Feb. 23 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

**News Release Submitted by Bethel First Selectman Dan Carter**

Feb. 23, 2024

Dear Bethel,

Recommendations by the Board of Selectmen for the FY 24-25 budget will be presented to the Board of Finance next Tuesday, February 27th at 7pm in the Town Hall, Meeting Room A. The Board of Finance will deliberate on the budget, revise the estimates, and hold a public hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 19th.

In addition to residents who are registered to vote in Bethel, those who own property in town that is assessed at $1000 or more and are US citizens are intitled to be heard at the hearing and vote on the final budget in April. The Annual Town Budget meeting will be on April 4th and the referendum by machine vote will take place on April 23rd.

The highlight of office hours this week was an idea from one of our neighbors for a community garden. We are looking into options, so stay tuned! The next office hours is Monday, March 4th from 6 pm to 7 pm in the First Selectman office in Town Hall.

A contagious stomach virus known as the norovirus is spreading across our area, according to the CDC. We have heard from some of our friends and neighbors in town who have been affected. The CDC recommends washing your hands well with soap and water, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces with bleach, and washing laundry with hot water to prevent the spread of norovirus.
Levels of homelessness in Bethel are low, but not zero. Off The Streets (OTS) provides essential support to individuals in our area who have recently moved off the streets and into permanent housing. Security deposits, furniture, and household items are vital to helping them rebuild their lives. OTS doesn’t have paid staff or significant overhead, so any help you give goes directly to those who need it. Visit https://conta.cc/3SGJJAg, email otsdanburymr@gmail.com or text 203-249-3586.

Next week is the best time to eat out in Bethel! Bethel Restaurant Week starts this Monday, February 26th and runs through March 3rd. Participating restaurants will be offering three-course lunch and dinner priced-fixed menus, with some venues offering popular dishes alongside some unique creations. Visit the Bethel Chamber of commerce website for menus and more. https://bethelchamberofcommerce.com/chamber-events

Bethel Arts is hosting an opening reception featuring the work of Marcus Escribano at Greenwood Features on Thursday, February 29th from 7 pm to 9 pm. Escribano is a Danbury resident and has exhibited his work worldwide. Learn more at http://www.bethelartsct.org/event/bethel-arst-in-view-marcus-escribano

If you haven’t checked out Workspace in the last few years, you may want to. What used to be an organization known for homeschooling resources has had a complete change in mission a few years back. In addition to offering fun events, WorkspaceCT is a great educational resource to our community and a resource for local groups and businesses. Don’t miss Clinton Kelly the former co-host of “What Not to Wear” and “The Chew” At WorkspaceCT on Friday, March 8th. Visit https://www.workspacect.org.

You know spring is upon us when the Bethel Garden Club begins hosting garden programs at the Bethel Library. The BGC will be hosting "Container Gardens, Tips, Tricks and Trends" with Michele MacKinnion on Wednesday, March 6th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Maria Parloa Community Room. Visit https://www.bethellibrary.org and select events and calendar to find the registration or call 203-794-8756, ext. 3.

The Library Board Mini Golf fundraiser: "Beer, Wine, Food & Mini Golf." is less than a month away. Tickets for Friday, March 15 are now available. The Saturday, March 16 "All Ages Mini Golf" tickets can be purchased on the day of the event. All funds raised go to support the Bethel Public Library. To learn more or buy tickets go to www.bethellibrary.org/minigolf.

If you are new to Bethel, take a moment to check out the Scotty Fund, a local organization that provides financial and family support to children with life-threatening and critical illnesses and their families. If you want to help, visit www.scottyfund.org and click the Donate/Support Link. Also, don’t miss Dueling Pianos at the Summit on March 16th!

Shoutout to Disha Lal from our Bethel Middle School for being a finalist in the National STEM competition for her Save Food Save Earth project!

IceCats had a 5-3 win over Staples for their Senior Night this week! Congrats!

BHS Boys Basketball also came home with a 60-52 win over Whitney Tech on their Senior night!

Congrats to Matt Tarzia and Everett Salmon for making it to state finals in wrestling!

Evan Bureau has smashed a school record in the 3200m with a time of 9:19.90!

A huge shoutout and congratulations to Mashnoov Chowdhury, a finalist from BHS in the National Merit Scholarship program! One of only 15,000 in the nation!

Have a great weekend!

Dan