Walgreens Selects Windsor As The Preferred Site For $175 million Regional Distribution Center
 

The Walgreen Company has advised the town they have selected Windsor as the preferred site for their 700,000 sq. ft. high-bay northeast regional distribution center.  This highly sophisticated and automated facility will serve a seven state area and will employ upwards of 500 people when fully operational.

Walgreen's has signed a letter of intent with Griffin Land to buy approximately 130 acres on International Drive in New England Tradeport, a 500-acre corporate park.  The company will be undertaking a period of due diligence that will include planning, design, permitting and state and local approvals.

Walgreens plans to submit applications to the Town of Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission this month.  Their intent is to obtain all approvals and to start construction in the spring of this year.  Completion of construction and the installation of equipment at the new regional distribution center will take approximately two years.          

This is an exciting project for Windsor and the Capitol region.  Any city or town in America would be proud to host a Fortune 50 Company of this magnitude. 

Police Open House

The Windsor Police Department will be hosting an Open House for anyone interested in becoming a Police Officer on Saturday, February 4, 2006 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.   Applications for vacant Police Officer positions are due February 24^th, and testing dates are set for March 4^th and 9^th.

The open house is an opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement to learn more about the actual testing process that includes both a written and physical exam.  Windsor officers will be on hand to answer questions from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and at 2:00 PM interested participants can attend a physical fitness test clinic designed to give a sampling of the components included in the actual physical testing portion of the process.

A snow date for the open house is scheduled for February 11, 2006.  For more information call 688-4545 x 299. (This is a dedicated phone line at the WPD for recruitment/testing questions and information.)

Budget Public Hearing

The calendar for the upcoming budget sessions was approved at the last Town Council meeting.  The public hearing for the FY07 budget has been scheduled for Monday, February 6, 2006 at 7:15 PM, here in the Town Hall Council Chambers to hear citizen’s input on the fiscal year 2006/2007 budget. 

October Storm Update

As you are probably aware, Hartford County was not included in the Disaster Area designated by FEMA following the floods of October 14-15, 2005.   The State of Connecticut has asked FEMA to review the decision not to include Hartford County in the eligible area.  To that end towns have been asked by the State to submit any additional cost information so that FEMA can complete a second review.  Staff will be communicating with the State within the next 10 business days regarding any alterations to our original damage assessment.  At this point I do not expect any material changes to our original damage assessment figures.

Also, Governor Rell has convinced Federal officials to have the Small Business Administration extend low interest loans to businesses and individual homeowners who may have incurred damage as a result of the flooding.  That notification was given by the State on December 21st and is good for 60 days (deadline is February 21^st).   The Small Business Administration has set up two offices in the area, one in the Enfield Senior Center and one in the Community Center in Wethersfield. 

Marty Maynard, Risk Manager, has previously provided this information to all the individual property owners who submitted claims to the town in October.  For further information, call 285-1851.

Finance Director

I am pleased to introduce Ms. Cortney Keegan this evening.  Ms. Keegan began her tenure as the Town of Windsor Finance Director last Monday.  Ms. Keegan was previously the Finance Director for the Town of Uxbridge, MA, a position she held since September 2003.  Prior to that, she served Uxbridge as their Treasurer/Collector for more than 11 years. She has been actively involved in a wide array of financial, budgetary, legal and management issues.  Ms. Keegan has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Clark University in Worcester, MA and an Associate of Science Degree, in accounting from Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I.