Southbury First Selectman's Update - March 23, 2026

Press release from the Town of Southbury:

3/23/2026

Southbury has been recertified as a HEARTSafe Community, a recognition of our continued commitment to emergency preparedness and lifesaving cardiac response. This three-year designation reflects the strength of our emergency response system, from 9-1-1 access to CPR and defibrillation. Thank you to Emergency Management Director Steve Schnell and Southbury Ambulance Association’s Geralyn Hoyt for their leadership in achieving this recertification.

Congratulations to Deputy Republican Registrar of Voters Gina Del Vento on successfully passing the Registrar Certification Exam. This is an important professional milestone that supports the integrity of our elections.

Thanks to the Southbury Historical Society, Southbury has been recognized as a Victory Town. I was pleased to bring forward the Victory Town sign approval to the Board of Selectmen. As a recognized Victory Town, Southbury is part of the historic Washington - Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, one of fewer than 200 communities along the 700-mile march to Yorktown where British General Cornwallis surrendered. Southbury continues to preserve and recognize its role in our nation’s founding with our Victory Town designation.

Southbury Parks and Recreation is hosting the Spring Event on March 28th, an inclusive, free family event. There will be a candy scramble, an indoor sensory hour, and live bunnies. There will also be a collection for the Southbury Food Bank - an opportunity to have some fun and support a good cause.

The Board of Finance has begun its review of the budget. On April 6th there will be a public hearing to provide information and feedback prior to the finalization of the budget. Public participation is a key part of the budget process to help inform the Board of Finance’s deliberations.

I had the pleasure of attending another informative and engaging Coffee with the First Selectman at the Senior Center this week. These conversations continue to be a valuable way to connect directly with residents. Now is a great time to become a Senior Center member at the resident rate of $20 per year. I hope to see many of you at the next session on April 21st.

The St. Patrick’s Day lunch at the Senior Center was excellent - well attended, well prepared, and a strong example of the camaraderie our Senior Center staff have built with members.

When you visit the Senior Center and Social Services you may notice a change. Facilities Manager Al Russo had the interior properties team paint the walls and coordinated updated the flooring in areas of the Center. The old, stained carpet was replaced with hard flooring that is easier to keep clean and maintain.

The Town has chosen the company to repair the vandalism damage at Ballantine and Settlers Parks and they are preparing to start work. I will provide updates as the work moves forward.

This press release was produced by the Town of Southbury. The views expressed here are the author’s own.