Chris Poulos

Please continue reading below for other noteworthy items, and thanks as always for taking the time to read them!

This week, I attended an interfaith gathering with residents, local officials, ministers, rabbis, and other spiritual leaders to show our support for the those impacted by the recent events in Israel. Special thanks to Alexandra Gizhitsa-Anderson for organizing the event, which provided our community the opportunity to pray for peace and show that we stand in solidarity with Israel.

I also attended the special meeting of the Library Building Committee this week, at which the project architects and construction company shared their initial plans for a two-story expansion on the proposed south side of the new building that will increase the square footage of the current project.

During public comment, I shared and emphasized the overwhelming input that I have received from residents who want to see changes to the exterior design, bringing the building more in line with Southington’s local aesthetic. The new library will serve as a gateway to our downtown area, and to me, it will be more than a just a place to house books, but also a statement about the New England tradition of our community. As such, I will continue to advocate for these aesthetic changes with the architects and decision makers on the building committee.  

If you would like to share your thoughts on the project, I encourage you to attend the next building committee meeting on November 1 at 6 p.m. at the library.

Southington recently received great news in the form of two state grant awards

The first is a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant for the reconstruction of the high school track. In late August, Town Manager Mark Sciota contacted the Southington legislative delegation and shared a grant proposal to replace the track at the high school that the town had submitted for consideration. He asked us for our help, and I gladly offered to spearhead a letter of support, which I initiated and authored, and then reached out to the rest of the delegation for signatures. It was a collaborative effort and by the end of September we received the good news that the grant was approved.

Schools Superintendent Steven Madancy also asked me to follow up on a school security grant that the Board of Education had submitted. I reached out to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to inquire on its status. Shortly after, I was delighted to hear from the Superintendent that Southington Public Schools received a $124,000 grant that will be put towards our school camera project.

As always, I committed to supporting our municipal leaders as they navigate state agencies in an effort to fund important projects in our town.

As a member of the Veterans' and Military Affairs Committee, I am looking forward to our upcoming public information hearing scheduled for November 8 from 1-4 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

The committee is hosting this event to gather feedback from members of the public in preparation for the 2024 legislative session. Connecticut veterans, military personnel, advocates and their loved one are invited to share issues and concerns related to veterans' and military affairs in our state. Please visit tinyurl.com/yecz3jxt to sign up to testify in-person or via Zoom.

Town of Southington crews will do spot pick-ups of leaves in heavy sections beginning Monday with regular pick-up service to begin the following week.

Please deposit leaves only in piles to be picked up. Do not include grass clippings, ornamental grass, dead flowers/plants/shrubs, sticks, brush, rocks, etc. Such items can damage the leaf-collection equipment. Anything other than leaves will result in your piles not being picked up. Please ensure the piles are placed along the frontage of your property only. 

Please see the 2023 pick-up schedule below:

• Zone 1: South of Berlin Street and east of Route 10. Leaves must be out no later than 7 a.m. on October 30
• Zone 2: North Of Berlin Street and east of Route 10. Leaves must be out no later than 7 a.m. on November 6
• Zone 3: North of West Center Street and west of Route 10. Leaves must be out no later than 7 a.m. on November 13
• Zone 4: South of West Center Street and west of Route 10. Leaves must be out no later than 7 a.m. on November 20

Zone 1 will receive an additional pick-up after all four zones have been completed. Leaves must be curbside no later than 7 a.m. on November 27 (subject to weather).