First Selectman's Corner - March 20, 2020 - Changes due to COVID-19
March 20, 2020
It’s hard to believe the world that we’re living in today. Within a period of weeks, our collective lives have been changed – seemingly forever. A sequence of events that started roughly 7,500 miles away in China has altered the lives of billions. Our daily habits, customs and rituals – all changed. Even the most mundane tasks have now been complicated by the suspicion that an unseen virus could find its way into our lives, our homes and our families. It can be unnerving to think about all the “what if’s” and yet we must carry on.
New terms have now found their way into our vocabulary. “Social Distancing”, “Self-Isolation”, and “Flatten the Curve" have now become a part of every other sentence we speak.
Here at Town Hall, we’ve made it through the week. Thankfully. We’ve maintained our operations and offered services to our residents and I’m pleased to say that those that have come to Town Hall have been relatively few and far between and those visits have been limited to more essential services. Gone for now is the routine “social visit” for a coffee at the Senior Center. We’ve cancelled all unnecessary meetings to protect our volunteers and I’ll continue to monitor our operational procedures as time passes. As the virus becomes more prevalent, and we know that it will, we may need to alter how we deliver services. Should you be in need of services from Town Hall, I highly recommend that you call ahead to avoid making an unnecessary trip as many services are available online or by email.
To stay informed, please consider signing up for email alerts from our town website: www.newhartfordct.gov. Doing so now could provide you with access to valuable information in the future. The link is located in the top right corner of the main page under “Subscribe to News & Announcements” and it’s very easy to do.
Yesterday, to further protect all residents, I took the step of closing all sports courts, the skate park and playgrounds/playscapes. Residents had reported large quantities of teenage children playing basketball at Brodie Park. While I normally would enjoy seeing a group of kids outside having fun; due to our new reality, we must do our part to slow the transfer and thus this behavior had to be halted immediately. While these facilities have been closed until further notice, our parks and open space preserves will remain open for hiking, biking and fishing.
I’m happy to see that many in town are rallying behind our local businesses that are the life blood of our community. Our restaurants have been authorized to stay open on a “to-go” basis and I plan on doing my part for dinner tonight. If you’re able to help, I know our business owners will greatly appreciate it. As always, please follow the safe social distancing and good hygiene recommendations to keep yourselves safe.
Should you find yourself in the difficult position of suspecting that you or a member of your family have been exposed to the virus or are exhibiting symptoms – please follow the guidance: contact your doctor, stay at home and self-isolate/quarantine. Should you be in the difficult position of needing supplies during a period of self-quarantine, please don’t be afraid to call Town Hall at 860-379-3389. We are here for you and your family. It starts with a phone call and letting us know how we can help you get through this difficult time.
Over the next few days, we’ll all be confronted with more challenges as COVID-19 comes closer and closer to our New Hartford families. If we all take precautionary steps now, and use good judgement and hygiene, we’ll help do our part to slow the transfer and ultimately protect those we care so deeply about.
If you have questions or concerns, need assistance and are unsure where to turn, feel free to call me at Town Hall or send me a note at djerram@newhartfordct.gov.
Thanks, Dan