Youth Service Bureau Receives Grant Funding

The Windsor Youth Services Bureau has been awarded $15,000 from Ameriquest Mortgage Company in its Create Your Legacy program. The Create Your Legacy program rewards after-school programs that “empower youth to demonstrate passion and dedication to the communities where they live”. Windsor Youth Services was one of five of the thirty six winners that have been highlighted as a notable program in an article about the Ameriquest project on YAHOO’s business page of their website.  Windsor Youth Services plans to use these funds to create a new youth computer lab,  supplies for its youth center, pay its part-time student employees and create an outdoor patio for the Windsor Senior Center.

Flu Clinics Postponed

The flu vaccine needed for Windsor’s flu clinic scheduled for Wednesday, November 8^th and Monday, November 13^th has not arrived.  Therefore, the flu vaccinations have been postponed until the vaccine arrives.  In addition, the Senior Health Fair scheduled for November 8^th has been cancelled. 

When the flu vaccine arrives, the clinics will be re-scheduled, allowing ample time to publicize the new date so that all those wishing to receive their vaccination can make plans.  Windsor is not alone in this situation as many other communities are dealing with similar shipping inconsistencies that have impacted the delivery of the vaccine nation-wide. 

The senior health fair, held in partnership with the vaccination clinic has been cancelled and will not be re-scheduled.

For more information, call Windsor’s Flu vaccination information line at 285-1883.  This is a recorded message and callers may leave their name and phone number if they have further questions.

Veteran’s Day Observance

Windsor’s annual Veteran’s Day observance will be held Saturday, November 11, 2006 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers of Town Hall.  The public is welcome to attend.  This is a change of venue from past years.  Members of the American Legion, VFW and Disabled Veterans of America will be recognizing the community service efforts of local Boy Scout Troops 149 and 56 as well as Cub Scout Pack 149. 

This year’s speaker is Reverend Robert Littlejohn who served in the U.S. Army from 1964 – 1966 as a Medical Corpsman.  For more information call 285-1835.

Twenty Residents Graduate from Citizens Academy

Last Wednesday evening 20 Windsor residents graduated from the Windsor Citizen’s Academy. The participants were recognized for their efforts in completing the 7-week program that provided an opportunity to learn more about the operations of various town and Board of Education departments. 

Town and Board of Education staff are currently developing a budget workshop to be offered in early December.  Similar to the Citizen’s Academy, this program will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the basic concepts of how the budget is developed as well as participate in some informal exercises designed to inform, educate and gather feedback from those who attend.  

CLOSING OF LIBRARY ON FRIDAYS

At the last Council meeting information was requested regarding library usage and the decision to close the library on Fridays.  Currently the Town provides library services 7 days a week at two locations.  The main library is open 54 hours per week.  The Wilson branch is open 44.5 hours per week.   This means that a library is open to the public 61.5 hours per week which mirrors the average number of hours libraries in the Capital region are open. 

Friday hours were cut at the main library for 3 primary reasons;

1)                  Historically Friday has been a slow day in terms of patrons per hour

2)                  Patrons have access to services at the Wilson Branch

3)                  There are less service impacts to school children and to adults that work during the weekday.

Historically, Fridays have been a relatively slow day in terms of patrons per hour when compared to the rest of the week.  Using the past school year as a reference point – Fridays hourly average was lower than the weekly average of 35.7 patrons per hour.  The range was from 31 per hour to a high of 46 patrons per hour.  Thursday was the low at 31 and Fridays was 32 patrons per hour.

Another reason Friday hours were chosen, relates to the fact there is no school the next day.  Students have the ability to access library services on both Saturday and Sunday.  If we were to close another afternoon or evening students would not have such access on a school night.   Closing on Fridays versus on the weekend also creates less impact to working adults.