Jan. 12 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

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

Jan. 12, 2024

Dear Bethel,

There were another rash of car break-ins last weekend. Our Police Officers are vigilant and interrupted the culprit(s). Unfortunately, state law prohibits our officers from pursuing them. The good news is our officers have leads and it is looking like they will have at least one suspect. We can all do our part to deter these crimes by locking our doors. Security lights are also a plus.

For those who regularly tune in to watch our various public meetings, the town is moving away from Zoom to Google Meet. Google has all the functionality we need and saves the town around $3,500/year. Town Hall employees went through training this week to prepare for the change and we are prepared for a seamless transition.

The storm this week dumped a ton of rain on us and there were some spots with significant flooding. We were lucky the wind didn't pick up and there were no power outages reported. We are expecting more rain and gusty winds tonight. Please use caution if you encounter a flooded road.

All the town department heads have prepared their FY 2024 budgets and we will be meeting through the month of January to go through the numbers. The next step in the process will be presentations by the department heads to a joint meeting of the Board of Selectman and the Board of Finance in February. Stay tuned.

Town employees attended mandatory training this week to improve our customer service skills. We have a really great team of people working for us and they have all embraced the opportunity to improve. If you find yourself frustrated over an issue or process, please be respectful to our folks in Town Hall. We will do our best to assist you.

The next office hours will be on Wednesday. January 23rd from 6 pm to 7 pm at Town Hall in the First Selectman office. Of course, you can make an appointment at another time that is convenient.

Looking for a nice way to close out a three-day weekend? The Bethel Public Library's Monday Night at the Movies features Megan Ryan and David Duchovny in "What Happens Next." Show time on Monday, January 15th at 6 pm. Visit www.bethellibrary.org and look for Events to register. Or call 203.794.8756, ext. 3.

WorkspaceCT’s winter session theatre classes start next week and it’s not too late to register. Classes are differentiated based on students’ ages. You can learn more about and register for these and many other opportunities at www.workspacect.org/events.

Senator Tony Hwang and Representatives Raghib Allie-Brennan and Marty Foncello are hosting a Pre-Session Legislative Forum tomorrow, January 13th at 1 pm in the Parloa Room of the Bethel Public Library. With the legislative session beginning next month, this is a great opportunity to ask questions and communicate concerns about issues that affect you and your family.

Debby Tierney of Bethel Middle School and Jake Craybas of Rockwell School have received the Bethel Education Foundation 2024 Education in Excellence Award! They will be honored at the foundation’s Annual Benefit Gala (formerly the Barnum Ball) on March 2nd, 2024. To learn more about the BEF, or purchase tickets for the gala, visit www.betheledfoundation.org.

Congratulations to Willa Zalaznick and Jack Woleck for coming in first place in the varsity division of the debate tournament last weekend at Fairfield Warde High School! They beat a team from Joel Barlow in the final round.

A shoutout to Yee-Jun Ng who set a school record in the 1000M. The old record lasted for 40yrs!

Great job NJROTC cadets and cadre on your Annual Inspection this week! The presentation by the cadet staff was outstanding. The drill demo and pass in review rivaled active-duty units. Well done!

Congrats to Ms. Manalo for receiving the Heart of Arts Award from the Connecticut Association of Schools for her work in Adaptive Music!

Please remember that Town Hall is closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Have a great weekend!

Dan