Public Hearing Scheduled
The Office of Community Development will be holding a public hearing at on August 22^nd at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Windsor Community Center at 330 Windsor Avenue to solicit public input on the re-use of program income derived from activities funded through the Community Development Block Grant – Small Cities Program.  Program income must be used for CDBG eligible activities and meet one or more of the national objectives of the program.   The actual use of program income is subject to approval by the Town Council in the form of a Program Income Plan.

Addison Road and Day Hill Road Intersection Project
We have been notified that the State Dot expects mast arms for the traffic signal to be delivered this week with installation to follow.  The installation will take 1-2 weeks.

Newsrack Ordinance
The newsrack ordinance went into effect on August 1^st for all newsracks.   

This spring staff surveyed all existing newsracks and sent copies of the ordinance and all of the permitting paperwork to vendors in June.  Vendors wishing to distribute publications through newsracks were required to submit a permit application.   The Police Department is currently working with vendors to ensure that all of the newsracks have permits and that they comply with the ordinance.  The newsracks in front of the post office were removed by vendors and the town.  Newsracks in this location did not comply with the ordinance.

Tree Replacement
Public Works has been performing tree work in various town owned locations including public rights of way the last week.  A number of Norway maple trees in the islands behind Town Hall were removed.  These particular trees were dying and dropping dead wood causing hazardous conditions.  The parking lot islands will be excavated, the soil will be replaced, stumps will be removed and new trees will be planted this fall.

In addition, trees were removed at the following locations as they were deemed in poor health or posed safety concerns:   south end of the town green near the eagle monument, Stroh Park near Goslee Pool, Windsor Avenue commuter lot, Clover Street School, the Riverwalk, Welch Pool, Maple Avenue and Broad Street.   

MDA #31 Drill
This Wednesday, August 8^th the ongoing emergency planning efforts of both Windsor and South Windsor employees will be tested in a full scale drill at South Windsor High School.  The drill will simulate the distribution of 35,000 doses of "flu vaccine."

This drill is a requirement of the Bioterrorism Grant and the resulting feedback will benefit the planning committee’s future collaborative efforts.

Records Management Project Update
The Records Management project continues to make significant headway into organizing and preserving town records.  The FY2008 $50,000 grant project is complete and the final evaluations have been sent to the State Library.  This Grant included the inventorying of four departments and the upgrading of the town’s Electronic Storage system Laser Fiche.

 Another very successful part of this project was the follow-up training on the Laser Fiche System, which took place Wednesday and Thursday.  We were able to solidify the practical knowledge on how to input documents into the Laser fiches system and then how to search them.

“At Risk” List  

The Human Services Department is updating its list of residents who may require special assistance in times of emergencies such as hurricanes, power outages, blizzards, etc.  The list includes information on the person’s health conditions or physical limitations, special needs with regard to wheelchairs or medical equipment and emergency contact persons name and phone number.  The information on the list is protected as confidential and only available to certain town staff or the Police in an emergency.  To learn more, call 285-1839.

Board of Ethics Update
The Board of Ethics met on July 10 to receive public comment on a proposal to allow the public to directly approach the board with complaints.  After public comment and discussion, the board passed a motion to allow the public to directly approach the Board of Ethics with complaints of possible violations of the Code of Ethics.

In addition, Town Council has been asked to consider amendments to the Code of Ethics, which were first proposed in 2003 but were tabled by Council pending changes at the state legislature.  These amendments:

• Grant the board investigative power such as the ability to hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and review evidence.
   

• Require that a copy of the code be given to each board and commission member, elected officials and town employees.  This provision also requires a signed receipt of the copy of the code.
   

• State that no town employee or official may solicit or accept a gift or favor for services.
   

• State that town and Board of Education employees cannot receive pay or work for a private firm that has contracted with the town within 6 months of leaving the town’s employment.

The board would like the town council or a council subcommittee to review its referred motion and amendments.