In this email, you'll find updates on district resources and news. Please click the links below to read the section that corresponds with the highlighted headline.
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Connecticut has made significant progress in strengthening its pension funds for retired state workers and addressing legacy debt, which isn’t just good news for pension holders, but for all taxpayers.
As the funding levels rise and the debt goes down, that frees up money – $492 million in the next fiscal year alone – that can support tax cuts for working families and key investments in our communities.
We’ve got a lot of work left to do, but this continued fiscal progress will have direct benefits for all Connecticut residents.
Today In CT History
The Connecticut shoreline is home to many beautiful, historic lighthouses that have steered ships in Long Island Sound to safety for hundreds of years. One of the state’s most historically significant “lighthouses,” however, is located over 60 miles inland — and refers not to a navigational structure, but to a unique settlement established on the fringes of colonial society.
Ragged Mountain, site of the Barkhamsted Lighthouse settlement,
seen from the West Branch of the Farmington River.
(State Historic Preservation Office)
The “Barkhamsted Lighthouse” was the early 19th century nickname given to the community founded by Mary and James Chaugham and their large extended family, located near the base of Ragged Mountain along the Farmington River. According to family lore, in 1740, Mary Barber, a young white woman likely from Wethersfield, fell in love with and married James Chaugham, a Narragansett Indian. Since Mary’s family disapproved of the marriage, the two decided to settle far away from the Connecticut River valley, building their home in modern-day Barkhamsted, which was then a largely unpopulated region on the outskirts of Connecticut society.
Over the ensuing decades, the Chaughams, their seven children, and their children’s children formed the nucleus of a small village consisting of poor whites, Native Americans, and African Americans in northern Barkhamsted. The community earned its nickname in the early 19th century, when travelers heading south on the Farmington River Turnpike used the light from the settlement’s cluster of homes as a “beacon” indicating they were only a few miles away from the nearby town of New Hartford.
Since the inhabitants of the Barkhamsted Lighthouse were, by many definitions, social “outcasts,” they left behind few documentary records for historians to use to piece together their story. In the 1980s, however, an archaeological team extensively surveyed the Lighthouse site, leading to several subsequent excavations that unearthed a mountain of physical evidence that shed light on this reclusive and historically unique community. Archeologists who examined the site wrote that their findings tell “a fascinating tale of a group of materially poor, ethnically diverse, occasionally maligned settlers eking out an existence on what ultimately were the social and economic margins of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Connecticut.” Their findings led to the state of Connecticut officially designating the Barkhamsted Lighthouse site a state archeological preserve on December 3, 2008, protecting the site against disturbances and development. The lives of a once-marginalized group of Connecticans received recognition, and protection, at long last, today in Connecticut history.
Check out the Department of Leisure, Family & Recreation’s Winter/Spring 2025 Program & Event Guide! Registration opens on Wednesday, December 4th at 9:00 AM for Manchester residents (Friday, December 6th for non-residents). For more information clickhere
Current Town of Manchester job openings include: Administrative Staff Attorney, Chief Administrative Officer (Water & Sewer Dept.), HR Benefits & Engagement Coordinator, Mechanic II, Police Officer, School Crossing Guard, and Water Treatment Plant Superintendent. Clickhereto find out more.
Leaf Collection Notice
Visit the webpage at Leaf Collection Program. As a reminder, each street will be scheduled for only ONE curbside collection. Leaves are particularly dry this year due to the continued drought, so during collection it is likely there will be a lot of dust and leaf particles floating through the air making vehicles dirty. Crews will do their best to mitigate this and appreciate the community’s patience and understanding.
Area 1 vacuum collection is nearing completion and
Area 2 is starting soon.
Please visit the Leaf Collection Program page for information on additional leaf disposal options, the 2024 Street Schedule, Street Status Map, and other FAQs.
Other Collection Options: Curbside Paper Leaf Bags:
Residents can set out paper leaf bags for curbside collection on the day of their normal refuse | recycling day. Do not mix refuse in with the leaves.
Curbside collection of paper leaf bags will continue from now to the 2nd week in January.
Leaves in barrels, plastic bags, or cardboard containers will NOT be collected.
Paper bags are available for sale at the Transfer Station, the Town Hall and the Senior Center. Leaf bags purchased from retail stores are also acceptable.
Drop off Sites:
Residents may drop loose or bagged leaves at the Transfer Station year-round during regular business hours.
When the Transfer Station is closed, ONLY residents may drop off loose or bagged leaves at the parking lot at 263 Olcott St (Oct 11 -Dec 31). No brush or plastic bags. Contractors are not allowed to use this drop site.
Winter Parking Ban Starts December 1st
From December 1st to April 1st, overnight parking is not allowed on public streets or municipal parking lots between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM. The Chief of Police may also declare a parking ban if a significant snow event is forecast or in progress. Clickherefor more info.
The Town of East Hartford, East Hartford Public Library, the East Hartford Beautification Commission and East Hartford Parks and Recreation invite you to the annual 2024 East Hartford Holiday Fest from December 6 through December 9.
The four-day event consists of a wide variety of fun events ranging between crafts and book sales, carol singing and Christmas Fair as well as the long-awaited visit from Santa. The events cater to all ages, children and adults alike. Most activities are free and open to the public.
Holiday Fest is is supported by many local civic, community, and town organizations. Join us out on the Town Green as we come together to celebrate all of the amazing celebrations that occur during December!
The Holiday Market (2:00-6:00 pm) will feature vendors, food trucks, crafts, ice sculptures, and more! Throughout the event, we will be showcasing the amazing cultural celebrations that happen during the season!
Around 6:15 PM, Santa will arrive on his trusty firetruck and choose a child to light up our BRAND NEW tree! We will have caroling, selfies with Santa, and free cocoa & cookies for the kids!
The Town of East Hartford annual curbside leaf collection program began on Monday, November 4, 2024.Leaves will be vacuumed Monday through Saturday continuously through December 14th, 2024.
The program consists of the vacuuming of leaves placed in piles on a tree belt. Leaves will be vacuumed along each street, weather permitting. The leaf collection program will commence on roads in the northwest corner of town in the area of Pitkin Street and then proceed north and east through the Burnham and Goodwin Street areas. Collection will proceed in a clockwise direction around town.
There will be no leaf collection on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024.
The map will show completed areas as well as the areas where leaf collection is anticipated the following week. Residents should note that the map is tentative and dependent on the weather and the speed of collection and should not be considered a set collection schedule. Progress of the collection is weather-dependent and will be affected by rain or snow. Snowfall before mid-December may cause a suspension or cancelation of leaf collection. The map will be updated with address-specific collection information, such as whether collection has been completed or is anticipated by close of business on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Residents, please look for leaf program lawn signs! Leaf collection lawn signs will be posted in neighborhoods to notify residents that curbside leaf pickup is coming, and to encourage raking to the tree belt and paper leaf bag collection.
Please do not block storm drains and catch basins with leaves to prevent flooding issues.
The Map will show your property- click on it to pull up the anticipated collection week.
To find out if the leaf collection has already been completed in your area, please click on the road centerline, which will indicate if the street has been completed.
Residents also have two (2) additional options for leaf disposal:
OPTION 1: Curbside Brown Bag Collection for six (6) weeks
Town crews will pick up leaves placed in biodegradable brown paper bags through December 14, 2024 on your regular waste collection day, weather permitting. Leaves, in biodegradable brown paper bags only. No grass clippings, branches or other waste items can be placed in the paper bags nor will the Town collect leaves in plastic bags. In the case of any delays, please leave your bagged leaves out on the curb, and they will be picked up as soon as possible. If you bring them back inside, you may be at risk of missing the collection.
OPTION 2: Resident Transport to The Transfer Station for FREE Disposal
Residents may also bring their leaves to the Transfer Station on Ecology Drive between 7:30 AM to 1:45 PM on the following days:
Every Saturday in November
First three Saturdays in December
Please note: The Transfer Station will be open on November 23rd, and 30th for leaves only.
Leaves in plastic bags will not be accepted.
For any additional information, please call Public Works Administration, 860-291-7374.
East Hartford Public Library
Family photo sessions begin on Sunday, December 1, through Saturday, December 7!
Choose from a winter or holiday backdrop. Book the time that works best for you: one session per group/family. Photos will be taken by library staff members using a professional camera and saved on a flash drive for you immediately after the session. Please arrive on time to get the most out of your time in front of the camera.
***UPDATE: Current availability is weekday mornings and afternoons. The weekend and evening sessions are now full.***
Access services from the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (CT DMV) at Raymond Library during this one-day outreach event on Friday, December 13! No appointment required.
The East Hartford Veteran Banner Program will honor the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country through a touching banner display in the heart of East Hartford, along Main Street.
Each banner will display the name, photograph, branch, major wars or conflicts and one or two major awards of the veteran.
Each year the banners will be displayed Memorial Day through Veterans Day, and then given to the sponsor, the honored Veteran, or their family.
The banners are entirely funded by a $200 donation by sponsors from the community- family, friends, local businesses, and civic organizations.
If you have a Veteran that you would like us to add to “needs a sponsor” list, please send an email to Chief of Staff Ekaterine Tchelidze at etchelidze@easthartfordct.gov.
The initiative is put together by East Hartford residents and Veterans who came together to honor those who served from our community.
Holiday Home & Business Decorating Contest and
Holiday Lights Map
The Town of East Hartford and East Hartford Parks & Recreation present our Holiday Home & Business Decorating Contest! Have a great time getting into the holiday spirit by decorating your home or business!
The photo from each category, (home and business), that gets the most likes will win a $100 ShopRite gift card. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 23.
All entries will be entered into an online map with all locations of participating homes and businesses so that families may take a drive through town to check out the beautiful decorations. The map link will be posted on EastHartfordCT.gov as well as the Parks and Recreation Facebook page at Facebook.com/EHParks.
This contest is free for all East Hartford residents and businesses to enter. If you have any questions, please call Parks and Recreation at (860) 291-7160.
My office is always open if you or your family are in need of assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email atJason.Rojas@cga.ct.govor by phone at 860-240-8541.
