Sidewalk ordinance to go back into effect

From First Selectman Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

"Due to the severity of the storm, the Town's sidewalk snow clearing ordinances were temporarily suspended. However, due to safety concerns with pedestrians, the ordinances will go back into effect Friday, February 22 at 8:00 AM.

Please make sure to have any sidewalks on your property cleared by then to avoid being ticketed!"

Seymour schools to open Friday

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

Message from the Superintendent: 

Dear Parents and Staff,

There will be school on Friday, February 15.

I wanted to let you know that we have checked on the roof situation at each of our schools. Every roof is fine in regard to snow capacity.

I want to thank you for your patience and understanding over the past week.

Have a nice Valentines Day.

Thank you,

Christine

Mayor reaches out with final Code Red alert

As an Ansonia resident I just received a Code Red alert call from Mayor James Della Volpe.

In part he said crews are "making headway" in cleaning the city's roads.

The parking ban that has been in effect since last Friday will end at 3 p.m. Friday.

City Hall and the Ansonia Library are open today; the Doyle Senior Center will reopen Friday.

Della Volpe thanked residents for their understanding and for helping their neighbors in the wake of the blizzard.

Seymour superintendent speaks to parents

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

Message from the Superintendent: 

Dear Parents,

Over the past several days many of you have shared suggestions on how to manage this unprecedented situation we are experiencing with school closings. As you can imagine not all the suggestions were the same and therefore any decision that the Board of Education makes would be welcomed by some and unwelcomed by others. I wish that I knew of a way to make everyone happy and I genuinely appreciated all your suggestions.

At a special meeting of the Board of Education this evening [Wednesday] the BOE changed the 2012-2013 school calendar. The change to the calendar eliminated the winter break and therefore our schools will be open on Monday and Tuesday, February 18 and 19.
With the addition of those two days that means the last day of school is currently June 27. I would love to tell you that there will be no more closings this school year however it is too soon to state that.

If as a family you had plans scheduled for Monday and Tuesday I would suggest that you not alter those plans. Time with family is important, family adventures are opportunities for learning and are an important element of our children’s lives. If your child is not able to attend school due to something that you already had planned I want to assure you that your son/daughter’s teacher will be accommodating. Your child will not be penalized. I ask that you just notify the school in the manner that you typically would that your child is not able to attend school.

State statute does permit schools to open on legal holidays with the exception of legal holidays in the months of December and January. I know some people thought that we would violate a law if we had school on Monday so I wanted to clarify.

I will contact you again tomorrow with an update for Friday and I will provide you with some additional information.

I want to thank all of you for your continued support.

Thank you,

Christine

Have a safe Valentine's Day

I know I speak for everyone when I say just a dusting of snow overnight was a perfect Valentine's Day gift to all of us in the Valley. 

Be safe navigating the roads ~ from what I've experienced the mountains of snow are still limiting visibility at intersections.
Take it easy!

Snow brings smiles - when you can play in it

Tyler Gilbert of Derby, a fourth-grader at Irving School, has some fun in the snow Tuesday at Derby's softball field. Derby students have an unexpected "vacation," since they don't return to school until next Tuesday. / Photo contributed by April Pruzinsky

Seymour closes schools Thursday

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

Seymour Schools will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 14.

Ansonia schools to remain closed until Tuesday

From an Ansonia Public Schools Facebook posting:

"Due to the poor road conditions, throughout the City, Ansonia Public Schools will remain closed on Thursday February 14, 2013. Schools are closed on Friday February 15th (a scheduled vacation day) and Monday February 18th (President's Day holiday).

Schools will reopen on Tuesday, February 19th."

Snowboarding fun in Derby

 

Derby Middle School seventh grader Chase Boulton snowboards Tuesday at the Derby softball field. 

 

There's plenty of snow to go around at the city's softball field. Derby Middle School seventh grader Tristan Pruzinsky also enjoys some snowboarding fun Tuesday.




Photos contributed by April Pruzinsky of Derby

Seymour update shared

From First Selectman Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

 "Due to the fact that many roads still have only one lane cleared, it is still not safe for large vehicles like garbage trucks and school buses to drive around town. As such, garbage pickup remains suspended. When it is resumed, a Code Red message will be issued. 

"The Board of Education will meet tonight to discuss whether it's safe to open school tomorrow. More information will be forthcoming."

Derby and Ansonia making progress on their snow removal efforts

Published today on www.nhregister.com:

By Patricia Villers
pvillers@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrvalley

Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said Tuesday Public Works crews are progressing well in their cleanup efforts. 

“We’re making some significant progress,” he said.

“Public Works is continuing to get rid of snow on downtown streets where all the traffic is,” Staffieri said.

“The big push is on removing snow from intersections," he said.
The snow is being dumped on city property behind Derby Feed Co. on lower Caroline Street.

He said Senior Center Director Sarah Muoio “has been doing a great job” making sure elderly residents were doing okay after the storm. He said she had delivered food to some senior citizens, since TEAM’s Meals on Wheels program was not in operation.

Muoio said she made phone calls to seniors to check on them and found most of them had gotten help with shoveling from relatives or friends’ children. Muoio, who lives in Derby, said she saw a lot of residents taking care of their elderly neighbors.

In Ansonia, Mayor James DellaVolpe issued a Code Red alert Tuesday afternoon.

He said, “The process of opening a lane of travel on all city roads has been completed. We are now beginning the process of widening the roadways. As streets are widened, your driveways may become partially blocked. We apologize in advance but this is a necessary part of our snow clearing efforts. The City of Ansonia has hired multiple private contractors to assist your road crews with snow removal. We ask for residents to be patient and understanding of the task being performed by your road crews.
“Additionally, residents should be very cautious about walking in the narrowed roadways. We are asking for assistance from residents in helping to clear sidewalks in front of your residences and businesses, especially in areas of known bus stops, so that we can begin to return to a normal schedule.

“The parking ban on all city streets is still in effect. Residents are reminded that no vehicle may be parked on a city street during this time.

“All City buildings will be closed on Wednesday, February 13. City Hall and the Library will reopen on Thursday, February 14, however the Senior Center will remain closed.

“All schools will be closed on Wednesday February 13.

“Garbage pickup will resume on Wednesday in the 3rd Ward and continue as normal. Wards 1 and 2 will commence with the normal pickups beginning on Monday, February 18."


For full storm coverage check out www.nhregister.com.

Cancellations in Seymour

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

"All Seymour Recreation Department Programs and Activities are cancelled for today, Wednesday, February 13th due to the schools still being closed. 
This includes all basketball games and practices, Yoga class, Family Swim Night and Pre-school Craft Class.

Hope to see everyone soon! Stay safe."

Sharing a thank you from first selectman

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:


"A great BIG THANKS to our volunteers who responded to countless emergencies and had to deal with situations with no easy solutions. Trekking through 2-5 foot snow drifts and shoveling their way to assist patients in need. Combined they volunteered about 1300 hours since the start of things on Friday. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people."

Cleanup scenes from Derby

Mounds of snow block entrances Tuesday to Derby High School, left, and Derby Middle School, right. 

 

Where did it all come from? And there is more in the forecast for this evening.

Worker clears sidewalk in front of Derby Middle School.

Pay loader being operated in the driveway in front of Derby Middle School.


Officials announced Tuesday afternoon that all Derby Public Schools will be closed until Feb. 19. An unexpected "vacation."



These photos of snow cleanup were taken Tuesday by Derby resident April Pruzinsky.

I thank her for contributing them ~ much appreciated.

Note from Griffin Hospital

DERBY - Due to unsafe driving conditions, all Griffin Hospital Bereavement Support Group meetings are cancelled this week.
 

Ansonia Code Red alert shared

Code Red alert from this afternoon:

"This is a Mayor James DellaVolpe with a Code Red alert from the City of Ansonia.   

The process of opening a lane of travel on all city roads has been completed. We are now beginning the process of widening the roadways. 
As streets are widened, your driveways may become partially blocked. We apologize in advance but this is a necessary part of our snow clearing efforts. The City of Ansonia has hired multiple private contractors to assist your road crews with snow removal. 

We ask for residents to be patient and understanding of the task being performed by your road crews. 
Additionally, residents should be very cautious about walking in the narrowed roadways.  We are asking for assistance from residents in helping to clear sidewalks in front of your residences and businesses, especially in areas of known bus stops, so that we can begin to return to a normal schedule.   

--The parking ban on all city streets is still in effect. Residents are reminded that no vehicle may be parked on a city street during this time. 
--All City buildings will be closed on Wednesday, February 13  City Hall and the Library will reopen on Thursday, February 14, however the Senior Center will remain closed.
-- All schools will be closed on Wednesday, February 13
--Garbage pickup will resume on Wednesday in the 3^rd Ward and continue as normal. Wards 1 and 2 will commence with the normal pickups beginning on Monday, February 18.

The City of Ansonia will send out further announcements as needed."  

Sharing from Derby schools' site

"The Derby Public Schools will be closed until Tuesday, February 19, 2013.  Central office and twelve month staff should report for their regulary scheduled times.  Please note that Friday, February 15th and Monday, February 18th are district holidays."

Derby schools closed until Feb. 19

We have just learned that Derby Public Schools will be out until next week. Classes in Derby will resume Tuesday, Feb. 19th.

(Taken from NBC Connecticut Facebook page)

Update shared on Seymour situation

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:

Text from today's Code Red:

"This is Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller with a storm update utilizing the Code Red System.

I would like to start first by thanking our Department of Public Works crews for the tireless effort they have put in since Friday. Most of them have worked around the clock with very little sleep to complete this extremely difficult job. They, along with the members of the Seymour Police, Fire and EMS have once again step up to the challenging times to make Seymour safe. 

I am very appreciative of all that they have done for us.

 

The town has completed the process of opening just about every road. We do have a few roads left that require a bulldozer to finish. It is currently making its way to the different areas. 

We are now in the process of widening and cleaning roads as well as opening up intersections. This process will take most of today and well into tomorrow. 

As we do this, snow will be pushed back toward and potentially into people’s driveways. I wish this was not the case, but it must be done in order to move the snow out of the lanes of traffic. With the potential of more snow tomorrow night, we need to get as much done today and tomorrow as we can. I will be out with the trucks the rest of the day making sure we are getting everything done. 

 

As a reminder, I have suspended garbage pickup for the next few days to keep the cans from being in the street. 

 

Seymour Schools will be closed tomorrow but all municipal buildings will be open. I will provide one more update tonight with our progress. Thanks and have a great day."

Seymour schools to stay closed

From Kurt Miller's Facebook page:


"Seymour Schools will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, February 13 2013."