Jan. 26 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

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

Jan. 26, 2024

Dear Bethel,

We are deep into budget preparations! Department heads will be their budgets at joint meetings of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance at 7 pm on February 6th, 8th, and 13th. We are also expecting the Board of Education to be presenting their budget at the meeting on February 13th. Thank you to the Board of Education for hosting a walkthrough of the schools to look maintenance and capital needs!

Western Connecticut Council of Governments or WestCOG is mentioned often in these updates. Connecticut is divided into planning regions that are served by a regional Council of Governments (COG) that brings together the mayors and first selectmen to discuss matters of mutual interest and to address shared problems. Most of the funding for WestCOG comes from the federal government is support of transportation planning. WestCOG also helps towns compete for resources, such as the recent Safe Streets 4 All Grant. Learn more at https://westcog.org/about
At the Chamber of Commerce networking event this week, Newtown Savings Bank reminded us that there has been a huge increase in phishing calls in the new year. Legitimate financial institutions will never call and ask for information, such as the last four of a social security number. These scammers can be very convincing, so please be on the lookout.

Are you a senior who needs help with taxes? The Bethel Public Library hosts the AARP Tax-Aid Program which provides free tax assistance for individuals. Call 203-794-8756 for an appointment. Appointments are only available on Wednesdays between 9:45 am and 1:30 pm, are in person, and are filling up fast!

The state legislature may be considering legislation to allow towns to ban the sale of “nips” at our local liquor stores. Currently, wholesaler distributors of nips collect a 5 cent per nip environmental fee on each nip sold to all Connecticut package stores and then remit the fees back to the towns where the nips were sold. However, the nips are too small to be captured in the recycling sorting equipment and end up in the trash or on our streets. The town of Bethel received roughly $17,000 in 2023 that we can use to collect and dispose of the nips, support recycling, or combat litter in general. Please make your thoughts known to your legislators in February when session starts.

There will be some major tree work on South Street near Parloa Park next week in preparation for Eversource to replace power polls. We do not know when the work will begin, but it will last a few days and expect one lane to be closed. We only learned of the project yesterday and Eversource has responded to our request for a meeting next week to learn more about the project. Stay tuned.

The legislative powers of Bethel are shared between the Board of Selectmen and the Town Meeting. The Town Meeting is our legislative body and is made up of every elector in town. In short, there are many issues that have to come before the Town Meeting for a vote, including our annual budget before it goes to a machine vote at the end of April. When a notice for a “Special Town Meeting” is issued, it will include what will be considered and it is your opportunity to make your voice heard.

Please do not forget the Special Town Meeting on Monday, January 29th at 7 pm in the GP Room in Town Hall. We had a shortfall of $319,000 in our current 2023-2024 Parks and Recreation budget. The Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance have approved a special appropriation that will come from our additional budget revenue. The next step is for the Town Meeting to consider the request.

The Bethel Public Library will be hosting its annual Mini Golf Fundraiser in March. While there will be more details about the event coming soon, they are still looking for two hole sponsors. If you are interested in helping out our library, please reach out at firstselectman@bethel-ct.gov.
Bethel Arts and Greenwood Features present “A Journey” on Sunday, February 4th at 4pm at Greenwood Features in Bethel. “A Journey” is a moving one-woman performance of song and dance performed by Kimberly Wilson in celebration of Black History Month. Additional sponsors are the Bethel Grapevine and Connecticut Office of the Arts. Check out www.greenwoodfeatures.com.

The Bethel Chamber of Commerce is hosting their annual Legislative Breakfast on Tuesday. February 6th, 2024 from 8 am to 10 am at La Zingara. Check out https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bethel-chamber-of-commerce-legislative-breakfast-tickets-794969584427?aff=oddtdtcreator for info and tickets

Good luck to the Boys and Girls Basketball teams against Pomperaug tonight. The Lady Wildcats are at home and the Boys are away.

A big shoutout to the BHS Wildcat Wrestling team. While the outcome wasn’t what you wanted, the fight you put up this week against Newtown was fantastic!

Have a great weekend!

Dan