Dear Residents,
Over this past week, Madison has identified an additional 4 new COVID-19 cases in town, giving us a total of 5 active cases. These new cases span several age groups, are generally travel related, and mostly fall within a family group. They also highlight the importance of following the Governor’s self- quarantine requirements when arriving from out of state. If you plan on traveling, please stay up to date on the state’s quarantine list, as this list was recently updated to remove 5 states.
The recent significant spike in positive cases in Danbury should also act as a warning sign for us that community spread can ramp up very quickly. Most of Danbury’s outbreak has been linked to spread within families after activities such as travel, attending large worship services and/or youth sporting events, and then attending small family gatherings. As we move forward with end of summer celebrations and back to school activities in our community, we must continue to do everything we can to prevent a resurgence in our town. Please continue to exercise caution and follow state directives on social distancing and mask wearing, both indoors and outside, particularly when social distancing cannot be maintained, and wash your hands frequently.
The Town is still pausing the launch of any fall youth sports activities in Madison until further clarification on allowable activities can be obtained by the Department of Public Health and the CIAC. These organizations are working together to finalize guidelines and expect to release final plans by the end of this week. We are closely monitoring these discussions and will take appropriate action for any Town supported programs when final guidance is available.
Many have asked questions about the voting process for the November election. Please note that absentee ballot applications will be mailed to all registered voters by the Secretary of the State’s Office beginning in mid-September. Please send the completed application to the Town Clerk by mail or by using the secure drop box at Town Campus. Once our Town Clerk receives your completed application, ballots will be mailed out from the Town Clerk’s Office beginning October 2nd. You may return your completed ballot to the secure drop box or by mail, but we recommend allowing at least ten days for mailing so it can get back to the Town Clerk by November 3rd. Polling places on Tuesday, November 3rd will be open 6 a.m. -8 p.m., with District 1 voting located at Polson Middle School and District 2 voting at Brown Intermediate School. For more up to date information on voting in the November election, please continue to visit the Town Clerk’s website.
And finally, I want to announce that the Town will be launching in September a new communications system called Madison Alerts that will provide important community alerts and information, as well as my First Selectwoman updates. These can be received via an app downloaded on your phone, email, text or phone call. In order to continue receiving alerts and participate in the new system, please subscribe through the town website.
Stay safe and healthy Madison.
Peggy Lyons
First Selectwoman