First Selectman's Updates: June 2022
Summer is in full swing in Lebanon. The summer Farmers’ Market is underway and dog licensing season is wrapping up. Remember, all dogs six months and older must be licensed each year in the state of Connecticut. If you haven’t licensed your dog by the end of June, the fee increases by $1.00 per month until you receive a new license.
The second budget referendum will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21 at the Fire Safety Complex. Voting will take place from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Proposed budget information is available here.
Effective, Tuesday, June 21, Mark Waters will be the acting fire marshal for the Town of Lebanon. Mark has served as deputy for several years and will be taking over in the interim following the retirement of our long-serving town Fire Marshal Scott Schuett. I want to thank Scott for his decades of service to the Town of Lebanon and congratulate him on his retirement. Scott will continue to serve as a burning official for the Town.
At the June Board of Selectmen meeting, the Board of Selectmen authorized use of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to conduct a town-wide pavement management study. The study will analyze Lebanon’s 77 miles of roads and make recommendations on how we can effectively maintain them in a cost-effective manner over the coming years.
The Board of Selectmen has appointed a Charter Revision Commission to consider revisions to the Town Charter adopted in November 2019. The commission will hold its first Public Hearing on Thursday, June 23 at the Fire Safety Complex.
Fourth of July is right around the corner, and I’m sure many residents are wondering about the future of Summer Dancefest which was traditionally held around this time. In 2020 and 2021, we were unable to hold this great event due to the COVID19 pandemic. This is a great event that we all look forward to each year and I’m excited to see that it WILL be returning this year – just a little later than usual. This year’s Summer Dancefest and fireworks show will take place the last weekend in August – Saturday, August 27, 2022.
Part of the reason for the delay with Dancefest this year is the ongoing construction on the Jonathan Trumbull Library renovation and expansion project. I am happy to announce that work is almost complete inside and landscaping will be underway very soon. I hope to see many of you at our grand opening ceremony for the new library at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 20, 2022. We expect to have food trucks, a bounce house, and more with fun for residents of all ages!
In the meantime, Lebanon Country Fair is just over a month away. This year’s 62nd annual fair will from July 29 to 31 at the Lion’s Fairgrounds.
Finally, I want to congratulate our 2022 Lyman Memorial High School graduates. The Lebanon Board of Selectmen and the Lebanon Town Hall staff wish you great success in your future endeavors. To all other students and parents, we hope you enjoy the summer vacation!