Nov. 8 Update From Easton First Selectman Bindelglass

**News Release Submitted by Easton First Selectman Bindelglass**

Nov. 8, 2024

Good afternoon,

Tuesday was election day, and, as always, many people worked long and hard to make the process run smoothly. The demands of early voting were extraordinary and our Registrars were nothing short of outstanding. We thank them for their efforts. More than 84% of our citizens voted, which is great. Not only civility, but actual comradery was on display between the political parties. I believe the day showed Easton’s best side.

It is with great personal sorrow, that I must report the death of 103-year-old Ann Fiyalka. Ann served the town in many ways for countless years, and is remembered for having flown in a plane with Amelia Earhart. She was a remarkable woman and will be greatly missed.

At last night’s selectman meeting, we approved accepting an historic designation for our Town Hall, which actually has an interesting history. You can read about it HERE.

We also approve changes to the EMS Building Committee, to take effect as we move into the construction phase of the building.

Lastly, we discussed responses by our Emergency Medical Services. I reviewed a letter sent by leadership of the fire department, which expressed concern with the responses by EMS. It called for transparent action by the town, so I think it is important to comment and to understand that both the EMS and the Fire Departments are independent organizations with their own duly elected leadership. As one can imagine, for the public safety of the town, it is critical that they work together. In terms of the EMS, the town has worked with them to improve coverage in several ways. We are working with the Board of Finance to allocate additional funds for paid workers to supplement the volunteers. We have worked to bring in more volunteers by reaching an agreement with the EMT training program at Sacred Heart University. We have revived a “live in program”, where a college student lives in the EMS building for free and covers shifts, and they have worked on new scheduling requirements and software. No one disputes that this is a work in progress. We will continue to take further steps to improve service as needed. At the meeting, I expressed my concern that everything I just detailed was known to the Fire Chief, so I was uncertain why the letter was written as it was. I know both organizations are incredibly dedicated to our safety and that is what the town deserves. I will do everything I can to ensure that, and people should be confident to dial 911 when they need help.

The Town Hall will be closed on Monday, November 11th, in recognition of Veteran’s Day. I will be commemorating Veteran’s Day on Monday at 11:00 am, at the Stepney Green on Main Street in Monroe with the American Legion Post 160. We want to thank all the Veterans here in town and around our country for their service, and for giving us the freedoms that we too often take for granted, and for helping to preserve our way of life. We must recognize that we have these freedoms because there are those among us willing to serve and make tremendous sacrifices to preserve what we have. Thank you all! I was also lucky enough to participate at a Veteran’s Day breakfast at the Senior Center this week.

The Easton Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a temporary ban on all outdoor fires including fire pits and chimineas. The minimal rain that is anticipated this weekend will not be enough to reduce the fire danger in any meaningful way, we need inches of rain before conditions improve. The current ban will continue through November 18th when we will re-evaluate.

We also remind our community to use caution with their fireplace ashes. Fire Departments around the state have responded to numerous incidents where hot ashes were improperly discarded and either caused a brush fire, or even worse, a house fire. Please allow ashes to cool in the fireplace for over 24 hours before disposing of them. Place ashes in a tight covered metal container and keep the ash container at least 10 feet away from your home or other buildings. Pour water directly on the ashes. Never empty ashes directly into a trash can and under no circumstances, regardless of the container or how long it has been since your last fire, should fireplace ashes be put into your garage. We ask that everyone remain extremely vigilant and report any concerns immediately by dialing 911. For more information, please click here.
Give the gift of life! There will be a Red Cross Blood Drive at the Easton Library Community Room on Tuesday, November 12th from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Please schedule an appointment at https://www.redcrossblood.org/. Sponsored by Easton Public Library.

Dr. Vivian Hardison, Psychologist and Self-care Expert will be hosting a special workshop “Loneliness: How to Conquer it” at the Easton Senior Center on Wednesday, November 13th from 11:00 am until noon. Are you ready to explore some new possibilities to experience a more vibrant life? Discussion will include 1) The Power of Your Thoughts, 2) Understanding the Role of Your Emotions, 3) How to Conquer Loneliness, 4) Q&A. Registration is required.

Blood Pressure Screening by the Easton EMS will be held at the Easton Senior Center on Wednesday, November 13th at 10:00 am and every second Wednesday of each month.

Join us at the Old Academy on Wednesday, November 13th at 7:00 pm for an illustrated talk by historian, author, and award-winning journalist, Bruce Nelson, entitled Uphill Battles: the History of the Sport Hill Race in Easton. See a wide array of over 30 photographs from the annual Decoration Day event that took place between 1902 and 1910 and learn why one of the nation’s most prestigious early automobile racing events suddenly disappeared from the circuit. This talk will be moderated by fellow historian, Elizabeth Boyce, who will join Bruce afterwards in answering audience questions about the history of Easton. This is a free event brought to you by the Easton Congregational Church’s Old Academy Lecture Series and the Historical Society of Easton. Light refreshments will be served. Space is limited so please register through the following link or call the Easton Congregational Church office at (203) 261-2527.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uphill-battles-the-history-of-the-sport-hill-race-in-easton-tickets-1061800155849

The Easton Public Library will be hosting several fun and informative events next week:

• Paying for College - a virtual program presentation on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30 pm. The presenter, Jess Odlum, is from ECMC The College Place, a non-profit college access center that provides FREE college and financial aid advice to families in Connecticut. The topics will include college costs, types of financial aid, financial aid applications (FAFSA and others), and family discussion topics. Registration is required (High School & Adult). Registrants will receive a Zoom link.
• Bookworm Crafters on Thursday, November 14th at 4:30 pm. Calling all emerging readers! Join us for a read-aloud story & craft. Pre-readers are welcome and reading out loud is optional! We will be reading “Hog On A Log”, by Janee Trasler, and will have a copy for everyone. Registration is required. (Gr. K-1)

Easton Town Hall is partnering with the “300 Boodle Brigade” (a West Point parent group) to send holiday care packages to our troops who are deployed overseas during the holidays. Goods may be dropped off at the Town Hall (or at Helen Keller Middle School) by Friday, November 15th. For a list of items to donate please go to: Holiday Care Packages for our Troops. They are in special need of items from the Personal and Miscellaneous list. Feel free to bring your donations to the Town Hall front desk. To learn more about “300 Boodle Brigade” see the following links:

• https://www.spokesman.com/stor...
• Volunteers wanted to help put together military care packages Wednesday | Bloglander

Calling All Volunteers! Join in for a Fall Clean-Up Day! Help us honor our community’s heritage by helping to clean-up the Union Cemetery in Easton on Saturday, November 16th at 9:30 am (rain date November 23rd). Please bring: comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes, gloves and gardening tools (if you have them), water and snacks to stay energized. Bob Laskey has been donating a large amount of his time to ensure the cemetery’s upkeep and would be grateful for some assistance!

The Easton Garden Club Wreath & Poinsettia Sale is now on until Monday, November 25th. Each year, the EGC sells Wreaths, Poinsettias, and White Pine roping to support some of our charitable endeavors. The proceeds from this particular event provide the beautiful wreaths that adorn Easton’s town buildings and the Poinsettia plants that are delivered to our seniors in need. To learn more and place your order through their online store, visit https://www.eastongardenclubof.... Orders are accepted until Monday, November 25th, with scheduled pick up at the Easton Library Community Room Courtyard on Tuesday, December 2, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Please remember that if you have posted political or event signs, kindly remove them after the date has passed.

The Congregational Church is having it’s annual holiday cookie sale with orders due by November 29. For more information email cchurcheaston@gmail.com.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dave