Good evening, this is First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons with today’s weekly update.
I’m happy to announce that the Town is gearing up for the 2021 summer beach season. Starting next week, beach stickers will be available for purchase through the mail; and starting April 12th, beach pass renewals can be made through the Town website at www.madisonct.org . The Surf Club office will be open to the public starting May 3rd for in-person sales. First time pass holders, including new residents, must purchase beach stickers through the mail or in-person at the Surf Club office. Please note that stickers will not be required to park at Town beaches until Memorial Day weekend. Registration for various summer programs will also be available during the month of April, so please check the website for the most up-to-date information. The Town will be holding a public hearing in late April to provide an overview of this year’s beach operations plan for the summer season. More details on this hearing will be forthcoming.
I’m also pleased to announce that the Town will be holding its Annual Green Up, Clean Up Day on Saturday, April 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. In previous years, an estimated 400 to 500 residents and diverse civic groups have gathered together and collected up to 4 tons of litter in a 4-hour period. To register your group to participate, please visit www.madisonct.org/volunteer, or call 203-245-5602. Check in will be at Memorial Town Hall or Roberts Food Center in the North Madison Shopping Center. The Town will provide bags, gloves, and safety vests for children, and will have on-site dumpsters available for clean-up crews.
For today’s COVID update, Madison has 17 active COVID-19 cases, and, thankfully, no new fatalities or residents hospitalized. Madison Public Schools have 4 active cases, including students and staff. Although I am grateful to see our number of active cases declining, it is important that everyone, even our vaccinated residents, continue to wear a mask in public, maintain social distancing, and wash hands frequently. The state continues to see an overall rapid uptick in cases, an indicator that we need to stay vigilant and do our part to stop the spread.
As of yesterday, all adults over the age of 16 are now eligible to get vaccinated. The Town intends to continue to offer its weekly clinic on Thursdays at the Town Campus Gym (on an appointment only basis) throughout the month of April; registration for this clinic is available through VAMS. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination locations in Connecticut, please visit ct.gov/covidvaccine. However, if you are a Madison resident age 55 years and older and still having difficulty getting vaccinated, please contact the Senior Center directly at (203) 245–5627 for assistance.
As many in our community wind down from the Passover and Easter holiday seasons, may all of us enjoy some time for reflection and renewal after living through one of the most challenging periods in our Town’s history. With the continued acceleration of vaccinations across our state, I am hopeful and very optimistic that we as a community can work together in the coming weeks and months to quickly transition from crisis to recovery mode. Despite many hardships and losses over this past year, we have so much to be grateful for, and so much to look forward to in the future.
Stay safe and healthy Madison.
Peggy Lyons
First Selectwoman