Dear Residents,
I am grateful to announce today that Madison has had no new cases of COVID-19 over this past week, an important milestone. As we continue through the re-opening process for our state and town, we will continue to diligently monitor all active cases, and still strongly recommend residents to remain cautious and follow state directives on social distancing and mask wearing, especially for our seniors. More detailed demographic information on Madison’s cases, as well as information on testing locations, can be found on the Madison Health Department’s website.
Last week the Governor moved up the start date of the state’s re-opening plan for Phase 2 to June 17th. He also released a list of eligible businesses, along with guidelines for re-opening. In general, businesses included in Phase 2 are expected to follow a self-certification process similar to Phase 1. More details on re-opening guidelines and the certification process can be found on the state’s re-opening website. If you have specific questions relating to your business or event where the guidelines are not clear, please reach out to town officials at Reopenmadison@madisonct.org.
Madison’s new tax bills for the 2020-2021 fiscal year will be mailed to property owners next week. As a reminder, the Board of Selectmen implemented a 90-day tax deferment program for most local taxpayers due to the COVID crisis, which extended the last day to pay the first installment without penalty to October 1st. Landlords who are interested in the deferment must submit an application with the appropriate documentation by July 1, 2020. More details can be found on the Tax Collector’s webpage at www.madisonct.org/tax.
I also want to remind the public again that beach parking stickers will be required at all three beaches starting June 20th, and they can now be purchased in-person at the Surf Club office seven days a week. Make sure you bring the appropriate documentation with you. Please note that the gates at the beaches are staffed on Saturdays and Sundays only this early in the season, which is consistent with previous years. Full staffing at our beach facilities, including gate guards and lifeguards, typically starts the weekend after school is no longer in session (this year after June 18th). Parents should note that the Beach & Recreation Department also recently launched on-line registration for its summer camps. More details on programming and registration are available at https://www.madisonct.org/recreation.
And finally, next week a very challenging school year will be coming to an end. I want to thank our Board of Education, Superintendent, and most importantly, our teachers for adapting so quickly and professionally to a new distance learning environment, and for serving our kids with kindness, patience and understanding during this difficult time. I also want to congratulate our graduating seniors who have worked so hard to achieve this important milestone. The Superintendent has been working in concert with a committee of students, staff, community members, and public safety to create a unique graduation ceremony that appropriately recognizes this significant event while also adhering to strict state guidelines for public health. Despite all the obstacles this year, our seniors have demonstrated a high degree of maturity, resiliency and resolve – qualities that will serve them well in the future. Madison is proud of you and we wish you all the best as you pursue your dreams.
Please stay safe, healthy and at home Madison.
Peggy Lyons
First Selectwoman
