Jan. 23 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

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

Jan. 23, 2025

Dear Bethel,

Snowstorm

With a major snowstorm beginning this Sunday morning, January 25th, likely the largest storm to impact Bethel since 2013, safety should be the concern of every resident.

Bethel Highway Crews have been preparing today for a long period of snowplowing, including checking equipment and materials. Please help them by preparing yourself. Please do the usual things we ask in every storm: remove all garbage bins away from the curb and move all vehicles off the street. Most of all, don’t crowd the plow. Let our crews do their thing by staying out of their way and remembering it is easy to see and hear them, but it is much harder for them to see or hear you.

Residents are posting on social media today that the town has sand and salt available for residents. Historically, the town has allowed residents to pick up a 5-gallon bucket worth of a mix of sand and salt with the goal of helping residents put material on sidewalks in front of their homes. If you need some sand/salt for your sidewalk, there is a pile available at the highway garage. Follow the sign and only 1 bucket, please.

Driving will be a challenge due to the amount of snow expected, so staying home Sunday would be a great idea. Our first responders would love you to stay home too, instead of pulling residents out of ditches, or worse. If you are venturing out, please be slow and safe.

Expect that the cleanup takes time and there may be slush left on the side roads for a few days, depending on the nature of the storm and temperatures. Salt doesn’t work as well in extreme cold and a mix of sand, salt and snow with the pressure from traffic will melt snow faster than snow that is packed on the pavement. The slush also provides better traction than a wet road that could turn to black ice.

Towstorm

While we have a parking ban from 2 am to 6 am, please park your vehicles off the street from 2 am Sunday until the storm ends and your street is clear. Consider parking at the Bethel Train Station, which is free on the weekends. Enforcement hours are between 5 am and 8 pm, Monday through Friday. There are 70 daily spaces where the fee is $.25 per hour and payment can be made with the Park Smarter App that is available for iPhone and Android. The zone is MS01.

Bethel PD will be out issuing tickets tomorrow morning between 2 am and 6 am and we have informed our local tow truck company to expect more calls this Sunday morning during the ban. Believe it or not, giving tickets and towing vehicles is the last thing anyone wants to do, but it is essential for our crews to open our roads safely.

Food Scrap Smart Bins

Bethel's newly expanded Food Scraps Recycling Program is live TODAY! Now you can drop food scraps off at three locations in town using our Smart Bins at 1 School Street (Municipal Bldg. Side parking lot), 49 Plumtrees Road (entrance drive to Rourke Athletic fields), and 59 Stony Hill Road (parking lot of fire department). Sign up for the program as a participant and pay a $50 annual fee, which is comparable to an annual cost of dropping off at the Transfer Station for $.10/lb. Next, set up a MetroKEY account on your smartphone. It’s that easy! Visit https://hrra.org/food-scraps-dropoff-locations/ for information and select the “Bethel” link to sign up and find the MetroKEY App.

Senior Center

From Lisa and her crew at the Senior Center: The Bethel Senior Center will be opening on Thursday, January 29. Monday through Wednesday they will continue to make the plumbing repairs to the pipes so we will need to be closed. We are very much looking forward to your return. Stay warm & safe during our upcoming snow storm. See you soon!

Winter Guard Bottle Drive

Bethel Winter Guard has a Bottle Drive tomorrow, January 24th from 9 am to 11 am at the Bethel Middle School Parking Lot. This is an opportunity to support an amazing program! “Winter Guard, also known as the “Sport of the Arts,” combines the physical demands of an athletic event with entertainment, creativity and excitement.” The Winter Guard is also “an opportunity for participants to strive for excellence, develop teamwork, learn sportsmanship, achieve the highest ranking in our competitive circle & entertain through the performance art of color guard. ...And no one sits on the bench!” For more information, email Bethelwinterguardct@gmail.com.

Bethel Chamber Legislative Breakfast

Join the Bethel Chamber of Commerce for their upcoming Legislative Breakfast on Tuesday, January 27th from 8-9:30am at La Zingara. Hear directly from our State Reps. Raghib Allie-Brennan & Martin Foncello and our State Senators Tony Hwang & Eric Berthel. Enjoy a full buffet breakfast while engaging in meaningful discussion on legislative issues impacting our business community. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance: Chamber Members: $35 Non-Members: $45. For info and tickets visit https://bethelchamberofcommerce.com/event/2026-legislative-breakfast.

Dress Exchange

If you have formal dresses, fancy cloths, or accessories that you could part with, you can make someone’s prom more special! The St. Thomas’ Formal Dress Exchange drop off is on Wednesday, February 4th from 10 am to 6 pm at 95 Greenwood Ave. The Dress Exchange event takes place the following weekend and is open to anyone needing formal attire, regardless of ability to donate. For information email dawnfaw@aol.com or call 203-770-3525.

Business Spotlight

The Bethel Business Spotlights has a new spotlight this week: The Book Cellar! The Friends of the Library store is in the basement of the Bethel Public Library and offers gently-used books, audio books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl albums, and puzzles. Of course, donated items are also welcome. Sales support library programs such as cultural passes, summer reading, and more! Learn more HERE.

Shoutouts

Congrats to the Bethel/Barlow boys swim team on their win over Bunnel!

A huge shoutout to the BHS basketball teams: Lady Wildcat basketball is 10 – 2 and the boys are 9 – 1 with wins over Weston this week! Wishing both teams luck over Masuk tonight!

Good luck to our Indoor Track athletes tomorrow: 1:30 pm at home.

BBDI IceCats are 7-2 so far this season and we wish them luck over JBWA (Barlow/Weston/Abbott Tech) tomorrow! Catch the action at 1 pm at the Danbury Ice Arena. Also, check out BBDI vs Newtown-New Fairfield on Wednesday, January 28th at 5:30 pm. This is also the Newtown-New Fairfield Hocky Fights Cancer night.

A shoutout to Soulber Kitchen for helping out the BHS culinary class this week! You are showing them what amazing looks and tastes like!

Look for Town Hall and School announcements on Sunday regarding Monday closings.

Have a great weekend!

Dan