropped off to our office at 53A Commerce Road, Unit 1, Brookfield, CT 06804. Please call us at 203-775-7319 if you have any questions.
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Town Boards and Commissions
Visit our website regularly for updates and schedule of upcoming meetings.
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Town Events and Activities
Follow town department social media pages for all that is going on around town!
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