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Customer Service. Collaboration. Communication |
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Dear Neighbor, We are holding true to the saying “out with the old, in with the new,” as Town Hall will be closing for major renovations on January 5th, 2023 and all departments within the building will temporarily move to the Community Cultural Center at 50 Chapman Place. The move will happen in two phases – on December 16, 2022 and January 6, 2023. Certain offices will be closed during these days to allow them to move. Please be patient with us as we move and get situated in our new temporary work spaces. More information is here. I hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones. Happy Holidays! -Mayor Michael P. Walsh |
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 | Holiday Fest Returns! East Hartford Holiday Fest will once again bring the community together starting on December 2 and through December 5. The four-day event features a wide variety of fun events. They range between crafts and book sales, carol signing and Christmas Fair as well as the long-awaited visit from Santa. The events cater to all ages. Most activities are free and open to the public. | |
|  | East Hartford Community Toy DriveTo help brighten the holiday season for children in our community, the Town of East Hartford is conducting a community toy drive. Donations will benefit local children this holiday season and can be dropped off at various locations in town through Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Monetary donations are also accepted.
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 | East Hartford Town Hall Is Closing for Renovations.
Moving to Community Cultural Center East Hartford Town Hall will be closing for renovations on January 5, 2023. All town departments will temporarily relocate to the Community Cultural Center at 50 Chapman Place. The move will happen in two phases, with some departments moving on December 16, 2022 and others on January 6, 2023. Please expect temporary interruption in services and department closures during the move. | |
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All town offices, including the East Hartford Transfer Station, will be closed Monday, December 26, 2022 in observance of Christmas Day. All town offices will reopen on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 for regularly scheduled hours of operation. Curbside trash and recycling pickup will run on schedule with NO delays this holiday season. |
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All town offices, including the East Hartford Transfer Station, will be closed Monday, January 2, 2023 in observance of New Year’s Day. All town offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 for regularly scheduled hours of operation. Curbside trash and recycling pickup will run on schedule with NO delays this holiday season. |
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| Ask the Mayor!Ask Mayor Mike questions about East Hartford that you have been meaning to ask for a while! The questions are accepted weekly, Monday through Friday and answered in a video message on Wednesdays. The Mayor’s previous responses are available here. | |
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 | Pratt & Whitney is Hiring! Pratt and Whitney is hiring for entry-level positions as part of their pipeline program. Pratt & Whitney is looking to hire talent with an interest and aptitude in manufacturing. There is no prior education or work experience required for this program and you will earn $34 an hour. Those interested must attend an info session to be considered. Virtual info-sessions are held Mondays, 10 AM to 10:30 AM and Thursdays, 4:30 PM - 5 PM. Click on the image above to register for an info-session. | |
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Planning and Zoning
| December 14, 2022 at 7 PM, Town Council Chambers, 740 Main Street. |
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 | Tree Lighting & Carol Sing Friday, December 2, 2022, 6 PM
Tree Lighting & Carol Sing will take place on the Town Green on Main Street. Residents are invited to gather on the Town Green and join in singing along with the East Hartford High School & Middle School Choruses. Santa Claus will have a spectacular arrival by Fire Engine. He will be joined by other special guests, one with a very well-known red nose! Children’s activities will be available, and cookies and hot cocoa will be served.
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|  | Swim with Santa Saturday, December 3, 2022, 2-4 PM Swim with Santa will be held at East Hartford Middle School’s indoor pool. The school is at 777 Burnside Ave. A professional photographer with a special underwater digital camera will take participants’ photos with Santa, outfitted with scuba gear. Participants will receive free digital images after the event. Admission for residents is free with a new unwrapped toy, pre-registration is required online at www.ehparks.org. Spaces are limited. | |
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| Photos with Santa & More Sunday, December 4, 2022; 1-3:30 PM Join Santa at the Community Cultural Center at 50 Chapman Place for photos and more! Activities will include inflatables, games, costumed characters and of course, Santa Claus himself will be there for photos and to hear children’s holiday wishes. Cookies and cocoa will be served outside. Admission is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item. | |
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 | Drop-in Chess
Sundays, December 4, 11 and 18; 2-4 PM Love to play chess? Looking for other players? Stop by the Circulation Desk of Raymond Library to pick up a chess kit then head upstairs to the second floor, where we’ll have tables set up for chess play. Sessions will run through February with exceptions noted. Interested in formal chess instruction for players ages 8 – 18? Email Cathy Potter at cpotter@easthartfordct.gov to get more information on our chess program for Spring 2023. | |
|  | Hour of Code
Monday, December 5 - Friday, December 9; 3-5 PM (M/F) or 8 PM (Tues-Thurs). Be a part of the largest learning event in history and explore computer coding! Computers will be available in the Children’s Department at Raymond Library for coders to share and take turns. Make something new – anyone can learn how! Best suited for ages 8 - adult. Register for a reminder on the day of your choice. | |
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| Makerspace Creative Arts Programs Thursdays, 6 – 7 PM This winter, get in touch with your creativity! In December, join Makerspace staff at the Raymond Library for Pop-Up Holiday Cards (December 1), DIY Jibbitz in Tinkercad (December 8), Mint Milk Bath & Sugar Lip Scrub (December 15), Winter Hat Ornaments (December 22), and Van Gogh Paint-by-Number (December 29). | |
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JOIN A BOARD & COMMISSIONAre you interested in volunteering for the town? East Hartford has a variety of boards and commissions that are in need of volunteers. To learn more, view available vacancies and apply to be considered here. |
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Donations Requested for East Hartford Community Toy Drive The Town of East Hartford is reminding residents that donations for the community toy drive will be accepted through Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Donations will be used to help our Social Services Division and Police Department fulfill toys for kids requests for East Hartford residents. The greatest need for donations are age-appropriate items for children 10 years of age and under. Individuals and organizations are asked to donate new, unwrapped items that do not require batteries. In addition to age-appropriate toys, other options include: Individuals can drop-off donations at the following locations: Raymond Library, first floor lobby at 840 Main Street; East Hartford Senior Center entrance at 15 Milbrook Drive; and Social Services, office located in the lower level of Town Hall at 740 Main Street.
Monetary donations are also welcome; checks can be dropped off at the Social Services office and should be made payable to East Hartford Social Services Holiday Programs. Residents can also contact the Social Services office at (860) 291-7248 for any questions about the community toy drive. |
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| Sign Up For Town Alerts Register today to receive non-emergent, timely notifications from the Town of East Hartford via a text message, email or phone call! To receive non-emergency messages, please select "Town Services" during registration in the drop down menu. All subscribers will receive emergent life safety notifications as well. | |
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 | Access Health CT Enrollment Assistance Did you know that the Raymond Library is an Access Health CT Open Enrollment location? Access Health CT staff will be on site at Raymond Library (840 Main St.) Monday – Friday from 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM for the duration of the open enrollment period (through January 13, 2023). Stop by the second floor of the library to get one-on-one help completing your enrollment application. Ask questions and understand next steps from an enrollment specialist. Certified brokers may also be available to assist in plan selection. No appointments necessary. Please note that this is a change of location from prior years, when staff were located in the lower level. To reach the second floor, enter through the main doors on the Central Avenue side of the building and take the stairs up to the second floor or the elevator to 2R. For holiday closings, check the library’s online events calendar. To learn more about Access Health CT, visit their website. |
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| Help us fight the blight. Report any issues of concern through “My East Hartford” – the town’s customer relationship management platform for a prompt and timely resolution. | |
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Requests are NOT monitored 24/7 and are addressed during business hours only. If you have an emergency, please call 9-1-1. |
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Holiday Recycling Tips |
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The holiday season including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and others, is always packed with parties, shopping, wrapping gifts, hosting friends and family, cooking, and more. All this celebrating comes with tons of waste. Do you know that in East Hartford, between November and December, we collect almost 20% (2,600 tons) of the entire annual waste? The good news is there is more to recycling, but we must RECYCLE CLEAN! Please be thoughtful about what you place in the blue cart: when in doubt, throw it out in your green trash cart. Please check the following list of what not to put in your blue recycling cart: Christmas lights, Christmas trees, wrapping paper, bubble wrap, cellophane, ribbons and bows, wreaths and garlands, cards & envelopes that have gold or silver metallic ink or foil lining, styrofoam, batteries, food packaging and waste, clothing and shoes, electronics, plastic bags (do not bag your recyclables). These items do not go in the blue cart. They go in the refuse cart. Remember, East Hartford Recycles Clean! |
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IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE TAX CORNER |
The Tax Office will move to the Community Cultural Center on December 16, 2022 due to the Town Hall renovation project. Tax Office will be closed December 15 through December 19 at 12 PM.
Tax Collector: December 14, 2022 is the last day for in-person transactions at Town Hall. December 14, 2022 is the last day to use the drop box at Town Hall. Please do not leave cash in the drop box.
The Tax Collector’s Office will resume at the Community Cultural Center on Monday, December 19th at 12:00 PM. However, in-person services will not be available until further notice. The following services will be amended: The Town of East Hartford Tax Collector’s Office will remain available and accessible to the public via telephone and/or email: The following is a list of ways to pay taxes while the Tax Collector’s Office is unable to provide in-person services: Pay online: www.easthartfordct.gov/tax-collector/pay. Sign up to pay by text on the Tax Department webpage https://www.easthartfordct.gov/tax-collector. Use the pre-printed envelope enclosed in the bills and place payments in drop-box at Community Cultural Center, 50 Chapman Place, East Hartford, CT The drop-box will be picked up twice daily to expedite clearance for taxpayers. It will be picked up first thing in the morning and by 2 PM each afternoon.
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IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE ASSESSOR’S CORNER |
The Assessor’s Office will move to the Community Cultural Center on December 16, 2022 due to the Town Hall renovation project. Assessor’s Office will be closed December 15 through December 19 at 12 PM. There will be no public access to the office until further notice. Taxpayers can continue to contact the office by phone, email, drop box, fax, or mail. All forms, exemptions, reports and declarations are already available online at this link. Please see the Assessor’s Office webpage at www.easthartfordct.gov/assessor for any and all changes to the services that will affect the public.
Adjustments to Motor Vehicles can be processed through email, fax, mail, or using the drop-box located at the Community Cultural Center. Forms and documents can be found by contacting our office at 860-291-7260 or referring to the Assessor’s webpage. |
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IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE HEALTH CORNER |
 | December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month HIV can affect anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, or age. This year, we must challenge misinformation, racism, homophobia, and transphobia to stop the stigma. Talking openly about HIV can help normalize the subject. It also provides opportunities to correct misconceptions and help others learn more about HIV. Here are some common myths about HIV/AIDS that are FALSE: 1. Everyone with HIV is infectious and can transmit the virus 2. Condoms are the only way to prevent HIV 3. People with HIV who have undetectable viral loads in their blood may still transmit HIV to a partner without HIV 4. I shouldn’t have sex with someone who has an HIV status that is different from my own. 5. An HIV-positive test is bad news |
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 | Fight the FluIt’s not too late to get a flu vaccine! While it is recommended that people aged 6 months or older receive their vaccine by late October, there is no question that it is still important to reduce the risk of getting the flu – especially for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications. With seasonal influenza cases on the rise, individuals easing up on COVID-19 precautions, and holiday travel in full swing, now is the time to get vaccinated. To schedule an appointment for your free flu vaccine, contact the East Hartford Health Department at 860-291-7324. |
|  | Protect Your Baby from RSVRespiratory Syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) Virus, or RSV, cases are on the rise. RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States. For more information about symptoms, treatment, and how RSV differs from other viruses (such as the common cold, flu, and COVID-19), visit the East Hartford Health Department website. |
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| Sign Up For Youth Bball!Parks and Rec is accepting applications for youth basketball for boys and girls from kindergarten through 8th grade! Our regular season will be the week of December 5th with mandatory evaluation. Players will be placed on teams after evaluation and the program will start December 10th. Instruction Basketball Program for our younger players will start Sunday, January 8th. | |
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 | Winter Vacation Programs for Children & FamiliesTuesday, December 26- Friday, December 30 Join us at the East Hartford Public Library for a terrific lineup of winter vacation programs for children and families. Programs include Read to the Dogs, LEGO Play Day, Pokemon Party, Make a Yeti Finger Puppet, Make Your Own Travel Board Game, Van Gogh Paint-by-Number, Noon Year’s Eve Party, A Year of Reading Bookmark, Pajama Storytime, and the 3d Annual Best-Ever Pet Show. Please note that both library locations will be closed December 24 – 26 and December 31 – January 2. | |
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| Volunteer With Us!East Hartford is looking to create a network of volunteers to assist with a variety of volunteer tasks. | |
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| | The Town of East Hartford is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. |
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ARE YOU A BUSINESS IN EAST HARTFORD? Become a member of the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce! |
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Brand new networking for our East Hartford Community!
Join us the second Thursday of the month from 9:00 am to 10:15am. All are welcome! This networking group will be facilitated by Mike Keiser of E Circle Marketing. Goodwin College Community Room
1 Riverside Drive
East Hartford
**Parking is available in front of the Main Entrance
**Enter the lobby, and the Community Room is the first door on the right. FREE, registration required Learn more: CLICK HERE To register for the Thursday networking group or any other networking events please visit the CT River Valley Chamber events calendar: Chamber Calendar of Events |
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BUSINESS RESOURCES |
 | Small Business Support Open Hours Friday, December 16; 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Are you thinking of taking the next step and opening your own small business? Are you in business already and interested in learning more about the resources available to you? Join us at the library for Small Business Support open hours on the third Friday of the month. Learn about help available for both aspiring and established small business owners, and speak with representatives from SCORE and from the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce, which represents over 400 members in East Hartford Marlborough, and Glastonbury. Register for a reminder, and to be notified of event updates, including featured partners. Walk-ins welcome! Small Business Support Open Hours are sponsored by the East Hartford Public Library, the Town of East Hartford Development Department, SCORE, and the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce. | |
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 | Message from the Fire Chief Happy Holidays from the EHFD. This time of year, fire departments across the country see an increase in fires caused by candles and holiday decorations. In fact, home fires caused by candles peak in December and January. We want all our residents to have a wonderful holiday season and would like to offer some holiday decorating tips. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant. Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged. Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
Our offices are prepared to answer any questions you may have about fire safety. And don’t forget, our Fire Marshal’s office is always available for free smoke alarm installation. The FMO can be reached at 860-291-7405. -Chief Kevin Munson |
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East Hartford Parks and Recreation held a successful Community Awareness Day on Wednesday, November 23rd. Students from East Hartford High School and Middle School volunteered to clear the Hockanum Trail from Elm Street Parking to the End of the Board Work between Hillside Avenue and Olde Roberts Street. The group swept the board walks, raked the trails, picked up trash and moved branches off the trail. The students and teachers did a fantastic job clearing the trail. We are fortunate to have them. |
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Thank you for your interest in the Town’s newsletter. The newsletter will be issued monthly, on the first day of each month. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at 860-291-7200 or by email at ehmayorsoffice@easthartfordct.gov. My door is always open and my staff is equipped and ready to assist you. -Mayor Michael P. Walsh |
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