Updated 4/14/2022
Good afternoon,
Our Covid numbers are about the same. Cases are up to 10 reported last week. We are still orange at 12.3 cases per 100,000 for the week ending April 9. All of the surrounding towns are above 20 and in the red. Hospitalizations are slowly increasing which is concerning. It is hard to predict where this will go, so again I would urge caution but not make any changes in policy. I have agreed to give the Senior Center a little more flexibility on a day by day basis, and most of our seniors have gone back to masks on their own.
As a reminder, on Monday April 18th, there will be a public hearing regarding the proposed sale of approximately 18.70 +/- acres of the South Park Avenue property to Aspetuck Land Trust. The meeting will be held at Samuel Staples, 515 Morehouse Road at 7:00 pm. It is accessible via: Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/public-hearing-on-proposed-sou/298107665837117/ and Zoom: Meeting ID: 860 4393 0099, Passcode: 06612 One tap mobile +1 646 558 8656, 86043930099#,*06612# US. My thoughts about the transaction were published in the Courier on April 13th. There will undoubtedly be discussions about other topics such as potential deed restrictions, history and the potential use for the remaining acreage. The only question for the town meeting and the subsequent machine vote that the town is being asked to consider is the sale of the 18.70 +/- acres.
As you may know, the town allowed Easton Grows LLC to use approximately 1 acre of the South Park property town land to grow cannabis with the stipulation that 20% of their profits be paid to the town in lieu of rent. In working out this deal, the growers got a very late start. Their gross sales were $6,472 and they returned $1,294. As promised, they have returned pristine land to the town.
On April 19th, the Affordable Housing Committee will submit its preliminary findings to the Board of Selectman at a special meeting at 7:00 pm at the Library. This meeting will be accessible via Zoom: Meeting ID: 880 1128 3557, Passcode: 06612 One tap mobile +1 646 558 8656,88011283557#,*06612# US. The DRAFT of the Affordable Housing Plan can be found on our website at https://www.eastonct.gov/board-of-selectmen/pages/advisory-committee-affordable-housing-committee-for-board-of-selectmen (copy & paste). The public hearing for the Affordable Housing Plan will be scheduled for May 26th, details to follow.
On April 25th, we will hold the annual town meeting at Samuel Staples, 515 Morehouse Road at 7:00 pm. This meeting will be accessible via: Facebook https://facebook.com/events/s/annual-town-meeting/499116725335664/ and Zoom: Meeting ID: 848 4427 4689, Passcode: 06612
One tap mobile +16465588656,84844274689#,*06612# US. The agenda and links to all relevant information can be found at https://www.eastonct.gov/town-meeting. I remain committed to an orderly town meeting where honest discourse will proceed and where in the interest of assuring a true democratic process, questions will be put to a machine vote.
All of these are important events to our town’s future. As you can see there is much information and it is important that we all do our best to remain informed.
Thank you and have a great holiday weekend.
Dave
