Town Manager's Message:

The Town Council has reduced the proposed budget tax increase almost in half. A special budget meeting was held on May 25, and it was forwarded to a vote on Tuesday, June 7. Polling places are at the two Main Street fire houses between 6 AM - 8 PM. Contact the Town Clerk's office for absentee ballots and view the proposed budget on the Town's website. 

Please take time to honor our veterans and their families on Memorial Day weekend. The parade kicks off from Robertson School on Cross Street at 10 AM on Monday, May 30. It will stop for a brief ceremony at the Veterans' Memorial Green, and continue on to Main Street, finishing at Bradbury Lane. Thanks to the American Legion Post 52 for coordinating this annual event. A flyover is scheduled for approximately 10:15 AM over the Memorial Green. Stop in at First Congregational Church between 7-10 AM for a breakfast sandwich to go from the Lions Club of Coventry while waiting for the parade.

Please also mark your calendars for CoventryFest on June 25 (see details below). The event is funded by sponsorships and donations, and at this writing, fundraising results have been slow. The event is organized and paid for by Coventry Cares, LLC, a 401c3 organization, not the Town. If you want fireworks, you need to donate so that the event will be viable. 

Town projects are moving ahead. Paving on the new Swamp Road/Northfields connection and Rt. 44 intersection may be scheduled for June. Due to supply chain issues, the new traffic signal poles are not expected until late September. A temporary 3-month shift of Northfields traffic to Swamp Road is planned to allow this project to be completed before winter shutdown and get landscaping established. The South Street LOTCIP grant project for roadway and pedestrian improvements near the Homestead will be starting in June, and should be finished by fall. 

Our summer road work is underway. We suggest you sign up for Road Alerts through CivicReady, since scheduling road work projects often changes abruptly due to weather conditions and other contractor availability issues.

Exciting things are coming our way for Internet access. The Biden-Harris Administration has announced its “Internet for All Initiative,” that will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet by the end of the decade. Each state is set to receive at least $100 million and final funding allotment for each state will be determined by the broadband maps the FCC is expected to release early next year. We are excited to partner with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) to promote the 2022 CCM Broadband Connectivity Survey! Your input will help guide federal investments in more reliable internet access for Connecticut’s residents. Please complete this very brief survey from your home network today! 

Don't forget about the opening day of the Farmers' Market on Sunday, June 5 at 10 AM.

UPCOMING TOWN MEETINGS:

• Mon, 6/6: Town Council, 7:30 PM
• Tues, 6/7: Budget Referendum. Vote at fire houses. Polls open 6 AM-8 PM
• Thurs, 6/9: Board of Education, 7:30 PM
• Mon, 6/13:  Planning & Zoning Commission, 7 PM
• Thurs, 6/16: Board of Education, 7:30 PM
• Mon, 6/20: Town Council, 7:30 PM
• Mon, 6/27:  Planning & Zoning Commission, 7 PM

For a complete monthly calendar of other Board & Commission events, click here.

COMING EVENTS: 

Thurs 6/2: Council Chair's office hours, 6:30-7:30 PM, Booth & Dimock Memorial Library, 1134 Main Street. Share your concerns or provide input to Lisa Thomas, Town Council Chairwoman. 

Fri 6/3: Quiet Corner Contra Dance, 8-11 PM, Patriots Park Lodge, 172 Lake Street. Intro session at 7:45 PM. Live music by Wry Bread, dances called by Jim Gregory. Partner not required; all dances taught. COVID restrictions apply - see website for details. $12 adults, $6 students. For Info call 860-742-9498.

Sat 6/4: Historical Society Tag Sale, 9 AM -3 PM, Strong Porter Museum, 2382 South Street. Also Sun 6/5. To donate items, call 860-712-4278 to arrange drop off or pick up. Volunteers also needed to help with sorting, pricing, selling, and clean-up. More info on Facebook.

Sat 6/4: Bingo Night, 6-9 PM, Patriots Park Lodge, 172 Lake Street. Doors open at 5 PM. New location, same fun! 50 cent entry fee includes your first card. Raffles, prizes and snacks available. Must be 18 or older to play. Sponsored by American Legion Post #52.

Sun 6/5: Opening Day, Coventry Farmers' Market, 10 AM - 1 PM, 2299 South Street. The 19th season continues the tradition of carrying the best of CT-grown and CT-made products on the scenic grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Website.

Weds 6/8: Red Cross Blood Drive, 9 AM - 2:30 PM, Patriots Park Lodge, 172 Lake Street. For an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767.)

Weds 6/8: Mobile Foodshare, 10-10:30 AM, First Congregational Church @ St. Mary's, 1600 Main Street. An outdoor food distribution service for persons of low income. Text FOODSHARE to 85511 to receive the mobile schedule and cancellations directly on your phone. More info.

Sat 6/11: Farmstand Days, 11 AM - 3 PM, Creative Living Community of Connecticut, 2645 Boston Turnpike. Today's event: All Things Strawberries. Free admission. Shop the farmstand for locally-grown produce and support the programs greenhouse vocational program. More info.

Sat 6/11: Drive Thru/Take Out Dinner, Second Congregational Church, 1746 Boston Turnpike. Menu: ham, baked beans, homemade potato salad and strawberry shortcake. $15 adults, $7 children. Place orders by calling 860-742-1616 or send an email to secondchurch@sbcglobal.net and indicate pick-up time of 5 PM, 5:30 PM, or 6:00 PM. Correct amount of cash or check required, Drive down from church parking lot to the Community House, located across from Highland Park.

Sun 6/12: Coventry Farmers' Market, 10 AM - 1 PM, 2299 South Street. The 19th season continues the tradition of carrying the best of CT-grown and CT-made products on the scenic grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Website.

Sun 6/19: Coventry Farmers' Market, 10 AM - 1 PM, 2299 South Street. The 19th season continues the tradition of carrying the best of CT-grown and CT-made products on the scenic grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Website.

Sun 6/19: Father's Day Ice Cream Social, 1-3 PM, Brick School, 1019 Merrow Road. Bring your father for a special treat on "his" day. $3 sundaes. Fathers eat free. Sponsored by the Coventry Historical Society. More info on Facebook.

Tues 6/21: Make Music Day, 4-7 PM, Song-A-Day Music Center, 2809 Boston Turnpike. A free event featuring live musical performances. Held annually on June 21 in 800 cities across 120 countries. Info: 860-742-6878, or makemusicday.org. 

Weds 6/22: Museum Trip to New Britain Museum of American Art, 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Departs from Coventry Senior Center, 172 Main Street. Today's exhibit: 30 Americans, an exhibit of 30 influential Black and African American artists of the last four decades. $10 admission, transportation is FREE. For more information and to register, contact Brenda Bennett, Senior Center Coordinator, 860-742-3525. More Senior Center news on Facebook.

Weds 6/22: Mobile Foodshare, 10-10:30 AM, First Congregational Church @ St. Mary's, 1600 Main Street. An outdoor food distribution service for persons of low income. Text FOODSHARE to 85511 to receive the mobile schedule and cancellations directly on your phone. More info.

Sat 6/25: $10 Stuff-a-Bag Sale, 9 AM - 11 AM, Noah's Closet, 1746 Boston Turnpike. Free book with any purchase. Donations of clean, gently-used items for children are welcome Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Closed first two weeks in July - reopening 7/16. Info: 860-742-1616 or see website.

Sat 6/25: CoventryFest, 4-10 PM, Patriots Park, 124 Lake Street. Live music, food, vendors, culminating with fireworks over Coventry Lake. Rain date 6/26. For details or to support the event, see below.

Sun 6/26: Coventry Farmers' Market, 10 AM - 1 PM, 2299 South Street. The 19th season continues the tradition of carrying the best of CT-grown and CT-made products on the scenic grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Website.

IT'S SWIMMING POOL TIME!

With warm weather approaching and swim season around the corner, many people are deciding to install a pool. If so, here are some guidelines from the Building Official to keep in mind for the application, inspection, and approval process. For more information, contact the Building Office at 860-742-4064.

KEEPING IT GREEN - GENTLE HINTS FOR RECYCLING

Want to know about what’s IN and what’s OUT for recycling in Coventry? take a look at recyclect.com or www.scrrra.org.  These websites will let you ask about a specific item or material.  Or, download the free SCRRA app to your smart device, or contact Coventry Public Works at 860-742-6588.  Recycling saves our Town money and is good for the environment.  In general, all recycled items should be empty, rinsed out, clean, and open.  Do not shred, box, bag or bundle items.
 
June's Recycling Focus – Metal: clean cans, bottles, aluminum foil, foil containers, metal lids from cans and bottles, and food-grade aerosol containers are all recyclable. Pots, pans, scrap metal, spiral-bound containers, foil tops such as from yogurt containers, aerosol containers such as from cleaners, pesticides, spray paint, and paint cans are NOT recyclable. See more information about the Regional Hazardous Waste Drop-off Facility here. Consider donating pots and pans that are in good condition to a local charity. Otherwise place these items in the trash. 

This message is a public outreach effort by the Town of Coventry's Energy Conservation/Alternative Energy Advisory Committee. For more information about the committee, see this link.