Coronavirus East Haven: Mayor Declares State Of Emergency

EAST HAVEN, CT — After weekend meetings with police and fire chiefs, and in consultation with the health department and other local officials and with guidance from state and federal officials, Mayor Joseph A Carfora declared a state of emergency in East Haven due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Town of East Haven is closely following the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Connecticut Department of Public Health. Carfora is communicating and working with regional leaders during this COVID 19 public safety emergency.

East Haven CT Declaration o... by Ellyn Santiago on Scribd

In a letter to the community, Carfora spelled out the town's response to the public health crisis.

"Throughout the weekend, I had ongoing discussions with Police Chief Ed Lennon, Fire Chief/EMD Matt Marcarelli, and Town Attorney Michael Luzzi regarding the Town's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were in contact with our respective counterparts in New Haven County, closely monitored the release of information at the State and Federal levels and received real time updates regarding the Governor's planned actions from Senator Len Fasano.
While there are currently no known cases of COVID-19 in East Haven, a review of State and Federal disclosures, as well as the most recent reports of exposures and confirmed cases from Yale-New Haven Hospital, make it clear that community transmission of COVID-19 is occurring in New Haven County. This announcement is being made from an abundance of caution to protect the health and safety of Town residents and employees. We want to take every measure possible to limit, if not stop, the spread of the virus in the Town of East Haven.

During this unprecedented and challenging time, your patience, understanding, and cooperation is greatly appreciated. Experts have determined that the best course of action is social distancing. We cannot stop government completely, but we have made the decision to scale back the in-person services we provide and to limit the number of staff who report to our Town Hall.

Consequently, based upon the totality of the information that has been provided by the State and Federal governments and health experts, Governor Lamont's Executive Orders 7, 7A, 7B, and 7C, and information received from neighboring communities, Fire Chief/EMD Matt Marcarelli and I am ordering:
1. A state of emergency is declared in the Town of East Haven to protect the public health
of our residents.
2. East Haven Town Hall is partially closed to the public now through Tuesday, March 31, 2020, with limited exceptions for essential services.

Town Hall department heads and essential employees will continue to work during this period to provide the following support:

Town Clerk's Office
No in-person title searches shall be allowed. Searches can be performed using the Town's available on-line platform at www.uslandrecords.com. To the extent that post-closing services are required, the Town Clerk will allow this to occur between the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Friday. Rules regarding the transfer of paperwork in such
circumstances will be clearly posted at the entrance to the Town Clerk's Office and must be strictly complied with.

Death certificates will be issued by the Town Clerk between the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Friday. The Town Clerk will provide her direct contact information to those who might require certificates outside these designated hours.

Birth certificates and marriage licenses (for insurance purposes only) may be picked up during the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 Monday through Friday until further notice.

All other in-person services are suspended at this time. Please check the on-line services at https://www.townofeasthavenct.org/.

Tax Office
No in-person tax services will be provided. Non-delinquent tax payments may be processed online at https://www.townofeasthavenct.... by going to the “Tax Department” page through the “Departments” tab at the top of the Town website's homepage. When you get to the Tax Department page, you will see a link to “View & Pay Taxes Online” on the left-hand side of the page. When you click the link, there are directions for online payment. The Tax Collector, Lucille Huelin, can be reached at (203) 468-3308 to answer any questions.

Building Department
The Building Department office will be closed to the public. Please call the Building Official Jim Bassett at (203) 468-3217 for additional instruction and with any questions. Every effort will be made to return phone calls the day they are received or the following business day.

Fire Marshal
The Fire Marshal's Office will be closed to the public. Permits will be issued on a case by case basis and by appointment only, plans for review should be mailed, and there will be no routine inspections. If you have any further questions, please call Fire Marshal Mark Nimons at (203) 468-3221 to discuss your situation directly.

Police Records Department
The Records Department at the East Haven Police Department will be closed to the public for all reports, records, and permits.

Finance Department
The Finance Department will be closed to the public. Please contact the Interim Finance Director, Jim Keeley, at (203) 468-3341 with any questions.

Tax Assessor
The Tax Assessor's office will be closed to the public. The Tax Assessor, Michael Milici, will be available at (203) 468-3309 to answer any questions.

Planning & Zoning
The Planning and Zoning Department will be closed to the public. Any questions should be directed to the Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO), Christopher Soto, at (203) 468-3357.

Animal Shelter
The East Haven Animal Shelter remains closed until further notice. All volunteer activity remains suspended, and the building will be closed to walk-in visitors. Please contact the shelter directly at (203) 468-3249 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please go to the Shelter's website at https://easthavenanimalshelter...

Recreation Department and Ice Rink
The Ice Rink remains closed. All Parks and Recreation programs remain postponed or cancelled until further notice. The Recreation Department office will remain open and staffed by the department head, Lou Pane, who can be reached at (203) 468-3376. All employees, other than non-essential staff, shall continue to report to work as scheduled until further notice.

Senior Center
The Senior Center remains closed and Shuttle Service suspended until further notice. All programs are postponed or cancelled until further notice. Director Bob Petrocelli and custodial staff shall report as scheduled.

Hagaman Memorial Library
The Library remains closed. All programs are postponed or cancelled until further notice.

Public Service Department
The Public Service Department shall be closed to the public. All employees, other than non-essential staff, shall continue to work as scheduled until further notice.

East Haven/North Haven Probate Court
The East Haven/North Haven Probate Court will be closed to the public while the East Haven Town Hall is closed. The court will address emergency children's and conservatorship matters or appeals of quarantine orders even while closed to the public. Residents can contact the court via telephone at (203) 468-3895, fax at (203) 468-5155, or e-filing through TurboCourt.
We hope all residents stay safe and healthy during this difficult time.

The East Haven Food Pantry
The Food Pantry remains open. All questions about staffing and donations should be directed to Dianne Romans at (203) 506-7029.

The East Haven Counseling Center
Please call the counseling Center directly at 203-468-3297 regarding medication concerns.