OCTOBER IN NEW FAIRFIELD VOLUME 4, ISSUE 10 || OCTOBER 2025

October is here already! Time to begin all of our fall and holiday preparations! Enjoy all that the season offers and be sure to include on your do list some time to linger over that delicious apple pie, or to take a walk or drive to enjoy the beauty of the changing colors. We hope that your October brings you many TREATS that come in a variety of forms (in addition to chocolate!)

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Margerie Reservoir

Town Buildings will be closed on Monday, October 13th in honor of the Holiday

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Listening Hours

A multi-board listening session is available from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. in the Senior Center Community Room (upstairs) on the following Saturdays:

-Saturday, October 25th

-Saturday, November 22nd

Please join us and share your thoughts or concerns.

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ELECTION INFORMATION FROM THE TOWN CLERK

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Additional Election Information from the Town Clerk

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TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU WILL VOTE, SEE BELOW:

There are 12 roads in New Fairfield that are split between the 2 voting districts. If your road is not listed on District 24 or 30 refer to the Split Roads list.

Senate District 24

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Senate District 30

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Roads Split Between Senate District 24 and 30

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BEAR MOUNTAIN BRIDGE REPAIR WORK

Repair work will begin on Bear Mountain Bridge (at the bottom of Bear Mountain Road) on September 29th.

The work will take approximately 4 weeks. One lane will be open to traffic for the duration of the project.

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FirstLight Annual Drawdown of Candlewood Lake

FirstLight, the owner and operator of the Rocky River Pumped Hydro Storage Station, will initiate the shallow drawdown season for Candlewood Lake, which includes Squantz Pond, after November 1, 2025, as weather conditions allow.

In recent years, the annual drawdown of Candlewood Lake has typically been initiated between December and February, with the exact start date determined by weather patterns and planned maintenance timelines. The trend toward warmer and wetter winter weather, widely attributed to climate change, has and may continue to push the drawdown to this later timeframe. The shallow drawdown, executed in consultation with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Candlewood Lake Authority, will be completed with water levels returning to normal summer operating ranges prior to Memorial Day 2026.

A shallow drawdown is scheduled for this year. The normal summer operating range of the station is from 429.5’-427’, and the shallow drawdown will target an elevation of 424’ with a 2’ winter operations pumping and generation range from 424’-422’. Due to unknown weather patterns, exact dates and associated lake levels are not available. Homeowners are therefore strongly encouraged to remove their structures, boat lifts, and docks from Candlewood Lake prior to the winter season to prevent ice damage along the shoreline. All work planned to occur along the shoreline requires prior permitting from FirstLight, which can be contacted at www.firstlightpermits.com.

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EVERBRIDGE ALERT SYSTEM

Fall is here and, unfortunately, the snow and ice are not far behind. Please be sure that you are signed up for alerts for weather, road closures, etc.

**We are asking everyone to enroll for the new program, even if you have already enrolled for the previous one. Some of the phone lists we have are outdated and we would like to be sure that you are getting the information that you are opting to receive. While signing up, please be sure to select whether you would like to receive all alerts, or just some of them.

You can click on the QR code below to enroll:

OR, to enroll, please go to: https://member.everbridge.net/77895137493018/login-click below:

https://member.everbridge.net/77895137493018/login

OR

OR

Go to the New Fairfield website www.NewFairfield.org and sign up on the home page as pictured below:

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From the Assessor Regarding Personal Property Declarations

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Important Info from the Social Services Department

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NEW FAIRFIELD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

FIRE PREVENTION DAY

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH FROM 10-2

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TRICKS AND TREATS FEST

New Fairfield Parks & Recreation's Annual Tricks & Treats Fest will take place on Friday, October 24th beginning at 4:30 p.m. in Town Center.

Wear your favorite costume and you can bring your own bag to collect candy, if you wish. There will be bags available if you don't have your own.

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Halloween Safety

Halloween Safety can be the difference between a fun Halloween and a scary one!

From Safe Kids Worldwide Website

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Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Event

Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John Pettibone Center, 2 Pickett District Road, New Milford

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2026 HRRA Recycling Billboard Contest

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WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY WATER TEST DAY

Test Your Drinking Water

Saturday, October 11th

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Commission on the Aging

Community Forum on Housing

Saturday, October 18th

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FRIENDS OF THE SENIOR CENTER CRAFT & BAKE SALE

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Alzheimer's Community Education - Rescheduled

The "Building Foundations of Caregiving" seminar was rescheduled to October 16th at 5:30 p.m. in the NF Library. Please let them know if you plan to attend.

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New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society Pet Calendar Photo Contest

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QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING VIA ZOOM

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Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Saturday, October 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

New Fairfield Police Department

302 Ball Pond Road

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Sell Your Old Gold Fundraiser

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Community Service Club Lyman Orchard Pie Sale

Order your delicious pies for the holidays! Profits will be used for our Community!

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An Update from the Housing Opportunities Committee

In Person Forum on Progress of Housing Opportunities in New Fairfield:

On Wednesday, September 17th, the Housing Opportunities Committee hosted an event at 7:30 p.m. in the Senior Center Community Room to share live housing information with NF residents.

At this meeting, Tom Perkins, Board of Selectman; Kevin Van Vlack, Zoning Commission Vice Chair; Cynthia Ross-Zweig, Planning Commission Chair; Ernie Lehman, Planning Commission member and Jocelyn Ayer, Director, Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity, updated the audience on progress and collaboration related to housing opportunities and affordability during the past year. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed:

https://vimeopro.com/user53774442/town-of-new-fairfield-board-of-selectmen/video/1121881952

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Parks & Recreation's Annual Run For The Turkeys

Sunday, November 23rd

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Santa's Workshop, Holiday Light Parade and Tree Lighting (Weather Permitting)

Saturday, November 29th

Photos by Lee Scott

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FISH (Friends in Service Here) is a network of dedicated volunteers in New Fairfield, CT who provide non-emergency transportation for New Fairfield residents who cannot drive themselves. Drivers for FISH take these residents to medical and dental appointments in and around the New Fairfield, Danbury, Bethel, New Milford, Brookfield and Brewster areas. We provide rides when family members, neighbors, The HART bus and other options are not available.

Depending on driver availability, we also provide rides to non-medical appointments strictly within New Fairfield to places such as the New Fairfield Food Bank, the Senior Center, the Library, the Post Office, grocery stores, etc.

To request a ride or to volunteer, please call (203) 312-5627 or email fishofnf@gmail.com

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FISH NOW HAS ASSISTIVE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE ON LOAN FOR FREE

FISH of New Fairfield and FISH of Sherman have previously used assistive equipment available for you to borrow:

FISH Lends Equipment at No Charge

No matter what your needs are, FISH of New Fairfield and FISH of Sherman, can help you. Through collaboration, we can loan you equipment for short periods of time, saving you from buying it. Thanks to the help of the Sherman Public Works Department, FISH at both locations can offer the following types of medical equipment for your use:

- multiple types of walkers and rollators,

- two types of shower chairs,

- canes, crutches and knee scooters,

- different types of wheelchairs,

- bed rails and pressure pads,

- boot, leg and arm aircasts, and heel boots,

- commodes, raised toilet seats, and

- reachers

Contact us at fishofnf@gmail.com or 203-312-5627 for more information or visit our website www.fishofnf.org for further information.

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ALZHEIMER'S AWARENESS WEEK RIBBON- CUTTING CEREMONY

September 5th

First Selectman Melissa Lindsey kicked off Alzheimer's Awareness Week by reading a Proclamation, followed by the ribbon cutting.

In attendance were:

Back Row - left to right

Kristine Dahl, Volunteer, Event Chair, Western CT Walk to End Alzheimer’s; Carolyn DeRocco, Alzheimer's Association, VP of Programs and Education; Jess Tessman, Alzheimer's Association, Western and Central CT Walk Manager; Linda Fox, NF Library Director; Tom Perkins, Selectman; Carly Bennett, NF Library Program Coordinator; Cindy White, Social Services Director

Front Row - left to right

Pat Callahan, CT State Representative; Melissa Lindsey, 1st Selectman, Town of New Fairfield; State Senator Steve Harding; NFHS Athletic Director Mark Ottusch; Pat Delmonico, Selectman; and Janet Capozolla, Program Director, New Fairfield Senior Center.

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988 Day

September 8th

First Selectman Melissa Lindsey read a Proclamation for 988 Day.

In attendance and pictured were:

From left to right:

Melissa Lindsey, First Selectman; Pat Callahan, State Representative; Kathy Hanley, Behavioral Health Program Manager, Western CT Coalition, Inc.; Cindy White, NF Social Services Director and Reverend Elizabeth Yoho, Chairperson, NF Together in Wellness

New Fairfield is working alongside Western Connecticut Coalition, Inc. to promote the 988 lifeline and suicide prevention. A photo was taken in front of New Fairfield Town Hall on September 8th to support this very important resource and help spread awareness, reducing stigma, and making compassionate care accessible to anyone in need.

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September 11th Memorial Ceremony

Photo by Lee Scott
First Selectman Melissa Lindsey
Boy Scouts Raising American Flag
NFHS Chamber Singers
Cantor Lilah Sugarman and Reverend Philip Bartelt
State Representative Patrick Callahan
Selectmen Thomas Perkins and Patricia Del Monaco

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Walk to End Alzheimer's on Sunday, September 21st

The Walk to End Alzheimer's was held in New Fairfield again this year. Thank you to the Alzheimer's Association and to all of the walkers who attended and raised funds for the Alzheimer's Association.

Photo by Lee Scott
Photo by Lee Scott

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New Fairfield Day

September 27th

The weather was perfect and we hope you were able to come out and enjoy the day!

Photo by Lee Scott
Photo by Lee Scott
Photo by Lee Scott
Photo by Lee Scott

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Library Newsletter

The Library has its own newsletter and you can subscribe to it here:

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Senior Center

Take a look at the Senior Center's beautiful website where you can find out about programs, events and all that the New Fairfield Senior Center offers, as well as their newsletter:

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Events Calendar

Town events can be found on our Events Calendar. If you have a Not-for-Profit fundraising event to be held in town — please send the information and flyer to be included on the Events Calendar to: jgreen@newfairfieldct.gov.

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Meetings Calendar

The calendar for the Town of New Fairfield board and commission meetings can be found at www.NewFairfield.org or by clicking the button below:

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October 16th - Boss's Day

Thank you to First Selectman Melissa Lindsey for all that she does!

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Town Hall Hours

Thank you for reading the New Fairfield Newsletter

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Town of New Fairfield, 4 Brush Hill Road, New Fairfield CT 06812

www.NewFairfield.org

Credits:

Created with images by Andres Mejia - "Hello october text surrounded by colorful autumn flowers and leaves illustration" • Maryna - "Red closed sign hangs on rope against white background. Classic shop store front sign informs customers of unavailability. Message suggests no service restricted access. Suitable for various business" • Faizan - "Important announcement attention alert message communication urgent notice information megaphone loudspeaker symbol" • Javier brosch - "halloween ghost dog trick or treat" • Zedspider - "Water tap , faucet. Flow water in bathroom with sink. Modern clean hause. Backround hygiene." • Gino - "Bake Sale " • Roberto Sorin - "Flowers and pumpkins" • rohane - "A bunch of prescription pill bottles grouped on a table with white background" • photka - "Colorful fall leaves background" • Cloudy Design - "Scrap gold jewelry. Pile of old used gold jewelry." • Africa Studio - "Empty modern wheelchair in hospital" • kaninstudio - "Medical walker for patient, elderly, assistive device isolated on a white background. Medical concept." • Sly - "crutches" • Afroza - "Colorful Happy Boss Day with vibrant paint splatter background" • Abele - "happy halloween distressed text with pumpkin and ghost over black background"