Greetings from Colebrook Town Hall.
Town Hall will be closed Monday, September 1st, in observance of Labor Day. We will re-open Tuesday, September 2rd, at 8:30 a.m.
Due to the holiday, next week’s curbside trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day. Thursday pickup will be on Friday, and Friday pickup will be on Saturday.
The 80th annual Colebrook Fair will take place on Saturday, August 30th, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Festivities include a Car & Motorcycle Show from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Frog Jumping & Pet Show (with registration at 9 a.m.), 40 vendors, food and music.
On Saturday, the historic Rock School will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. From 1779 until 1911, the Rock School continuously served Colebrook as a schoolhouse. It is located at the corner of Colebrook Road (Route 183) and Sandy Brook Road. This schoolhouse museum is the only colonial era school in Connecticut that has never been modernized in any way. A shuttle bus will run between the Post Office and the Rock School between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
You can purchase tickets for the Colebrook Fair Cow Plop, and check out the rules here, and at Facebook.com/colebrookctfair. The Cow Plop is sponsored by Pinney Stables and benefits Colebrook Recreation.
Thank you to everyone who donated baskets and items for the Community & Senior Center raffle. As of this morning, there were 62 items to bid on this Saturday.
We also currently have 12 boats signed up for the Colebrook Fair Cardboard Regatta. The Regatta features homemade cardboard boats with winners for each race, and awards for “Funky-est” boat and best costume. Registration will take place from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Town Pond. Festivities begin at 3:30 p.m. Don’t miss it.
Chip sealing of Sandy Brook Road from Route 183 to the new Sandy Brook Road bridge has been completed. Sweeping will take place by the end of next week.
Paving of Deer Hill, Gaylord, Millbrook and Phelps Roads, and the Center Firehouse parking lot, is now tentatively slated for the week of September 8th, pending DOT approval.
Our new Colebrook Consolidated School (CCS) Principal, William Wesley, and Superintendent Bob Gilbert welcomed more than 30 parents and community members to the school this past Wednesday for our annual First Day Celebration. With school in session, please use caution when driving, watching out for school buses and bicycles.
It was a busy week at CCS as our Public Works team led efforts to install new drainage and dig a trench for gas lines for our new propane boilers at the school. This is part of our ongoing $1.7 million HVAC project being completed with state matching funds, and due for completion by 12/31/25.
The Colebrook Conservation Commission is looking for volunteers who would like to help in a town-wide effort to eliminate Japanese knotweed, one of the most aggressive invasive plants. Volunteers will attend a training session to learn how to identify it and assist by using a free phone app to map it on town roads. This effort is part of a multi-town project. Local Departments of Public Works, including our own, were trained in late July. Japanese knotweed on state roads in Colebrook had already been marked by pink ribbons to be sprayed and cut by the state highway department.
To encourage participation in the knotweed identification project, the Commission will conduct brief training sessions in early September. Choose one date: Wednesday, September 3rd, at 4 p.m.; Thursday, September 4th, at 10 a.m.; or Saturday, September 6th, at 9 a.m. If there is interest, evening time slots can also be arranged. We will meet in the Town Hall parking lot. There will be a training session sign-up sheet at the Colebrook Fair. You can also sign up for training here. Please sign up here to request that someone identify Japanese knotweed on your property.
The Town Pond will close for the season on Saturday, August 30th.
The Colebrook Associates Food Pantry, located in the vestibule of the Community & Senior Center, is in need of breakfast foods, snacks, juice, canned meat (e.g., tuna and chicken), and canned soups. Donations may be left at the pantry, or in the collection bin in the post office.
The town will begin accepting applications for energy assistance beginning September 9th. Please contact Karen Odell to set up an appointment, or for any questions, at kodell@colebrooktownhall.org.
Upcoming events
On Friday, September 5th, the Colebrook Historical Society will host, “The Life and Times of Scot Haney – What a Ride.” Noted meteorologist Scot Haney will share his many experiences both on air and off. The evening kicks off with refreshments at the Seymour Inn at 7 p.m., with the program taking place at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall second floor meeting room. There is no cost to attend, and everyone is welcome.
Upcoming municipal board meetings
Board of Education – Wednesday, September 3rd, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Consolidated School
Planning & Zoning – Monday, September 8th, at 6:30 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (second floor meeting room).
Board of Selectman – Monday, September 8th, at 7 p.m. at Colebrook Town Hall (Land Use office)
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org, or call me at 860.379.3359, extension 202.
Cordially,
Brad
Brad Bremer
Colebrook First Selectman
860.379.3359 ext. 202
bbremer@colebrooktownhall.org
