SELECTMEN BOARD/COMMITTEE DATES:

Housing Authority - Monday, January 9, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. - Stonecroft Village
Douglas Library Board of Trustees - Monday, January 9, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. - ZOOM
WPCA Special Meeting - Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. - Douglas Library
Planning & Zoning Commission - Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. - TBD
Historic Properties Commission - Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. - TBD
Conservation Commission - Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. - GoToMeeting

For more up-to-date information, refer to the Town's website at:  https://hebronct.com/agendas/ 

COMMISSION/COMMITTEES:

Hebron Health and Safety: 

We have worked 7 days without a work-related injury or accident.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

This week the Public Works Department started the week by responding to a wind and Ice event over the holiday weekend. Roads were treated and multiple trees needed to be removed. The fleet was washed from salt residue, and repairs and greasing of equipment took place throughout the week. Tree damage was chipped, and logs removed from the roadside. The new roll-off truck required warrantee work and was transported to the dealer in Enfield. The crew assisted at the Transfer Station/Recycling Center on Tuesday and Thursday, due to the additional inflow of usage from the holiday. Salt deliveries were accepted to restock after the storm.

TOWN CLERK

A new property records management system with a company called IQS was installed last week and program training is ongoing.  Multiple town departments now have access and unique permissions to the records without charge from town department computers. 

The Animal Control Officer has immediate access to the dog licensing portal allowing him to search for the contact information for all licensed dog owners by tag number, name, and address.  Having this immediate information will permit him to serve the community efficiently when called to duty.  

We continue to work closely with the finance department to be sure all accounts line up properly as we begin accepting electronic land recordings as well as credit card payments at the counter

FIRE DEPARTMENT

This week the Hebron Fire Department responded to 19 EMS, 1 motor vehicle accident and 1 fire alarm.

INLANDS/WETLANDS DEPARTMENT

Activity items for the weekly report:

-Effected routine sediment and erosion control adherence checks relative to previously issued permit conditions of approval

-Made 3 regulatory compliance jurisdictional determinations with corresponding site visits

-Communicated with the Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Agency on the progress of an Environmental Review Team Study of two Town-owned Open Space parcels

-Consulted with the Corporation Counsel regarding the status of a conservation easement settlement

-Coordinated with an engineering firm regarding a detention pond maintenance and repair project

-Researched a possible public outreach article

-Conducted periodic inspections and patrols relative to wetlands violations, ATV usage on Town lands and illegal dumping

-Observed DEEP timber harvest operations in Hebron

-Provided administrative and logistical support to the Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission

SENIOR CENTER NEWSLETTER

PARKS AND RECREATION 

Happy New Year from Hebron Parks and Recreation! We are excited to share a variety of new upcoming programs and activities!

Hebron Parks and Rec is currently looking for instructors and leaders to conduct new programs and activities with us. Please reach out with ideas or interests. We are committed to providing a wide range of recreational activities for our community!

Home Alone Safety Is Back on Thursday, January 26^th!
Home Alone Safety for Kids is a unique class for boys and girls ages 8-13 who are left at home alone. This interactive course will cover safety for children when they are home by themselves. Each student will receive a workbook that covers house key safety, indoor and safety, gun safety, fires and gas leaks, first aid kit essentials, phone, door, and internet safety.

Paint Party!
Join Miss Amy from Studio 13 for a Valentine's Day themed Paint Party! She will take you step by step to paint an adorable 11x14 Valentine gnome while providing options on how to customize the gnome to let your own creativity shine through! Friday, February 10^th from 4:30 t0 5:30, in the Douglas Library Community Room.  Cost is $23 per participant with supplies included.

Shots for Tots
Shots for Tots Basketball is a developmentally appropriate introductory basketball program for children ages 3-4 years old. The program prepares children for organized basketball in a fun, non-threatening environment while they work one-on-one and spend quality time with their parents. *This program is parent assisted. T-shirt included. Saturday morning, 9:00-9:45, February 25^th – March 25^th (no class 3/11). Gilead Hill School Gym. $60.

Karate: Instructional karate focusing on building confidence, self-respect, and discipline following the style of Goju ru, made famous by the “Karate Kid” film series. Six-week sessions ongoing sessions, Mondays and Wednesdays in the Gilead Hill Activity Room.  Ages 5-11 5:00pm-5:50pm.  Ages 12+ 6:00pm-7:00pm.  Cost $85 per session. 

We are hiring!  The Parks and Recreation Department is seeking applicants for our PREP Before and After School program that runs throughout the school year.  Morning and afternoon hours are available Monday-Friday.  PREP staff plan and implement games and activities, serve snacks, and interact with children grades pre-k through 6^th, while acting as positive role models and providing guidance and leadership.  Visit our website or call 860-530-1281 for more information.     

CHATHAM HEALTH DISTRICT

Good morning,
As of January 5, 6 Connecticut counties (Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, Tolland, Windham) have a HIGH COVID-19 community level and two counties (New London, Fairfield have a MEDIUM COVID-19 community level.  You can read more about prevention steps recommended by CDC at different community levels here:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels-county-map.html

-The average daily COVID-19 case rate in Chatham Health District this week increased to 15.9 cases/100000 from 10.9 cases /100000 last week.   
-The number of individuals currently hospitalized is 761.  This is an increase of 47 compared to last week.  
-Fatalities decreased compared to the last week (33 this week compared to 37 last week).  

Approximately 78% of Chatham Health District residents are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and 52% have received an additional dose.

State-level data indicate that about 13.6% of children under 5 have had at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine while 8.5% are fully vaccinated.  

In order to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:
-Stay up to date with your vaccinations.
-Get tested if you have symptoms.
-STAY HOME if you are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 5 days, and DO NOT leave home until:
-At least 5 days have passed since your symptoms began or since you tested positive,
-you are feeling much better, and
-no longer have a fever.

If you test positive and are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, there are treatments available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. These medications must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and started as soon as possible after diagnosis to be effective. Contact a healthcare provider right away to determine if you are eligible for treatment, even if your symptoms are mild right now.  

You can find a Test to Treat location here: https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx?

As of December 9, CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get the new updated bivalent booster if it has been at least 2 months since they completed their primary series or had their last booster dose with the following exception: children 6 months–4 years who receive a 3-dose Pfizer-BioNTech primary series are not authorized to receive a booster dose at this time regardless of which Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (i.e., a monovalent or bivalent) was administered for the third primary series dose. 

Chatham Health District is coordinating vaccine clinics.  To see upcoming scheduled vaccine clinics in the district, visit our website: https://www.chathamhealth.org/services-2, or call 2-1-1.  If you or a loved one is homebound and is not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination, register here: https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/homebound

Russell S. Melmed, MPH
Director of Health
Chatham Health District
240 Middletown Avenue
East Hampton, CT 06424
Tel: 860-365-0884 ext.100
Fax: 860-365-0885