Oct. 6 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

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

Oct. 6, 2023

Dear Bethel,

We have upgraded our notification system and can now send texts and phone calls in addition to emails. Notifications are helpful for time-sensitive information like water main breaks, road closures, or power outages. Please visit our News page under the Community section of our website. Choose Subscribe, and find a sign-up form. If you are already signed up with email, click “My Account” on the top right on the form, enter your e-mail, and choose forgot password. Create a password, log in, and update your account information.

Emergency Phone Alerts are separate notifications from the Bethel Emergency Management Team. If you are new to town or haven’t signed up for Emergency Phone Alerts, please do so. Visit our News page under the Community section of our website. Choose Subscribe, and click the Emergency Phone Alerts sign up link at the top of the page. https://member.everbridge.net/1332612387832221/login

As we work out the bugs with the town’s new website, we appreciate your feedback. Email first selectman@bethel-ct.gov. Stay tuned to our social media pages for various "how-to's" to help you navigate our new site.

I met with Bethel’s IT team this week to discuss our cyber security inspection from last spring and how we are making improvements. It’s timely, considering since 2004, October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. I can report we are in good shape and always looking at future threats. I will be joining other officials and Cyber Security experts later in the month to learn more about protecting our town from cyber threats. Please do the same for your family at https://www.ready.gov/.

What is cool about local government? Bethel is a member of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) and if you are or know a student in grade 6 to 12 and would like to answer that question, CCM has a contest for you! You can submit an essay, poem, photo, video, painting, multimedia project, or any other medium you find appropriate to answer the question. The winning submissions will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship presented during CCM’s Convention on November 28, 2023. Visit https://www.ccm-ct.org/Resources/LoCoolGov-Youth-Scholarship for details. #LoCoolGov

Mid October you can expect a new Community Events Calendar on our website. Until then, here are a bunch of things coming up!

Tomorrow, Saturday, October 7th looks like a rainy day…again. But there are some not-to-miss events. Join Bethel fire and police departments at Blue Jay Orchards from 12 pm to 3pm for Autumn Public Safety Day. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/bethelpolice. The Bethel Craft Fair will also be on the Town Hall lawn from 10:00am - 4:00pm. And the Octoberfest Fair from 10am-3pm at St Mary Church, 26 Dodgingtown Rd, is open to public. There will be Food, games, lots of shopping and a great place to meet up with your friends. They have an indoor option, so it’s Rain or Shine.

If you have questions or want to learn more about our Food Scraps program, or anything else trash related, join us for Trash Talk Tuesday on October 10th from 7 pm to 9pm at Town Hall in the General Purpose Room. Our Executive Director from HRAA will be there to dump some useful information on us.

New Milford hosts the next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Regional Drop-off on Saturday, October 14th at John Pettibone Community Center, New Milford, from 9am-2pm. Visit https://hrra.org/household-hazardous-waste/

The Lions Club of Bethel is hosting an OctoberFEAST Saturday, October 14th from 3 pm to 7 pm at Bennet Park. Enjoy delicious food, beer, raffles & live music to support their signature focus areas of Vision, Youth, Disaster Relief, Humanitarian, Diabetes, Hunger, and Childhood Cancer. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lions-club-of-bethel-presents-octoberfeast-2023-tickets-726356861927

One week until the Battle of the Badges! Bethel PD will take on the Bethel and Stony Hill Fire Departments in a flag football game to benefit Real Men Wear Pink and the American Cancer Society on Saturday, October 14th at the DeSantis Football Field at Bethel High School at 6 pm. Admission is free. Thank you, Henry Atkins, the youngest Real Men Wear Pink Ambassador, for partnering with the Town! Check out Henry at https://secure.acsevents.org/site/TR/RMWP/MWPCY23NER?px=58103798&pg=personal&fr_id=106059

The Northern Fairfield County District Probate Court serves Bethel, Newtown, Redding, and Ridgefield and we are fortunate as residents to have the court based in our own Town Hall. Our Probate Judge, Steve DeMoura, a Bethel resident, wants to thank Monica Walters, also a Bethel resident, for her 4 ½ years of service to the Probate Court. Monica retired on September 1, 2023 so she can enjoy time with her family and she is looking forward to traveling the World! She will be missed by all of us in Town Hall. The Probate Court welcomes our new clerk, Renata Olechno. Renata was sworn in on September 19th and Judge DeMoura expressed how lucky we are to have her Bethel and our neighboring communities!

A big shoutout to the Bethel Garden Club for partnering with the young adults in the Community Partnership Transition program at Town Hall. It was so great to see you all working together for Bethel!

Remember the Town Hall will be closed on Monday, October 9th.

Have a great weekend!

Dan