What's Blue?
Avon Dems Newsletter Issue 19
February 2025
Let's get to work!
Dear Dems,
I am eternally grateful for this wonderful community, our supportive and responsive town, and specifically for each of you and your presence and contributions to this work. And, boy oh boy, is it work!! We’ve got lots to do: people to support, neighbors to hold up, kindness to give, hope to hand out. I know times are dark and people are hurting. Try to do one thing a day to make the world a kinder, gentler place. It seems small but if we each do our part, the collective affect will be big. We have a few great community events this month plus a chance to get clued into the budget process and the budget itself. Please join our February 10 meeting, please come to the Happy Hour, please join the Town Council, BOE, and BOF at a meeting. We’re in this together and our community is strong!
Persist in Resisting, Eliza Avon DTC Chair
February Events
Join Avon Friends for Equity at their monthly Just Connect! gathering to celebrate Black History Month and honor the achievements of the Black community with family and friends.
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
What Can I Do?
Thank you to Donna Gianini, DTC member extraordinaire, for bringing us our first action ideas for this new section of the newsletter!
ACLU
They are on the frontlines working already on Medicaid and to defend the rights of ALL people. Please consider joining and donating to the important work they do!
Explore Details
5calls.org
Simple and easy guided calling to our elected officials on specific issues or generally. Please consider joining.
Learn More
Indivisible CT Guide
These folks host events and trainings around the state. This is a link to their guide and call to action.
View The Guide
Avon Town Happenings
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Fisher Drive
Voters overwhelmingly approved the purchase of the Fisher Drive property to house the BOE administration, replacing the BOE annex building, and after closing on the property in January, the next steps involve building out the office space to meet BOE needs, with staff expected to move in later this year. -
AVFD facilities
Avon is fortunate to have the brave volunteers of the AVFD, whose aging fire stations prompted a Town Council study of current and likely future conditions. The study recommended updates to existing facilities and the replacement of Company 2 on Secret Lake Road. A building committee estimated the full project at nearly $70MM due to inflation, labor costs, and square footage, and next steps involve debt projections to ensure a fiscally responsible plan that meets the department’s needs. -
Budget
The Town Council Budget Workshop on Feb. 8 at 8 a.m. kicks off deliberations on this year’s budget, which is expected to be higher than last year’s 0.98% tax levy increase, as the Council seeks efficient, sustainable ways to maintain Avon’s top-notch services.
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Budget
At its Jan. 21 meeting, the Board of Education finalized a 4.51% budget increase, driven largely by inflation, after careful review, and the presentation is available on Nutmeg TV.
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Zoning Regulations
After months of review, the Planning & Zoning Commission has finalized the most significant zoning regulation updates in over 50 years, which will be open for public comment on March 11 and aim to expand, clarify, and simplify the rules for the town, residents, and businesses.
From The State Capitol
The 2025 legislative session began on January 8, and while our state has made great progress in recent years, I want to hear from you about what more we can do. If you’re a resident of Avon, please take the time to share what issues matter most to you as we continue moving Connecticut forward.
Access Senator Honig's Constituent Input Form
My colleagues and I will tackle important issues over the next five months. It's easier than ever to follow along and get involved. There are several resources you can utilize that will help you stay updated on the legislative process as it unfolds in Hartford. Here's how you can stay connected and actively participate:
- The Office of Legislative Research provides nonpartisan and unbiased research to members of the General Assembly and their staff. Part of their duties include writing bill analyses, which are summaries of bills in plain language. Click here to check out their website.
- You can view the Connecticut General Assembly's upcoming events by checking out its schedule on the CGA official website.
- Follow CT-N for live coverage of committee meetings and House and Senate floor debates.
- You can register to monitor any bill's journey through the legislative process. You can enter the bill number and receive real-time updates by signing up. Stay informed with email notifications whenever there's a change in the bill's progress.
- Visit this website for information on how to testify on a bill at a public hearing.
This session, Representative Tammy Exum is serving as Vice Chair of Appropriations, Deputy Majority Leader, Chair of the Education Subcommittee for Appropriations, and Chair of the Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (TCB). She is also a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, and the Women’s Caucus.
Regarding the children’s behavioral health work, Tammy created this committee within the ‘landmark legislation’ that she led and got unanimously passed in 2022. The committee received $300 million in funding with the passage of the legislation. This committee, which Tammy likes to affectionately abbreviate to be called TCB for “Taking Care of Business,” has a tri-chair model with Tammy as house chair.
Tammy is grateful for the trust of House leadership and her constituents.
Together, we can ensure all voices are heard.
February At A Glance
| 2/4/2025 | Inland Wetlands Commission |
| 2/6/2025 | Town Council |
| 2/8/2025 | Town Council Budget Work Session |
| 2/13/2025 | AWPCA meeting |
| 2/17/2025 | Holiday observance, Town Hall closed |
| 2/18/2025 | Avon Library Board of Directors Planning and Zoning Commission |
| 2/19/2025 | Avon Clean Energy Commission |
| 2/20/2025 | Avon Clean Energy Commission |
| 2/24/2025 | Board of Finance |
| 2/25/2025 | Board of Education |
Attending any of these meetings is a great way to stay in the loop on town happenings. If you miss a meeting and want to catch up, click on one of the links at the bottom of this email. The links take you directly to the individual board or commission's agendas, minutes, and often recordings.
Next Avon DTC Monthly Meeting
2025 DTC meeting dates
- April 21
- May 12
- June 9
- July 14
- August 11
- September 8
- October 6
- November 10
Get Caught Up
Use the links below to explore the agendas, minutes and recordings from previous meetings on the town website.
Paid for and approved by the Avon Democratic Town Committee, Claudine Fasano, Treasurer.