Dear Residents,
We are now in the middle phase of this public health emergency and can expect to be living this new way of life for an extended period of time. While the number of Madison residents testing positive for COVID-19 has grown to 37 as of today, we must recognize that everybody in our community will be touched by this crisis in some way. The CDC is now advising the use of cloth face masks for everyone out in public in order to slow the spread of the virus, and to keep people who may unknowingly carry it from transmitting it to others. Please continue to follow this and other important CDC guidelines which can be found at https://www.cdc.gov.
The Governor announced today that strict social distancing directives will remain in place until at least May 20th, including the continued closure of schools and non-essential businesses. In order to continue to provide important information as a result of this extension, I will be implementing regularly scheduled weekly updates to the community every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through the end of May. These will continue to be sent out to residents through the same channels as before - through email, social media, and robo calls.
The Governor also signed an executive order for rent relief, implementing a 60-day grace period for the months of April and May for tenants who have lost jobs or income due to COVID-19 related issues. At the local level, the Board of Selectmen intends to implement a property tax relief program based on state directives. The Board will meet this Monday, April 13th at 8 a.m. to discuss program options. The meeting will be livestreamed through a webinar platform and made available on YouTube. The link can be found on the town website at www.madisonct.org/BOSagenda . For those seniors already participating in a state or local tax relief program, you will automatically be enrolled and approved for the next fiscal year. No applications will be required. Please call the Senior Center (203) 245-5627 for more details.
The Senior Center continues to accept donations of masks or needed medical supplies for our First Responders. Several donations have been received to date and we are very appreciative of the public’s continued generosity. The Senior Center, in co-operation with Madison Youth and Family Services, is administering programs to help those individuals and families in need. Please visit the town website at https://www.madisonct.org for more information.
As we enter this holiday weekend, I just want to remind people to please refrain from having people outside of your household gather together in celebration. While we understand it is natural to want our family and friends close by during times of crisis, you are actually doing your loved ones a disservice by putting them at risk. Right now members of our community are battling this terrible illness, and our community has already suffered some painful losses. Please keep these fellow residents, along with all of our brave healthcare professionals and first responders, in your prayers during this time of reflection.
Enjoy time with your immediate family, and stay safe, healthy, and at home Madison.
Peggy Lyons
First Selectwoman