A new potential project at the intersection at Greenwich Avenue, Arch Street, and Havemeyer Place aims to improve safety, accessibility, aesthetically revitalize the area, AND add 3 more parking spaces!After more than eight years with the Department of Parks and Recreation Joe Kay has been promoted to Tree Operations Manager. Joe has worked in the capacity of interim Operations Manager for the last several months, and has proven to be the best candidate for the job.Registration for spring activities opens for Greenwich residents February 1. Residency must be verified before you are able to register. Verify your residency and get more info at www.greenwichct.gov/webtracSix Friends of Greenwich Point volunteers braved the elements this past Wednesday with a wind chill of 10 degrees to continue with their vine cutting program. The volunteers said they had fun, stayed warm enough and made good progress freeing some large trees of their invasive burdens.Pete Preston, teacher at Greenwich Country Day School, and middle school students began creating US hiking trails at the new Greenwich Country Day School high school last Thursday as a community service project.Earlier this week Greenwich Firefighters responded to a fire in Central Greenwich. Crews rescued a dog from the residence. No one was harmed in the fire.Greenwich conservation society urges people to recycle their food scraps. Every Wednesday, drop off your food scraps at one of three locations.1. Round Hill Community Church, 395 Round Hill Road – Wednesdays 10am – 12pm. Park in the south lot in front of the Community House and walk your bins to the back of the lot at the designated area.2. Living Hope Community Church in Old Greenwich, 38 West End Avenue – Wednesdays 12pm – 2pm.3. Holly Hill Transfer Station, 4 Holly Hill Lane – Monday – Friday 7am – 2:30pm and Saturday 7am -12pm. The food scrap recycling drop-off site is located next to the trash building. Food scrap recycling toters are located in the shed adjacent to the waste motor oil drop-off area.Connecticut legislature has mandated that public schools across CT create an African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies elective effective for the 2022-20223 school year. The new elective is part of Connecticut Public Act 19-12, “An Act Concerning the Inclusion of Black and Latino Studies in the Public School Curriculum.” The full year elective is intended for juniors and seniors and will have an honors option. The elective is not mandatory for students to take, it is only mandatory that schools have the elective as an option.This past Tuesday there was an auto collision in front of North Street School where a vehicle rear-ended a school bus. No one was injured in the accident.A final plan and special permit were both approved with conditions by Planning and Zoning last Thursday night for a redesign of the entrance of Greenwich High School. The commission said the building committee should work out remaining architectural details with the Architectural Review Committee rather than P&Z.Parents are urging action on the safety and upkeep of Old Greenwich School, Julian Curtis, and Central Middle School from the BET. Parents are insistent on action citing safety concerns. However, First Selectman Fred Camillo raised the point that all three of these schools already have major repairs budgeted and scheduled for 2024, and that it would be more prudent to use those budgets to complete the repairs at those times.The BOE proposed a new policy, policy 9325, which would reduce allotted time for speakers at public hearings from 3 minutes to 2 minutes, allowing more speakers to voice their views and opinions. Policy 9325 would also limit public hearings to an hour and hold remaining comments until the end of the hearing.Lamont gives a new executive order stating that all visitors to nursing homes must be fully vaccinated or show a recent negative COVID test.First Selectman Fred Camillo presented his Fiscal Year 2022-2023 municipal budget this past Tuesday night. The proposed spending totals $464,026,952 – a 3.45 percent increase over the current year’s budget.The Board of Education is split 4-4 on updates to Greenwich School’s Title IX policies, specifically in regards to a section about transgender athletes. However, the NCAA recently updated its policy on transgender participation, having Eligibility determined on a sport-by-sport approach.Martha Stewart visited a new restaurant in Greenwich, Ruby & Bella’s located within SaksWorks on Greenwich Avenue.The Town of Greenwich has received $40 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to aid in decreasing flooding along the Byram River. The funding will be allocated for Fiscal Year 2022, which began on Oct. 1, 2021. U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers are involved in removing and replacing two bridges along Route 1 which often obstruct the flow of the river, and sometimes leads to flooding.Don’t miss your chance to recycle your Christmas tree! The Christmas tree recycling program ends on January 31st. All trees to be recycled must be undecorated. Here are the tree drop off sites:BYRAM PARK: Residents only, no commercial haulers – parking lot by the concession stand, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.BRUCE PARK: Residents only, no commercial haulers – parking lot by the children’s playground, opposite entrance to Bruce Museum, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.GREENWICH POINT: Residents only, no commercial haulers – parking lot across from the nature center, 6 a.m. until sunset.HOLLY HILL RECYCLING CENTER: Residents and commercial haulers – place trees in the yard waste area 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays & 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.The Winter Farmer’s Market at Sam Bridge is now open, and is open every Saturday weather permitting from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. until May 7. There is a diverse group of farmers and artisan vendors from Connecticut and surrounding states. Local produce, meats, fresh seafood, breads, desserts and greens, are among the items available.The Town of Greenwich is looking for volunteers. For information about the various boards, commissions and committees, please check the Board of Selectmen at https://www.greenwichct.gov/711/Board-of-SelectmenOnce you find an area of interest, please visit https://www.greenwichct.gov/719/Selectmens-Nominations-Advisory-Committe for the Selectmen’s Nominations Advisory Committee’s guidance on how to apply.
