CHESHIRE—Chesprocott Health District’s task to protect, promote and improve the health and safety of all residents in its three-town district of Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott has taken on greater meaning since the COVID-19 pandemic came to the area.
While the ups and downs associated with the virus continue, on Tuesday, Chesprocott director Maura Esposito, who is now urging all residents to wear cloth masks, was inspired with a community effort to help get much needed PPE (personal protective equipment) for area health providers. Chesprocott also is supporting an effort by Gaylord Hospital to alleviate some mental stress associated with the virus. Chesprocott received PPE supplies from the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Strategic National Stockpile. The PPE consists of surgical masks, N95 masks, gowns, gloves, and face shields that were distributed to public health and healthcare partners. “When we learned we were getting the PPE, we were excited,” Esposito said. “But the problem was we don’t have trucks at Chesprocot,t or any way to get to the National Guard distribution center in North Haven. Heavy Weight, Inc. owner John Hilzinger stepped up and donated a truck to pick up the PPE. Ray Sima (member of the Chesprocott Board of Directors) offered to drive the truck. “He went to North Haven and got our 13 pallets of PPE. (Cheshire Superintendent) Jeffrey Solan allowed us to store the PPE at Cheshire High, Cheshire Board of Education people unloaded it and the Cheshire Police helped with security. It was an incredible community effort with so many people stepping up.” The PPE was distributed to 11 other health departments in the region. Each local health department distributed the PPE to their community organizations and healthcare centers. While Esposito was inspired by the community effort and happy to get the PPE, there were some mixed emotions. “We were excited to get the PPE,” Esposito said. “There were a lot of gloves and gowns. But I hoped to get a lot more N95 masks and surgical masks. There is certainly the need for gowns and gloves, but we really need the masks for our health providers. We got four boxes of N95 masks, about 30 N95 masks. It’s not a lot. “We are told there will be another batch of PPE coming. We’re hopeful we’ll get more N95 and surgical masks at some point.” On Friday, there were 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cheshire involving residents aged 16-95 with five fatalities. There are 27 in Prospect and 60 in Wolcott. “There are 43 households with residents who have tested positive,” Esposito said. “Confirmed cases are still coming in. We have also been getting a lot of questions on cloth masks. Everyone should be wearing a mask or something to cover their mouth and nose. “The whole idea is that someone who may be asymptomatic may go to a grocery store and they don’t know they are infecting others. If you cough, that mask will protect people. As a double precaution some medical people are even using a cloth mask with their surgical mask.” Chesprocott Public Health Specialist Kate Glendon said many people in the community have stepped up to make homemade cloth masks and donated them to Chesprocott. They are being distributed to home health aids who visit the elderly and other medical providers. Glendon also said Chesprocott is supporting a free Zoom (virtual) wellness lecture in conjunction with Gaylord Hospital on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. The lecture will be presented by Laura Liistro, LCSW and will offer how to keep a positive mindset during the COVID-19 pandemic. Go to www.gaylord.org for more information. “We still have a way to go with this virus, we’re still in a holding pattern,” Esposito said. “Wearing a mask doesn’t mean you have full range to go out and do anything you want to do. You still need to do the social distancing and be mindful of those around you.”
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Connecticut Democratic town committees throughout the state have been using online web meetings to conduct membership business the past three weeks and the Cheshire Democratic Town Committee is no exception.
CDTC Secretary and Communications Committee member Therese Bradley has been producing the web meetings for the CDTC and CDTC Chairperson Courtney Cullinan conducted the meetings. While the CDTC meetings have gone on with a few minor bugs, it certainly has been a unique experience conducting the virtual CDTC meetings. Here are some observations of some of the CDTC members and Democratic town officials who have participated in the web meetings. From Rich Gusenburg, who sees a huge difference between listening by phone and going online and seeing video shots of members:
From Cheshire Democratic Town Councilor Peter Talbot: "As someone who spends waaaay too much time on conference calls, webinars and video conferencing, I was pleased to see how well our web meeting went. Kudos to Courtney and Therese for running such a smooth meeting. To the participants, I’d say, great job listening and responding and keeping chatter to a minimum. Not sure this is what we’d do all the time, but in a pinch we know we have this in our back pocket." From Hap Jordan: "I thought the Monday meeting (March 30) worked pretty well. Muting one’s phone is a MUST! A few times in the past I have used “GoTo Meeting” for these types of events. A video component is nice for a small group, but obviously not ours. I look forward to the time when there is a component for queuing up for questions, like if you press a key (like raising your hand) the moderator is signaled. It looks like I will have a chance to compare this experience with using ‘Zoom’ which seems popular now. I enrolled in the webinar on Ranked Choice. Now I have to figure out how to get Zoom and make it work. I believe it’s what many schools are now using for their new ‘distance learning’ environment. Should be interesting." From Breina Schain (submitted after our first virtual meeting March 30): 1. I felt that Courtney and Therese did an outstanding job in researching and setting up the meeting while providing instructions to all. We all owe them a large debt of gratitude. Last Saturday, I did partake in a Zoom meeting from Hamden and even though several of us practiced the day before with a professional computer person, I had a problem with no audio input. So, I missed the first 1/2 hour and only heard the last hour of the meeting. Probably, most people like myself, do not have a webcam or microphone so my personal photo was dark with only my name printed in the box. However, I like the fact that I could use a simple phone with our CDTC meeting with only a number to enter and no password necessary. 2. We need to establish a few rules at the outset. One is that we need to state our name before we speak always, except for roll call of course, when Therese calls our names. I realized that in the beginning before the meeting started so I gave my name before I spoke. We should state our name and then Courtney should give verbal permission to, "go ahead" so we don't speak all at once. That could help with the awkwardness. Some people may have wanted to speak, but were hesitant to do so due to the fear of interrupting, etc. 3. I called Courtney right after the meeting ended since she didn't ask for the meeting to be "adjourned" and have a second. She acknowledged this very nicely. This is minor since we did reach our two goals of our meeting; acquiring information on the virus while allowing the time for questions and having the convention delegates approved. 4. As I said last night, I hope that we could find a way to record these meetings for our records and to make it easier for Therese to write the notes. Therese always needs to know who is speaking and this is another reason to identify ourselves clearly prior to speaking. It will be hard for her without the recording since people spoke out differently then usual (raising their hands, etc.) The meeting lecturer I had Saturday is researching how to record the meeting and he used Zoom. I heard that Zoom is more complicated than Webex but I'm not sure if this is the case. I feel strongly that we should investigate having an official recording of the meeting if it is in any way possible. As to your comment that this method may be used in the future, it does have some good points. People who can't attend due to illness, weather conditions, working on their jobs, or on vacation can have a way to attend our meetings via phone or computer. It should expand the number of participants. If we could refine how we run the meetings by giving our names first for Courtney to acknowledge, it will slow the meeting down and make it more organized (again, for Therese to take notes and for people to comprehend what is happening). Courtney's role is most essential in keeping the flow of the meeting. However, once this virus ends, I do hope that we still have meetings in person when possible so we can see each other and congregate both formally and informally. That is very valuable, especially when we bring in new people to meet us and have a speaker. Perhaps we can still use the virtual method for inclement weather or for when many people are on summer vacation, etc. 5. The other way Courtney can slow it down is by announcing which part of the agenda we are in. For example, "New business" etc. If she has the agenda in print in front of her, it will help and she can ask other people to have the printed agenda in front of them or on their computer. I did have the agenda open in front of me on my computer and it did help me. Courtney can also ask for votes on items and can announce how many people voted for or against to clarify. It will be easy for Therese to write the times down on when the meeting started and ended too via computer. In other words, subjects have to be stated clearly so there is no mass confusion resulting in turning away our members. I also think that Courtney has to be sure to find out if people are not holding back comments on topics. For example, she can say, "are there any of you who want to comment?" and again say, "does anyone else want to make a comment?" before closing the topic. I'd hate for anyone to have to hold back their ideas just because they are on computer and can't see everyone. What I am saying in essence is we have to find ways to get around the awkwardness of the forum and learn to adapt. We should document our rules for everyone including the chair to follow. 6. So, once again, I think we have to send out a memo (with protocol) on how we plan to run the meetings virtually, after compiling all these comments and reviewing them with analysis. We should all be on the same page. Also, if people come in late like last night, for instance, when someone came in later, do we let them interrupt or should Courtney ask if there are new people at certain points, such as fifteen minutes into the meeting, etc. I wonder how many people used phones like me, or were on camera, or just had access on their computer with a darkened space with their name, like I experienced in Zoom. I'd be very interested in learning these statistics. Should the CDTC subsidize the purchase of cameras or microphones for those on the CDTC to help us out financially? I wonder about this so we can all be equal. Perhaps we can vote on this. Please note that these are my ideas. 7. Finally, we need practice this new virtual method as it will take a few sessions to work out the flaws, etc. I do know someone who didn't get involved because they were nervous about it and reticent. This person thought it would just be "mass confusion". I gave the name to Courtney after the meeting so she could work with this person and help them by giving confidence, etc. This person NEVER misses any meetings and I feel so badly about the problem. I do hope that Courtney will call the person and tell them that it is so simple to dial the number and give the code (no password needed) and there is NO cost involved. It is too bad the number we call is not an 1-800 number so we are assured there is no cost. I do not want to lose any of our valued members due to issues that can be worked out. Please take the time to call and encourage the person, who never misses any of our meetings. In summary, I feel most of our members stepped up to the plate and bravely joined the meeting. They were largely respectful about not interrupting the speakers (Courtney or Representative Liz Linehan). Incidentally, Liz did a phenomenal job in bringing us up to date with valuable information and answered questions exhibiting her excellent knowledge. I heard she has a new TV show on public TV and maybe she will let everyone know about this so we can follow-up. We need to show respect and at the same time voice our concerns appropriately. Courtney could say for instance, that Liz will now speak about the Corona Virus and at the end of her talk will take questions or comments to make it flow better. This is just my thoughts. If people know it is organized (and not mass confusion) they will feel better about this, knowing that they will be given ample time to give their thoughts. Courtney, of course, can cut off comments when she thinks it is appropriate as our Chair. But the main thing is I hope everyone can speak out and get used to this new virtual forum. By Dan Nowak
CDTC Communication staff CHESHIRE—Chesprocott Health District director Maura Esposito continues to be cautiously optimistic when it comes to the COVID-19 virus in Cheshire, the state and nation and she offers some words of encouragement. “In Cheshire, we’re doing okay,” Esposito said. “We’re doing much, much better now because people are staying home. Social distancing and working from home, it’s all working. My job tends to take me out on the road and these days when I’m driving on Route 10 it’s just me and members of the police department driving around. And that’s a good thing because it shows people in Cheshire are taking this seriously and staying home. “I’m optimistic but I am cautiously optimistic because it’s still a wait and see situation with this virus.” The cases continue to grow in Cheshire going to 38 confirmed cases on Wednesday with three people hospitalized compared to 23 confirmed cases on April 2. Esposito said the hardest hit age group in Cheshire is the 31-40 year old age group with the highest number of cases with nine. The next highest number of cases in Cheshire is seven in the 61-70 age group. Esposito also said most of the COVID-19 cases in Cheshire are people in the health care industry including nurses who work in rehab facilities and nursing homes. “Tuesday was a slow day for cases in Cheshire for some reason,” Esposito said. “But that doesn’t really mean much because we have a lot of people being tested. The difference now compared to a couple weeks ago is the quick reporting we are getting when people are tested. St. Mary’s Hospital has been excellent in reporting numbers quickly to us for the three towns we cover." Chesprocott Health District covers Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott. “I see a lot of people, more people than usual, walking on sidewalks and around their neighborhoods,” Esposito said. That’s good because people should get out and get some fresh air, as long they practice social distancing. I’ve been encouraged because when I see a lot of these people walking around they are 8-10 feet apart when they talk to each other. “I also see a lot of people walking around town with masks and that is good. But the only thing I ask is that people don’t use 0he N95 masks and surgical masks that our health providers need to do their work. Make a homemade cloth mask or use a scarf or bandana. Be creative and wear a turtleneck shirt." On Tuesday, Chesprocott donated several boxes of masks to the correctional facility in Cheshire to help with their supply. Esposito said we will likely be dealing with the virus for a while. “We likely have more COVID-19 cases in town than the confirmed cases reported,” Esposito said. “If people have symptoms of the virus, have no underlying issues and are doing okay, they are asked to stay home and aren’t being asked to be tested. “But we can still expect to have many more confirmed cases. The thing is, the numbers continue to fluctuate and go up a little one day and down a little the next day. It’s still inconsistent. We are still in a wait-and-see situation with this virus. We still need to stay home and do social distancing until we see that curve stay flat.” For more information, go to http://www.chesprocott.org/ By Dan Nowak
CDTC Communications staff CHESHIRE—Early last week when I first talked to Maura Esposito, director of Chesprocott Health District, there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cheshire. On Wednesday (April 1) at 11:30 a.m., the state of Connecticut reported that there were 18 confirmed cases in Cheshire. Through no fault of the state’s reporting, Esposito said that number was low and offered a reason for the increase of cases in Cheshire – an increase in testing. Chesprocott covers the towns of Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott. “While the state is reporting 18 cases, the number of confirmed cases in Cheshire we have right now is actually 27,” Esposito said. “Since we had our first case reported in Cheshire last week, the past five days the number of cases has nearly doubled every day. We also reported our first death in Cheshire today (April 1), an elderly women with underlying health issues “This is spreading through the whole Cheshire community and it is impacting people of all ages, including young people. We have a 26-year-old male in the hospital and a 21-year-old female has tested positive as well. We anticipate it to hit our teenager population too.” Esposito said the main reason for the increase of confirmed cases in Cheshire is an increase of testing and testing sites. Esposito also reported 11 confirmed cases in Wolcott and seven in Prospect. “When we talked early last week, we had no confirmed cases,” Esposito said. “But there were actually positive tests out there. It just took a while for those test results to get to us. Now, we are getting test results that are recorded faster with all the mechanisms in place. That is why the state-announced cases lags a bit. We (Health Districts) are constantly getting updates so when the state announces an updated number of cases they don’t reflect immediate, new cases being reported. “The reason for Cheshire’s increase of confirmed cases is due to so many different labs reporting results now. Our numbers in Cheshire really jumped up Tuesday night when St. Mary’s Hospital (Waterbury) added 12 confirmed cases in Cheshire. Some results still come in slow with places like Griffin Hospital reporting cases by snail mail. The bottom line is we are continually seeing this doubling of cases on a daily basis." Confirmed cases in Connecticut will continue to rise. “We’re following what the Feds are telling us and stressing social distancing," Esposito said. "They tell us the predicted peak of this virus will be the second week of April. It is spreading fast through Connecticut. New Haven County’s confirmed cases are right up there with Fairfield County and soon the whole state will have that high level of cases.” Esposito said the town governments in Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott are “doing a great job” when it comes to combating the disease. She thought it was a great move by Cheshire and the other towns to close public playgrounds and outdoor courts (basketball, tennis, etc.) to the public. Non-essential businesses are also doing their part and asking employees to take proper steps to stay safe like working at home. While all the nursing homes in Cheshire are doing okay, Esposito said the highest cases have been in group homes. Esposito also wanted to give residents a reality check and for them to understand the worse is yet to come. They should still adhere to safety protocols. “There is no question this virus is spreading throughout Cheshire,” Esposito said. “Once a family member gets it, the virus spreads fast in that family. For every case confirmed they say you can expect 100 more cases. In Cheshire, that could be as many as 10,000 cases. The coronavirus cases aren’t going to peak for another two weeks. “We don’t want anyone to be complacent with this virus because it knows no boundaries. Stay at home and keep practicing social distancing. We’ve been getting calls from people who see other people who aren’t adhering to those protocols. If you see some people in a group and talking close to one another, say something and ask them in a nice sort of way to do the social distance thing." For more information, go to www.Chesprocott.org. Cheshire Parks and Rec Director Gawlak announces playgrounds, courts and dog park are closed3/26/2020 CHESHIRE--In a continued effort to ensure the health and safety of the public, Cheshire Parks and Recreation Director John Gawlak has announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Cheshire playgrounds, courts (basketball, tennis, etc.) and dog park are closed until further notice while the parks are still open to the public.
The closures are effective at 7 a.m. on Friday (March 27). Town officials encourage residents to make use of the town parks and open space while observing appropriate protocols like social distancing. "All courts, the dog Park and playgrounds are now closed in Cheshire,” Gawlak said. “The linear trail, Parks and open space are open to the public. People need to follow the CDC guidelines as well as staying home as much as possible at this point. "A reason we are doing this is people are just not obeying social distancing . Cases are still on the rise. People are just not following social distancing criteria. It’s a small sacrifice. Please stay home and go out only when necessary." In an interview with Chesprocott Health District Director Maura Esposito on Monday, she expressed the hope at the time that Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott town officials would close public areas that involve contact sports, like basketball courts. Chesprocott serves Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott. Today (March 24), officials from the Connecticut Department of Public Health along with Chesprocott Heath District, which serves Cheshire, Wolcott and Prospect, have confirmed the first two positive cases of COVID-19 within Chesprocott district as two Wolcott residents now have the disease.
It was bound to happen sooner or later with positive cases all around us. According to a press release provided by Chesprocott Public Health Specialist Kate Glendon, the Wolcott individuals are both males - one in his late 50’s and the other in his mid-30’s. One is currently in the hospital while the other is home recuperating. "We encourage our residents to check-in on friends via the phone, email, text or facetime," Glendon said in an email interview. "Stay home and stay safe." In a prepared statement, Chesprocott Health Director Maura Esposito said experiencing cases closer to home was expected. "Positive cases of COVID-19 in the Chesprocott Health District area have been expected as community transmission of the virus has been occurring in the area," said Esposito. The Chesprocott Health District will work with the individuals to ensure all appropriate CDC guidance is followed to limit any potential for exposure. Chesprocott Health District’s main objective is to continue to keep residents safe and slow the spread of the virus. "The single best way to slow the spread is to practice social distancing, and we are recommending that all individuals, both adults and children, stay home and not interact with individuals outside of the household” Esposito said. Chesprocott officials believe social distancing is crucial in helping to reduce the spread of the virus and limit the number of people who are infected. Everyone should be taking the everyday preventative actions to help protect themselves and here is a list provided within the statement: • Staying home if you are sick except to get medical care • Avoiding close contact with people who are sick • Washing your hands with soap and water frequently and for at least 20 seconds • Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands after • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth • Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces By Dan Nowak
CDTC Communications staff CHESHIRE—While the true impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on all our lives in the United States didn’t hit home for many people until February, Chesprocott Health District and its director Maura Esposito started dealing with the issue in December. “We saw what was happening globally and the impact potential nationally, so we started contacting people to discuss the local impact back in December,” Esposito said. “We started working with Cheshire Academy first due to its unique community layout (dorms, offices, etc.). “By January and February I was calling meetings together with town officials.” During an interview on Monday with Esposito, Chesprocott public health specialist Kate Glendon and Chesprocott chief sanitarian and deputy chief Susan Lonczak, all had one message for local residents – you don’t have to panic. “People are panicking and they don’t have to panic,” Esposito said. “People will get sick and some people die. We just need to do common sense things to contain the disease and limit its spread. The best advice we can continue to give is to keep practicing social distancing, wash your hands for 20 seconds and disinfect areas inside your home.” If you are trying to figure out if there is something you can do to help during this crisis, Glendon said there are a couple of items to consider. First, like other states, there are not enough of PPE for Connecticut hospitals, nursing homes or EMS. PPE, or personal protective equipment, is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Second, you can donate items to help our seniors and shut-in population to help them get through this crisis. If you have access to PPE items, Chesprocott has set up a drop-off bin in front of its facility at 1247 Highland Ave., Cheshire where you can drop off any PPE that you might have in your possession. Items needed are N95 Respirators, face masks/surgical masks, face shields, surgical gowns, gloves (nitrile or non-latex), thermometers, thermometer covers (if applicable to type of thermometer), hand sanitizer, and other medical items. Chesprocott officials are asking Cheshire residents to donate some items for the town’s senior population and shut-ins to help them. First, you can write a note or a card to our seniors with a message to encourage positivity and hope during this crisis. Items being requested are playing cards, new puzzles, games and crafts and you can drop them off at R.W. Hine Ace Hardware, Main St. Café, Shef’s Bagels and The Bean Coffee Roasters. The notes and other items will be picked up by Chesprocott and distributed to seniors. One thing for Cheshire residents to note. As of 11 a.m. on Monday, there were no official coronavirus cases reported in Cheshire with no positive test results. However, Esposito said Cheshire does have some presumptive positives for the disease. “What this means is there are some people in Cheshire who have been presented with coronavirus symptoms,” Esposito said. “But because they are in that 80 percent group with low risk and no underlying problems, they have not been tested and they have been asked to just stay at home. “At this stage, we need to ensure we have enough testing for those in that 20 percent group. Those are the ones who have more serious symptoms, like respiratory and breathing issues, and need to be transferred to the hospital. When people experience the symptoms in a mild form, we are telling them to self-isolate, take Tylenol and drink plenty of fluids.” Since February, when our normal daily routines started taking a hit due to coronavirus, the Chesprocott Health District has been deluged with questions from the public each day. Chesprocott serves Cheshire, Prospect and Wolcott. One of the most frequent questions asked is to explain the concept of social distancing. There always is a question of the day from residents, usually the result of a new mandate or update coming out of Gov. Ned Lamont’s office. There also has been the question of whether it is safe to go to our parks in town, which are all still open to the public. “In my opinion, I think it’s a good idea to keep the parks open,” Esposito said. “For our mental health you need to have some kind of normalcy and that’s what these parks represent. It’s healthy to go out and get some fresh air as long as people continue to adhere to social distancing.” Esposito said residents should be patient, stay home and eventually things will get back to some kind of normalcy. “We will get through all of this,” Esposito said. “At some point there will be a decision if any of the items in place like remote/online schooling need to be extended. Everything changes by the hour and sometimes by the minute. “I’m in constant communication with Town Manager Sean Kimball, Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Solan, Elim Park and all our long-term care facilities. My crystal ball says if we keep doing things like social distancing and washing hands, the virus spread will slow down. If we don’t do that, we’ll have more deaths and our health officials will be at risk. Hopefully everyone will take our advice.” For more information and answers to other questions, you can go to www.chesprocott.org. The coronavirus issue has become a part of our lives on many levels, and so, it was inevitable that it would eventually impact the political scene in Connecticut.
On Thursday, following discussions with local election officials and other legislative officials, Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill and Gov. Ned Lamont decided to postpone the Connecticut Presidential Primary from April 28 to June 2. In a prepared statement from the Office of the Secretary of the State, Merrill said her most important concerns are allowing every Connecticut voter to make their voice heard in the selection of the presidential candidates and ensuring voters are able to cast ballots as safely as possible. Courtney Cullinan, Chairwoman of the Cheshire Democratic Town Committee and the Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Policy at the Connecticut Senate Democrats, believes it is a good, smart move. “I think it is smart to move the primary in these uncertain and challenging times," Cullinan said. “It is important that everyone who would like to vote is able to without concern of their health. All political parties need to work together right now to ensure the health and well-being of our communities.” In the prepared statement, Merrill stated that moving the Presidential Primary is a recognition of the severity and nature of the crisis that impacts all of us. More steps may be needed to guarantee that every Connecticut voter has an opportunity to cast their ballot. This may include suspension of supervised balloting requirements and allowing more voters to vote using absentee ballots. Cheshire parks remain open; coronavirus impacts Parks and Rec events, Community Pool, youth sports3/19/2020 CHESHIRE--As a Cheshire Parks and Recreation commissioner, I have been approached by several people the past 10 days when it comes to access to the town's parks and the status of upcoming recreational events and programs when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic. Cheshire Parks and Recreation director John Gawlak, a proactive director, wasted no time putting together a response to address parks and recreation issues last week and you can see that point-by-point response below. On Tuesday (March 17), Gawlak talked to Town Manager Sean Kimball for an update on the impact of the coronavirus moving forward. "I had a discussion with Sean Kimball regarding parks and they will remain open at this time," Gawlak said. "Many other towns are shutting them down and others are keeping them open. I believe until there is some Federal or State ruling, they should remain open for people to use with the added cautions." While parks in Cheshire remain open, the Cheshire Community Pool will be closed through March 30. Some of the events in town that have been canceled include the Easter Egg Hunt at the Cheshire Community Pool on April 4 and the annual Fishing Derby at Mixville Park on April 4. Below is the official message from the Cheshire Parks and Recreation Department to Cheshire residents. The Cheshire Recreation Department will be closed to the general public through March 30, 2020. (however, staff will be present and working) We urge you to utilize online services for program registration and pavilion rentals. Please email/phone in your questions or concerns. The Cheshire Community Pool will be closed to the general public through March 30, 2020. PLEASE NOTE: As the COVID-19 situation evolves there may be the need to cancel/postpone further.
April 4 Fishing Derby at Mixville Park April 15 Mixville Muck Run at Mixville Park April 16 Touch a Truck at Bartlem Park I appreciate your patience and cooperation during a difficult unprecedented period for all. Please be safe and hopefully we all can get back to some regularity and enjoy our activities. CHESHIRE--Cheshire Democratic and Republican town officials have been working together to make the best possible decisions to protect and safeguard every Cheshire resident when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic that we all face.
Democratic Town Councilor Peter Talbot said it is important that we maintain a "sense of community." "This is an unprecedented period we are in," Talbot said. "Please heed the warnings and alerts from the Federal, State and local government. Your safety and well being is what we are all striving for. "The precautions taken regarding school and other closures has absolutely been the right decision. We will never know the impact that it has had, but suffice it to say, that it has slowed and lessened the impact of the pandemic." Talbot suggests that residents check the town's website - cheshirect.org - for updated coronavirus information. "Thank you for your patience, caring and concern during this difficult time," Talbot said. "As we practice "social distancing," please make sure you call or text a neighbor to see how they are doing. "It is important that we maintain that sense of community." |
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