Dr. Keith Grant, one of the first people in Connecticut to receive the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, joined Governor Lamont’s press conference in the afternoon.

Dr. Grant, a Director of Infection Prevention at Hartford HealthCare, described the experience as a great moment for science, the health care community and Connecticut.

“I feel great,” he said, noting he experienced no short term side effects.

Asking about safeguards in vaccine distribution, he said the CDC had measures in place to ensure that containers of vaccines maintained their required low temperatures.

When reporters brought up the possibility of winter snow storms, he said that while 21 days is advised between first and second doses, there was wiggle room.

“The advice is not to restart the process. If you go over by a few days – a week or so – you should be perfectly fine to still receive the second dose,” he said.

Lamont shared Covid-19 numbers from the previous three days (Friday to Sunday).

There were 81 additional deaths and an additional 33 people hospitalized in Connecticut, although he noted hospitalizations had significant fluctuations.

“I don’t know if we’re bending the curve, but at least we’re trying to flatten it a bit,” he said.

Lamont noted the positivity rate was an early indicator for hospitalizations, but if hospitals get closer to capacity, they can decrease electives.

He also said he believed the arrival of the vaccine would contribute to improved consumer confidence.

“It’s not a silver bullet,” he warned. “I’d like to think, come this spring, when a million people are vaccinated twice – come March – I think people will build confidence, and we’ll get our economy moving again.”

Lamont said he wanted to temper his optimism with caution.

Using a football analogy, he said, “I think I can see the end zone, but there’s an awful lot of blocking and tackling we have to do between here and the final 30 yards…we don’t need another surge like we had after Thanksgiving.”

The Governor said he anticipated the general population would begin to receive the vaccine in late April or May, but that it would depend on the supply chain. He said if Astra-Zeneca’s vaccine is approved, the timeline might move up.

There were several questions from reporters about vaccine confidence and how that might impact vaccine supply and demand.

Dr. Grant said Pfizer’s intent was to create 1.5 billion vaccines within the next 16-18 months, and that, over time, supply and demand would even out.

Lamont said he anticipated demand would outstrip supply in the next three or four months, but, with vaccine production ramping up, and Moderna’s vaccine also becoming available, supply and demand should even out in late spring or summer.

“I think every day you’re going to see somebody like Dr. Grant who took the vaccine. There were no side effects. He felt good. He feels safer. And I think that’s what it will take to get from 60, to 70, to 80, to 90 percent of the people willing to get this vaccine on a timely basis. I think demand is going to outstrip supply for quite some time.”

– Governor Ned Lamont answering questions about confidence in the Covid-19 vaccines and the impacts of demand on vaccine supply

With Phase 1a of vaccine distribution beginning this week, the population receiving the vaccine includes critical care providers and nursing home residents.

Gov Lamont said he would let the CDC guide his decision about when to take the vaccine himself.

“I’m of two minds,” he said. “I’d like to be with Dr. Grant, take it and lead by example, but the other half of me says I should wait for group 1b, which is what my category is.”

Lamont said by the end of January, there would be 500,000 vaccines administered (2 injections are required to be fully vaccinated), and that would reflect vaccination of most first line responders.

Dr. Grant said in a survey of medical colleagues at Hartford Healthcare that included custodial, security, food delivery and kitchen personnel, about 65 percent expressed willingness to take the vaccine.

He said by the end of March 2021 he expected about a million people will have been vaccinated (twice).

Lamont said it would take a few months of people being vaccinated before there was an impact on the positivity rate, but that over the next month he expected doctors and nurses on the front line would be more able to stay at work and folks in nursing homes being less likely to have to go to a hospital.

Dr. Grant said that was significant because that vulnerable population has a high mortality rate.

Asked about a post-Thanksgiving and black Friday surge, Lamont said there had been a peak.

“More people than I had hoped for went out and gathered,” Lamont said. “We’re not South Dakota. We’re not Idaho. We weren’t at 40 percent, but we went from 1 percent to 6 percent. Overall I think Connecticut does pretty well and errs on the side of caution.”

At Monday’s RTM meeting, Greenwich Police Chief Heavey proposed a resolution requesting the Town approve a gift of four fully outfitted Interceptor Power Bicycles, plus two trailers and hitch haulers gifted from a private donor.

The issue over the donation was the donor’s wish to remain anonymous.

While the donor had requested to be anonymous, the concerns about transparency continued, and ultimately, Police Chief Heavey shared the name of the donor during the meeting.

Richard Neuman, from the Town Services Committee, said the RECON E-Bikes were “top of the line” and the gift included lights and sirens, carrying bag, extra batteries, two hitch haulers for the back of patrol cars, and trailers to attach to bikes to carry gear.

According to the RECON E Bikes website, the bikes have a price tag of $4,163, not including the accessories.

Neuman said the bikes would enable officers to patrol the beach and public events such as fireworks, as well as the hilly area of Greenwich Ave.

Molly Saleeby of District 8 said the town had no policy about anonymous gifts.

“”Perhaps, moving forward, as the BET has requested, perhaps the First Selectman and the BOE Superintendent put together some type of public-private partnership policy,” she said.

Moderator Tom Byrne said the donor requested anonymity to avoid solicitations from other sources.

Mr. Byrne said Chief Heavey spoke to the donor who was willing to have himself identified, and the police chief did identify the donor to RTM members who asked.

Byrne noted the First Selectman did not want to discourage gifts.

“I think what happened here was trying to accommodate a donor to the extent we could, understanding that if people insist on knowing who it is, then that will happen,” Byrne said. “There is no attempt to cover anything up.”

Joanna Swomley from district 10 said the RTM’s approval was important to protect the town from unforeseen issues.

“The reason approval is so important is that gifts to public officials, towns and their departments are riddled with potential pitfalls,” Swomley said. “As we all know, gifts can come with strings – implicit or explicit – be the subject of ulterior motives or conflicts of interest, or result in favoritism, even unintentional to the donee.”

She said it was the duty of the RTM to ensure every transaction was above reproach.

“If the gift were truly anonymous I, personally, would not be rising to speak tonight. The problem for me comes because the donor is not anonymous to the donee,” Swomley said.

She suggested the Town create a way that anonymous gifts could be made so as to ensure complete anonymity.

“I think it does help that the Chief was willing to identify the donor, and that the donor was willing to be identified,” she continued. However, she added, “I’m concerned we’ve not done all we should because we’re so eager to have a gift.”

Mary Flynn from district 12 said she thought the bikes would be wonderful for the police department, but opposed anonymous donors.

“You need transparency in government, and there’s just too much room for terrible things to happen,” she said. “I think it’s unfortunate, but I think we can’t take gifts unless people are willing to say where they’re from.”

Moderator Tom Byrne said since the donor’s name had been identified by those who had asked that the gift was no longer anonymous.

“The Chief has identified the donor,” he said. “We can take up the general issue later.”

Chief Heavey said he had shared the identify of the donor to anyone who asked.

“This person has no pending criminal case or civil case, or criminal record,” Heavey said. “I’ve always tried to be transparent.”

Heavey said the donor would not receive any special treatment.

“If we weren’t projecting such a negative conception that there was something being done wrong. I try not to take something personal, or not to take it as something the department would ever consider quid pro quo. We try to be fair and neutral when we deal with the public.”

“I hope the RTM would consider that, and if there was any concern about the individual we could transmit that information to any member of the body who needs to know,” he added.

Candace Garthwaite a member of district 6 had asked why the name of the donor was not announced at the RTM meeting.

At that point Chief Heavey announced the name of the donor.

Heavey said the donor was a Greenwich resident, that he’d not met him in person, and that he was not aware of the donor having a criminal history or pending civil or criminal or civil case against anyone in the town of Greenwich.

The vote on the gift was combined with several other votes.

The vote was 218 in favor, 2 opposed, and one abstention.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch in effect Wednesday, Dec 16 at 2pm, and running through Thursday afternoon.

The storm is expected to impact portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and southeast New York.

Heavy snow is possible, with total snow accumulations of 12 to 17 inches. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph, especially along the coast. Minor to moderate coastal flooding Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.

Beginning on Wednesday, NWS says snow is likely, mainly after 5:00pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 32°. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. Northeast wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Snow could be heavy at times Wednesday night. Snow is likely on Thursday and it will be windy.

The NWS warns travel could be difficult to impossible, and hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

Eversource issued a release on Tuesday saying that as the major snowstorm makes its way to New England, they are keeping a close eye on the track of the storm and are ready for heavy snow and strong winds expected to impact Connecticut.

They said they will have line and tree crews pre-positioned around the state to respond to any damage or outages caused by this storm.

Eversource is also bringing in out-of-state crews to assist with restoring power if needed and has added customer care representatives to the company’s call centers to assist customers during the storm.

“We began monitoring this storm over the weekend and continue to closely watch its path and are adjusting our plan as needed,” said Eversource President of Regional Electric Operations Craig Hallstrom in the release. “The amount of snow expected may make travel conditions challenging for our crews, so we’re staging extra staff and equipment in our work centers across the state to ensure we’re ready to repair any damage we may see from this storm.”

Hallstrom also reminded customers that restorations may take longer as they ensure the safety of their employees and customers while working under the challenging conditions related to the pandemic.

Eversource urges customers to always stay clear of downed wires and to report them immediately to 9-1-1 and to report any outage online at www.eversource.com, or by calling 800-286-2000. Customers who signed up for the company’s two-way texting feature can send a text to report an outage and receive outage updates as they happen. 

Eversource natural gas customers should be aware that some natural gas heating systems may be affected by a power outage. It’s also important to keep gas meters and outdoor vents clear of snow and ice buildup.

Customers should carefully remove snow and ice with a broom or by hand and do not use a shovel or kick the gas meter which can damage the meter.

On Tuesday morning about a dozen residents gathered in the cold to protest Metro-North’s clear cutting of mature trees in their right of way to the north of tracks near Riverside School.

Through the chain link fence that separates the railroad’s right of way from Riverside School property, a thicket of trees had been reduced to stumps.

As workers fed branches into a noisy wood chipper, the protesters held up signs saying ‘Save Our Trees,’ and, ‘Metro North, Why?’

“What we’re here for is because Metro North is cutting the trees, but not selectively,” said Lucy Guillet. “It’s probably easier for them to do it that way. But it’s a noise issue, and there’s animals that live in there too.”

“We’re watching,” she continued, summarizing her message to Metro North.

Jane Owen Brash, whose protest sign said, “Metro North, We Love out Town – Save Our Trees. Don’t Cut Them Down,’ added that residents were fired up.

“This is really bad for the environment, really bad for wildlife, and increases noise levels – to say nothing of just how horrible it looks,” she said as she glanced through the chain link fence at a vast expanse of tree stumps.

“The crazy thing is they don’t have any money right now. So where are they finding the money for this?” Brash asked. “And now they’re going to be asking us for a bail out – after they do this to us? And we have to plant trees with our taxpayer money which will take years. Some of these trees are 100 years old.”

“They’re not even taking the tree stumps out,” Brash continued. “They’re saying a tree might fall on children also, but children aren’t playing here. It’s a parking lot.”

On Monday night the Riverside Association sent an email to members saying they recognized that Metro North had an obligation to protect its equipment and the safety of its customers, but felt the railroad could meet those objectives while still being “thoughtful stewards” of the land in their right of way.

On Dec 3, Metro North said it was their right to perform tree trimming in their right of way, and that trimming under and adjacent to the overhead lines is critical to preventing service disruptions, especially during storms.

Metro North also said the tree trimming in this area was long overdue. They noted over 300 trees blew down during Hurricane Isaias in August, and that the trees being removed are decayed, creating a risk of falling on the tracks or the catenary lines. (The railroad uses a catenary system of overhead wires that supply electricity to the railroad.)

On Dec 4 the Greenwich Tree Warden Dr. Greg Kramer explained the tree work in Riverside had two parts, and that the first part was in the area in the right of way by Riverside School. He said it was his understanding that the tree removal would extend as far as the last parking spot at Riverside School, and, further to the west tree – in the approach to the Riverside train station – cutting would be selective.

On Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Kramer replied to a request for comment in an email, saying he’d met with Metro North staff earlier in the morning for around 2 ½ hours and reviewed the Riverside site.  

“We have agreed to keep some trees that pose no threat to either the railroad or school in the event of trees falling,” he said. “Thus far about 22 tree were agreed to remain, as well as some shrubbier plants along the fence line.”

He added that Metro North has not committed to doing any planting at this point.

“However,” he continued, “A Town initiated planting plan and  planting will be done for the Board of Education property that will provide screening.”

Dr. Kramer said he did not yet have a timeline on planting, and plantings would be contingent on the plant availability and weather conditions.

First Selectman Camillo did not respond to a request for comment in time publication, but the Riverside Association email Monday night included correspondence from Camillo who saying he had secured the railroad’s word they would clean up after themselves.

He said he’d asked if the trees not threatening the tracks, wires, and playground could be left standing, and was told said they would make every effort to do that.

He also said the Greenwich Tree Conservancy pledged to help with tree plantings on Town property to provide screening and that Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones was consulted and was amenable to planting trees for screening along the border fence.

See also:

Update on the Metro North Tree Trimming in Riverside

Dec 4, 2020

Riverside Neighbors Wary of “Zealous” Tree Cutting by Metro North Railroad

Nov 29, 2020

Governor Ned Lamont announced on Tuesday that the State Emergency Operations Center, which is already activated in a virtual capacity for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, will remain activated to monitor and respond to conditions resulting from the significant winter storm that is forecast to impact Connecticut beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday.

In addition, the governor is urging people in Connecticut to avoid all unnecessary travel during the storm, as significant amounts of snowfall are anticipated to cause slick conditions on the roads. The current forecast is calling for parts of Connecticut to receive accumulations of more than a foot of snow and wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour along the coast.

“As we brace for severe winter weather, I encourage everyone to stay informed and stay safe,” Governor Lamont said. “We are continuously monitoring the storm’s intensity and assessing the state’s operations. I urge all residents to avoid unnecessary travel during peak conditions.”

“We’re working hard to track our vaccines as they come in by truck and make sure they can work around the storm and vaccinations can continue to happen with as little pause as we can possibly muster,” Lamont said.

On Tuesday crews from the CT DOT began pre-treating road surfaces, such as bridges, and the hills and valleys in higher elevations.

“With heavy and steady snowfall expected starting on Wednesday evening, the Department of Transportation is activated and prepared to clear and treat our roadways,” Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said. “Driving conditions will be treacherous at best and downright dangerous at worst. The best thing the public can do is sit this one out and let our crews do their jobs.”

Additional steps the Department of Transportation has taken to ensure readiness include:

• 1,600 workers within the Highway Operations team have been activated, including more than 1,300 operators and supervisors across the state.
• Roughly 200 contractors are on standby and ready to supplement and augment the state plowing fleet, as has been done in previous storms and winter seasons.
• 634 state plow trucks, 18 industrial loader-mounted snow blowers, and over 100 front-end loaders are ready for deployment.
• Materials, equipment, and spare parts have been stocked at roughly 50 satellite Department of Transportation facilities across the state.
• 30 automated Roadway Weather Information Systems remotely located across the state will continue to provide and stream real-time roadway and atmospheric data to Department of Transportation crews to assist in best reacting to changing weather and road conditions.
• 125 trucks are outfitted with technology – such as road and air temperature sensors, vehicle location, camera windshield imaging – that report real-time road conditions into a newly implemented Maintenance Decision Support System, which helps better inform operating decisions and the deployment of Department of Transportation resources.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for keeping 11,000 lane miles of state roadways clear and safe. All personnel will work throughout the event until after the storm ends and roads are considered safe for the motoring public.

While it is encouraged to avoid driving if at all possible, motorists are encouraged to check www.cttravelsmart.org for the latest road updates and alerts before traveling.

See also:

Winter Storm Watch: Heavy snow and strong winds expected to impact Greenwich

On Wednesday morning the board of Selectmen voted to declare a snow emergency, effective at 5pm, and lasting until further otice.

Dan Warzoha said the forecast confidence continues to grow. He said people should plan for a minimum of a foot of snow, as well as ice and sleet.

“By this afternoon, i think that number will start burgeoning out. Our big concern will be the amount of wind and the type of snow,” he said. “We are hoping for a light and fluffy snow versus a heavy, wet, which has a tendency to cause power problems.”

Warzoha said his number one concern was people losing power.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said the forecast was for wind gusts of up 45mph and 3 inches of snow per hour, adding that a reverse 911 call would go out shortly.

The Selectmen voted unanimously to declare the snow emergency.

Note: The superintendent of Holly Hill said the dump will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, Dec 17, for safety reasons.

See also:

As Winter Storm Approaches, Lamont Says DOT is Ready, Urges Residents To Avoid Travel

Winter Storm Watch: Heavy snow and strong winds expected to impact Greenwich

The snow emergency, which prohibits on-street parking on designated snow emergency routes, will go into effect at 5:00pm Wednesday, December 16, and continue until further notice.

During the period of the Snow Emergency no vehicles are permitted to remain parked, stopped or standing on any Snow Emergency streets.

*The complete list of streets can be found below.
A decision on Town Hall operations will be made later this Wednesday evening by First Selectman Fred Camillo with updates posted on the Town website.

The snow emergency is being imposed because the National Weather Service winter storm watch includes a forecast of blizzard-like conditions with at least 12 to 18 inches of snow and wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.

The snow is expected to fall Wednesday afternoon into late Thursday morning.

Camillo also announced that the Emergency Operations Center at the Greenwich Public Safety Complex will begin/began operations in a monitoring phase at noon, Wednesday, December 16.

The parking ban will enable Department of Public Works crews and its contractors to effectively clear Town roadways. Residents are advised to park their vehicles in their driveways or in their yards. Residents also may use municipal parking lots to park their vehicles.

The Town libraries – Greenwich, Byram Shubert, Cos Cob and Perrot – closed for on-site services at 1:00pm on Wednesday, December 16, and will reopen at 9:00am Friday, December. 18 Online services will be available during the closure.

• Given the forecasted winter weather conditions, the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility will be closed to residents on Thursday, December 17.

• The Public Safety Center lobby will be open 24 hours a day as an emergency warming center.

By Town ordinance, Greenwich property owners are required to be responsible for keeping all sidewalks along their property clear of snow and ice.

The Town of Greenwich prohibits plow contractors from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto Town streets. This practice is dangerous and impedes the Town’s snow removal efforts. If there is no other alternative to pushing snow into the street, the private plow driver must plow off the windrow left across the street by re-plowing until the road is safe.

The Department of Public Works reminds local restaurant operators who have permitted outdoor dining nodes, that restaurants are responsible for all snow cleanup of the areas behind the node barriers.

Restaurant operators also are responsible for cleaning the sidewalk along the front of their respective property. Tents and canopies should be removed until after the storm.

The snow emergency will remain in effect until the Board of Selectmen, which is the Town’s traffic authority, removes the emergency declaration.

Residents should avoid all downed utility wires and assume they are live.
In the event of flooding, residents are urged to stay out of flooded basements. Energized wiring or outlets below the water line may pose a hazard. Natural gas service in a flooded basement may also pose a danger.

Safety tips when arranging to have natural gas service restored once flood waters have receded:

• If the natural gas meter and/or regulator were under water, customers must first contact their natural gas company.

• If any natural gas equipment (furnace, boiler, water heater, etc.) has been under water, they need to contact a plumbing and heating contractor to have the equipment checked.

Those affected can then contact their natural gas company to have service restored.

Homeowners should never attempt to turn on or shut off natural gas service.

TO REPORT ONLY EMERGENCIES – For all Police, Fire and EMS emergencies, dial 911.

*Snow Emergency Streets

CENTRAL GREENWICH
Amogerone Crossway
Arch Street
Benedict Place
Bolling Place
Brookside Drive
Bruce Park Avenue
Bruce Place
Church Street
Connecticut Avenue
Davis Avenue
East Elm Street
East Putnam Avenue (Maple Ave. to Library)
Fawcett Place
Field Point Road
Greenwich Avenue
Grigg Street
Havemeyer Place
Hillside Road
Horseneck Lane
Hunter Place
Lafayette Place
Lake Avenue
Lawrence Street
LeGrande Avenue
Lenox Drive
Lewis Street
Lexington Avenue
Locust Street
Maher Avenue
Maple Avenue
Mason Street
Milbank Avenue
Perryridge Road
Railroad Avenue
Ridge Street
Sherwood Place
Shore Road
Sound View Drive
Steamboat Road
West Elm Street
West Putnam Avenue
William Street

BYRAM
Beech Street
Byram Road
Cedar Street
Chestnut Street
Church Street West
Delavan Avenue
Division Street West
Hervey Street
Kirby Street
Mead Street
Mill Street
North Water Street
Oak Street
Pine Street
Richland Road
South Water Street
Spruce Street
Western Junior Highway
William Street West

CHICKAHOMINY
Hamilton Avenue
Old Field Point Road
Saint Roch Avenue

PEMBERWICK
Comly Avenue
Pemberwick Road
Moshier Street

GLENVILLE
Glenville Road/Street from Glenridge Road to Pemberwick Road
Riversville Road from Glenville Road, north to entrance to Glenville School

COS COB
Bible Street
East Putnam Avenue (Field Rd. to Diamond Hill)
Loughlin Avenue
Orchard Street
Relay Place
River Road
River Road Extension
Sinawoy Road
Strickland Road
Suburban Avenue
Valley Road

RIVERSIDE AND MIANUS
Hendrie Avenue
North Sound Beach Avenue
Valley Road

OLD GREENWICH
Arcadia Road
Lockwood Avenue
Sound Beach Avenue
West End Avenue

On Wednesday around 4:00pm, Greenwich Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones announced an early decision on a snow day for Thursday, given the snow storm descending on the region.

“Please be advised that all schools will be closed tomorrow for a traditional ‘snow day,'” she wrote.

A decision about Friday’s status will be made Thursday evening.

This information and updates can be found on the Greenwich Public Schools’ web site www.greenwichschools.org and with local media.

“I hope that all of you enjoy watching the first major snow of the season from the comfort of your home,” Jones added. “Please be safe and have a great day.”

See also:

Storm Hub: Town Releases During Snow Emergency Details

Selectmen Declare Snow Emergency Effective 5PM

As Winter Storm Approaches, Lamont Says DOT is Ready, Urges Residents To Avoid Travel

Winter Storm Watch: Heavy snow and strong winds expected to impact Greenwich

An application from a resident at 16 Prospect Drive, located in the R7 zone off Lake Avenue (behind Greenwich Hospital), seeks a final site plan to add a bedroom in the basement of what the applicant said was a legally non-conforming two-family residence came before the P&Z commission Tuesday night.

The applicant has been excavating the floor of the basement to create more headroom and has received two stop work orders.

The permit history from the Building Dept notes that no work is allowed in the basement until approval from Zoning is obtained.

The discussion touched on a complicated legal issue of whether the addition of the bedroom, which is already included in the property’s FAR, would “intensify” or “expand” use of the property.

The commission requested additional information from the applicant, Catherine “Cassy” Palmer, including a certificate of occupancy and history of permits to verify the house is a legal nonconforming two-family. She also has to demonstrate there is sufficient parking.

The applicant currently has permits to work on the first and second floors of 16 Prospect Drive, but not the basement.

Ms Palmer told the commission she had been living in the home for almost two years since purchasing it.

She said she was looking to add a bedroom in the basement for her high school age son, who is tall, and that she had had a series of contractors working to excavate the basement floor, which was solid rock.

She acknowledged she had been told by the town to stop work, but was unaware that her permits did not allow the work she was doing.

“I did not know this, but essentially if you finish a basement, it is considered adding another bedroom,” she said.

“By expanding the headroom and creating new headroom in the basement, our interpretation is that you have expanded the area,” P&Z chair Margarita Alban said.

Ms Palmer said she purchased the property on the basis of it being a legally non-confirming two-family home, grandfathered prior to existing zoning.

“It’s an old grandfather,” she said, adding she believed it had been approved as a two-family as early as the 1970s or 1980s.

The commission is also charged with determining whether that additional bedroom would increase the degree of nonconformity in a way that is detrimental to the neighborhood.

Ms Palmer who represented herself, while others typically hire a land use attorney, was asked how the parking works.

“Right now there’s barely anybody at the property because we’ve finished demolition and it’s really not habitable at this point,” she replied. “But there’s three cars in the driveway and one in front of the residence. That is how we’ve seen it work.”

Several neighbors said the parking plan for five spots was unworkable.

“I’ve spoken to DPW on a number of occasions. They can’t stand coming to our street because we already have too many cars on our street and too much traffic, said Erin Nova, a resident of Farley Street, who said it would be detrimental to the “homey, peaceful” neighborhood.

“More cars are clearly not going to fit in the driveway and will end up being on the street,” he said. “There are transient folks in and out all the time.”

Though Ms Palmer said the additional bedroom in the basement was intended for one of her sons, neighbors testified none of the Palmers live in the house.

Ms DeLuca said whether Ms Palmer or her two sons resided in the house was not relevant because the approvals run with the land, and are not specific to the current owner.

Sisters, Michelle and Victoria Fu, who live directly across the street from 16 Prospect, said the road was narrow and that Ms Palmer’s tenants tend to park along the road.

“Sometimes we can’t even turn out of (our) driveway,” Michelle Fu said. “Though Mrs. Palmer has declared there are five parking spaces, we have not seen it.”

Victoria Fu said she’d already scraped her car because the parking situation left little room to maneuver.

“When you add more cars that aren’t parking in the driveway, it is dangerous,” Michelle said. “It’s detrimental to the neighborhood and poses a safety concern.”

John Repik, of 18 Prospect Drive, said he’d lived next door to 16 Prospect Drive for 42 years, and shared a common driveway.

“Ever since Ms Palmer bought this house it’s been a nightmare. Everything she’s told the board so far has been a lie,” he said. “A person lived there for a year in the basement with no toilet and now the person lives in the garage. He’s been here for one year and lived pretty much like a homeless person. The house already exceeds the FAR over 200 ft. The police have been here at least four times – a couple times because her basement dweller was blocking our driveway.”

“There are many issues here, but she does not live here and never has,” Mr. Repik added.

Though P&Z Chair Margarita Alban said due to the way the regulations were written, the basement is already included in the FAR, Mr. Repik said he believed the parking was insufficient for an additional bedroom.

Mr. Repik said the parking layout, as proposed, required multiple cars be moved in order for one car to exit.

The commissioners had difficulty understanding the applicant’s hand drawn plans, and were confused about the layout of the basement in connection with the rest of the house.

Mr. Repik said previously a married couple had owned the house at 16 Prospect Drive, with a mother in law in the downstairs unit.

He too complained about the parking, saying that with so many cars parked along the narrow street, it was difficult for emergency vehicles to maneuver.

“There’s parking only allowed on one side of the street, and when she has people coming and going all hours of the night and we don’t know who they are and where they’re coming from, they park all up and down Prospect Drive.”

Mr. Repik said when Ms Palmer first bought the house a year and a half earlier he installed a fence down the shared driveway because Ms Palmer’s tenants were blocking his portion of the driveway.

He said a section of the fence had already been knocked down by Ms Palmer’s contractors and that her two tandem parking spots were right along his fence.

“It’s pretty much a nightmare,” he said.

Ms Palmer said no one was living in the garage, and that she uses it to store her own belongings.

Commissioner Nick Macri said he reviewed the permit history and found an annotation from inspectors on June 22 noting that someone was living in the garage.

“I’ve never authorized anyone to live in the garage. I know that’s not allowed,” Ms Palmer said, adding that there had been contractors on site and small projects that did not require a permit.

“When you asked us to stop we really did stop,” Ms Palmer said.

Mary Jenkins of 28 Prospect Drive asked the commission to deny the application.

She said the non conforming two-family home had already had a significant impact on the entire neighborhood, though the street was invisible to most residents as it is a dead end, as are Cassidy and Farley.

“Although the owner has expressed her intent to use the unit on her property, and I am retired and in the house 24/7, and to my observation she has never resided on the property, and does not currently reside at the property,” she said, adding the property would resemble a used car lot with 5 cars parked there.

The dimension of the parking spaces on the plan Ms Palmer submitted were questioned.

The minimum dimensions of a non-transient parking space are 8 ½’ x 18’ per Sec. 6-185 of the BZR.

Ms Palmer said her intention with the renovation was to make it more of a family home because her sons wanted to live downtown. She said she had invested significant amounts of money to update the house, including $75,000 on HVAC.

“I am floored that my next door neighbor – after all the work I’ve done on the home – would lie and say I’d make it into a three family….I would never do that,” she said.

Ms Palmer said the photo submitted by Ms Jenkins for the record showed other neighbors’ cars, not hers parked along Prospect Drive.

“I respectfully ask you just stick to the truth,” she said. “We worked very hard with SE Minor (on a parking plan) to ensure there are no cars on the street. Why is it I’m not allowed to have one car on the street? If we had just one on the street, this is a very easy situation.”

Both Ms DeLuca and the commissioners said they wanted to know whether the basement was considered habitable per building code prior to the excavation of the basement floor. That would be relevant to the question of expansion.

In the end, the application was left open. Ms Palmer was asked to submit more information including past permits to create a timeline of when the house became a two-family, and when the neighborhood was zoned R7, as well as better plans than the hand drawn ones.

See also:

Arrest Warrant Issued for Greenwich Woman after Puppies Die in New Canaan Home Due to Neglect

This week’s highlights in Greenwich real estate:

• 10 new to market listings
• 30 sold properties
• 8 price reductions
• 13 contingent contracts
• 26 pending contracts

There are 26 public open houses this weekend. Please bring a mask and gloves and plan to social distance.

Please click HERE for the most up to date open house list.

On Sunday afternoon First Selectman Fred Camillo joined the director of the Chamber of Commerce Marcia O’Kane and the owners of Raphael’s Bakery for a ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of what is a dream come true for pastry chef Raphaël Dequeker.

Raphaël’s Bakery is now open at 146 Mason Street, joining Myrna’s and Doppio to round out delicious food options.

Guest enjoyed champagne and samples of Raphaël’s delicious pastries.

Among the crowd were friends of the Dequekers’ sons, Kelian, Bastian and Titouan, as well as downtown denizen RTC chair Dan Quigley, Pemberwick Glenville Association chair Andrea Blume, and Diane Roth from Allied Property Group who helped the Dequekers find the space on Mason Street.

During the grand opening, Kelian said since the bakery’s soft opening earlier in the week baguettes, croissants, Pain au chocolats, and brioches had been selling out daily.

Check out our the Dequekers story from earlier this week on GFP:

Raphaël’s Bakery on Mason Street – As You Would Find in a French Village

Raphaël’s Bakery
146 Mason Street
Greenwich, CT 06830, US
Tel. (203) 485-0450
raphsbakery2020@gmail.com

Hours:
Open Mondays for the holidays!
Tuesday 7am – 4pm
Wednesday 7am – 4pm
Thursday 7am – 4pm
Friday 7am – 4pm
Saturday 7am – 4pm
Sunday 7:00am – 2pm

Submitted by Cheryl Dunson, Greenwich Tree Conservancy President

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy shares the alarm of residents protesting the recent clear-cutting of trees along the railroad tracks bordering the Riverside School and reflected in the residents’ Change.org petition available online.

This is a continuation of clear-cutting that occurred along exits 3-4 and now to 5-6. This clear-cutting policy, reportedly to protect the
catenary poles and tracks from falling trees, has devastating effects on communities. These “safety” policies have created other issues by eliminating the existing benefits of these wooded corridors for possible risk.

The wooded Right of Way (ROW) area adjacent to the tracks provides many benefits including screening from the trains, noise reduction, air quality remediation, stormwater runoff protection, wildlife habitat, and a safety barrier. After the clear-cutting of ROWs in the Connecticut towns of Falls Village and Cornwall, a pesticide application program was used to maintain
“infrastructure safety”. Chemical pesticide extends the negative impacts to the Town and the environment and, for coastal communities in particular, to Long Island Sound.

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy is proud of our partnership with the Town to preserve and enhance Greenwich’s tree canopy. Since our founding in 2007, we have planted thousands of trees throughout town, including on all our public school grounds. While we deeply regret the reason for needing to plant more trees at Riverside School, we are happy to work in partnership with the Town to help mitigate on the school property. However, the municipality should not be the only ones shouldering the burden created by ConDOT – they too should be required to
mitigate along the right of way.

Greenwich depends upon the expertise of our Town Tree Warden Dr. Greg Kramer, supported by our First Selectman Camillo, to help protect the town from wanton clear-cutting. While our local officials are using their influence to call for judicious tree removal, the GTC will work with the Town to remediate as much as possible. A large portion of the rail lines in Connecticut are owned by the State, and should be managed appropriately. The State and UCONN have worked together to develop the Stormwise program, which is designed “to tackle the challenge of maintaining the aesthetic appeal of forested Connecticut byways while reducing the potential of tree-cause damage to our infrastructure during severe storms.” This valuable work could be applied to our railroad corridor.

It is sadly ironic that at a time when there is widespread acknowledgement of the importance of trees in combating the many ill effects of climate change, that ConDOT/Metro North are allowed to remove these valuable woodland assets with impunity. The Greenwich Tree Conservancy
urges Governor Lamont to send a clear message that trees and transportation can co-exist and direct ConDOT, Metro-North and DEEP to adopt Stormwise or similar refined approach for managing vegetation in our transportation and utility corridors. Put simply, indiscriminate clear-cutting is deforestation, not vegetation management and should not be labeled nor accepted as such! Successful vegetation management mitigates risk, while ensuring that our urban and edge forests are conserved, restored and made more resilient.

Cheryl Dunson
President

The Planning & Zoning commission is considering a pre-application from the owner of Pickwick Commons, at 44-48 West Putnam Ave, where many Greenwich residents recall a bowling alley operated, and prior to that the space was originally The Pickwick Theater, which opened in 1929.

In 1995, a prior P&Z commission granted site plan approval for the bowling alley to be converted into office and commercial space, but with 15,000 sq ft on the upper levels being mothballed due to concerns about inadequate parking.

More recently, in 2005, Attorney Bruce Cohen represented the owner and received approval for eight residential units to be created on the upper floors, but the units were never built.

Chip Haslun, the attorney representing the applicant, Marci Fagan, said those eight units would have been larger than the 12 units proposed now. Architect Rich Granoff worked on the conceptual proposal.

The bedroom mix would be: eight 1-bedrooms, two 2-bedrooms, two 3-bedrooms, for a total of 12, units. Granoff, who shared a photo of the disused former bowling alley space, said the mix was based on the adaptive reuse of the original structure.

“We’re quite cleverly inserting apartments in between the trusses,” he said.

Mr. Haslun explained that the exit for the residential apartments was originally going to be on Lewis Court, to which the property has an easement, but that alleyway is narrow and both retail and restaurant uses on Greenwich Avenue stow their garbage there.

The proposal is to build a car elevator inside the existing garage to provide access to 16 parking spots.

Residents would drive into the garage on the first level and into an oversized elevator, taking the car to up the second level where the driver would simply drive out the other side of the elevator and park in their designated spot.

Haslun said there would be a generator to power the elevator in the event of a power outage, and that there are also outdoor spaces and Fidelity has spaces under the building that can be used by tenants at night.

The proposal was well received, though a few concerns were raised. Ms Alban noted so many people were working from home during the pandemic, and worried that might complicate the sharing of parking between residents and the commercial uses. In addition to Fidelity, current commercial tenants at Pickwick Commons include Garelick & Herbs and FedEx.

The owner of the property, Marci Fagan, said that while she hires an attendant to prevent employees who work on Greenwich Avenue from parking in her lot, there are 19 spaces in the garage, and 13 are for Fidelity employees.

“We have a few extras,” she said. “They’re never all full. And certainly, after 5pm, the basement is completely empty. I think there would be plenty of opportunity to share.”

“I keep (an attendant) there until 2:00 or 3:00pm every day,” Fagan said. “It’s more to make sure that the rest of the town doesn’t park in my lot. In my leases with retail tenants, I tell them the front lot is reserved for their customer parking. I feel obligated to make sure people working on the Avenue aren’t parking in my lot.”

As for the elevator, Granoff said there was no need to hire an attendant to assist residents.

“When you pull in there are sensors so it’s very safe,” he said. “If you’re a resident you have a fob in your car. It’s like opening up a garage door. It’s geared for users of apartment buildings. There are numerous companies that make these systems.”

Commissioner Peter Lowe said he was concerned that if the elevator was inconvenient, or if multiple residents were leaving at the same time, tenants might gravitate toward the outdoor parking, creating an issue.

“This system is used all the time in buildings in New York City,” Alban said.

The commission also asked the applicant to consider designated one unit as workforce or affordable housing.

“We have to dedicate a lot of second floor space to parking,” Ms Fagan said. “We will continue to look at it and get back to you.”

The applicant offered the commissioners a site visit.

“We’ve always regretted this space has been mothballed,” Ms Alban said. “We’d love to do a site walk. It’s because I’m dying of curiosity. I’d love to see how the space exists and how it will be used.”

See also:

P&Z Watch: Future Uses of Former Pickwick Theater Building Contemplated

June 2019

Derek D’Andrea’s story begins when he was a boy helping at his family’s nursery on West Putnam Ave by Greenwich Library, behind where Chase Bank operates today.

The D’Andrea family has been in the nursery business in Greenwich for 100 years.

“I remember as a boy running through the Christmas trees with my sister,” D’Andrea said, adding that he was thrilled to have recreated that family owned nursery vibe in his business, Arch in Bloom.

After studying landscape architecture in college, D’Andrea teamed up with his father Bill to open Arch in Bloom, a landscape design service with an office in the small building at 201 Pemberwick Rd, formerly home to Watson’s Catering.

In addition to landscape architecture, the business offered maintenance, masonry, pools & spas, and outdoor structures.

After a time, Derek and his father started decorating the windows of 201 Pemberwick Rd for Halloween and Christmas – just for fun.

During an interview at Arch in Bloom on Monday, Derek said the space on Pemberwick Rd evolved organically from its initial use as office space to include a retail element, and later become a destination for community events.

“There is a school bus stop right here,” Derek said gesturing to the front of the store. “The kids would stop and look at the windows.”

From there, Derek and his father decided to sell trees, wreaths and garlands for Christmas. Before long the retail business expanded to four seasons.

Today, working alongside his fiancée Jaime, his dog Finn, and a loyal crew, D’Andrea said Arch in Bloom had been busy selling a variety of Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands, in addition to ornaments and gifts in the retail shop.

“We had such a fantastic turnout and support from everyone in the neighborhood selling trees and wreaths that first year that we decided to open up year round,” D’Andrea explained. “We started growing our own perennials – we have green houses in Port Chester – and we do a lot with local farmers who produce nursery stock. We also sell beautiful summer flowers and pumpkins in the fall.”

For the holidays, Derek said his crew makes wreaths and garlands by hand inside a tent disguised as a wooden outbuilding one could mistake for Santa’s workshop.

“All the greens are sourced locally from Connecticut,” Derek said, adding that he likes to offer more than the typical variety of Christmas trees, including Noble Fir and Grand Fir.

The evolution of Arch in Bloom from office space to retail, to community event hub was organic.

After he began selling trees and wreathes, Derek said Andrea Blume, chair of the Pemberwick-Glenville Association asked if he would donate a tree to the PGA’s annual ‘Santa in the Park’ event in Pemberwick Park.

“It was before Covid,” D’Andrea recalled. “But, I said, ‘Sure, let’s make it a mainstay this year.’ We said we would plant and donate a 25 ft Norway Spruce, and light it – and it could be ‘the Pemberwick Tree.’ And, going forward, the PGA could have their tree lighting ceremony here every year, instead of in Pemberwick Park.”

Toward that end, D’Andrea decorated a tall Norway Spruce on site, and the tree became a focal point for the Pemberwick-Glenville community.

Ms Blume said she looked forward to post-pandemic, and having the entire Pemberwick-Glenville community gather at Arch in Bloom with Santa.

“The beautiful tree Derek has dedicated to the PGA community will be the backdrop for our collaborative event post-pandemic,” she said. “We’re so excited to have the community gather and enjoy the tree for years to come.”

D’Andrea said before the pandemic, he had begun hosting community events at Arch in Bloom including ‘Pumpkins and Pints,’ and a ‘Flurry Fest,’ and he hoped to add the annual PGA Christmas event to the roster.

“Since we’re in a neighborhood, we have such a unique dynamic,” Jamie said. “Even when people are getting their trees, you see little wagons being pulled around the corner with kids in them – families are coming. Kids will ride their bikes and pop in the shop. It’s something you don’t see in a lot of places in Greenwich.”

D’Andrea said during last week’s snow storm, more than one neighbor trekked through the snow to Arch in Bloom to buy a tree and carry it home.

“It’s really a fantastic sense of community here. We’re so happy to be here. The display and the events are an opportunity for us to give back,” D’Andrea said. “We also provide premium, hand made product at the right price. We don’t charge astronomical prices. We like to be very fair.”

And while many local businesses have struggled, D’Andrea said his was one of the few fortunate businesses to see a bit of a boom during the pandemic.

“Because everybody was home, they wanted to do work on their property,” he said. “The other thing I’ve seen more this year is a return to small, local businesses, which was another reason why we saw a boom. People were afraid to go to the big stores.”

“And,” Jaime said. “With Covid, many different industries were negatively impacted, especially restaurants, so there was a drive to shop local to support the people who need it more than ever – as opposed to supporting big box stores that won’t really feel the hit as much.”

“We’re looking forward to next year, hopefully we can have community events here again,” D’Andrea said.

Arch in Bloom is located at 201 Pemberwick Road, Tel. (203) 550-1235

On Tuesday, Greenwich High School principal Ralph Mayo sent an email to members of the school community saying that track coach Bill Mongovan had died at the age of 78.

“Mr. Mongovan has been a member of our athletic family for many years and has been coaching Track and Cross Country teams for 55 years,” Mayo wrote. “Needless to say, Bill has had a positive and lasting impact on many of our student athletes.”

Mr. Mongovan is a Hall of Fame coach and has been recognized for his work on the national stage as well.

“We at Greenwich High School were fortunate to have him with us for so many years as a coach, mentor and friend,” Mayo continued, adding that GHS planned to offer counseling through each House team on Tuesday, and planned to send a link by email on Wednesday morning for remote support.

Mayo suggested that any students who might be having difficulty over the break to contact 211 or the Den (203) 655-4693 for support.

Details on the services for Mr. Mongovan will be shared when they become available.

Greenwich property owners are receiving their property tax bills in the mail this week. But there is good news.

On Dec 17, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont once again gave towns the option of delaying local property tax bills for those economically harmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Bills that are normally due on January 1 can be deferred as late as April 1, and Greenwich is again offering residents a 90-day deferment of property taxes for eligible taxpayers.

“We’ve had to scramble a bit because the order from the Governor came a bit late,” said Heather Smeriglio, Greenwich’s Tax Collector, referring to Governor Lamont’s order on Dec 17. “But honestly, I’m so happy we could offer the extra time to our residents.”

Smeriglio said she believed the extra time will help those who have been struggling with the effects of the pandemic.

From the Tax Collector Website:

Real Estate Tax Bills and Supplemental Motor Vehicle bills were mailed out on Friday, December 18, 2020.

The Town of Greenwich is offering a Deferred Tax Program to taxpayers on the 2019 Grand List for the January 2021 taxes as required by the Governor’s Executive Order 9R.  This means that taxpayers will have the option to delay paying the second installment of Real Estate taxes and Supplemental Motor Vehicle taxes until April 1, 2021 without interest or penalty.  On April 2, 2021 interest will be charged back to the Original Due Date of January 1, 2021 (6% interest) if not paid.  For taxpayers there is no application or notice needed.

Escrow accounts do not qualify and need to pay by February 1, 2021.

Landlords, both residential and commercial, need to apply.  Please click here to access the Deferment Application. 

If your tax bill does not show a dollar amount and shows *** it means you have back tax due.  Please call the Tax Collector office at 203-622-7891.

For motor vehicle information including Registration and Compliance issues (Property Tax, Parking Tickets, Emissions Testing, Insurance Requirements) please view our Frequently Asked Questions Numbers 9-16.

If you pay in person we accept payment (checks, money orders and cash) Monday – Friday from 8:00 – 1:00p.m. at Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road on the 1st floor. Checks and money orders should be made out to “Town of Greenwich.”  Please include the bill number on your check.

Please send your check or money order payable to “Town of Greenwich” to:

Tax Collector
Town of Greenwich
P.O. Box 5038
New Britain, CT  06050-5038

If you pay online, please scroll down for information and links.

There are two ways to pay online:

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT):  There is a convenience fee of $0.95 (95 cents) per EFT transaction. The convenience fee goes directly to the vendor.  It does not go to the Town of Greenwich.

As with all tax payments, your payment is recorded as paid for interest and date of payment purposes on the date it is entered into our database. Your payment is not successfully completed until the funds are transferred into the Town of Greenwich’s bank.  If payment is returned for any reason there will be a return payment fee of $20.00 and interest may be owed.

To pay by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) click here.

Credit Card:  There is a convenience fee of 2.95% per credit card payment.  The convenience fee is determined by the amount of the payment.  The convenience fee goes directly to the vendor.  It does not go to the Town of Greenwich.

Examples of credit card convenience fee.  If the tax bill is:

$100/The additional fee is             $2.95
$500/The additional fee is             $14.75
$1,000/The additional fee is          $29.50
$5,000/The additional fee is          $147.50

As with all tax payments, your payment is recorded as paid for interest and date of payment purposes on the date it is entered into our database. Your payment is not successfully completed until the funds are transferred into the Town of Greenwich’s bank.  If payment is returned for any reason there will be a return payment fee of $20.00 and interest may be owed.

To pay by Credit Card click here.

For questions please call the Tax Collector office at 203-622-7891 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

If you have an outstanding tax bill please call the Tax Collector office at 203-622-7891 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. so we can provide the correct amount due. Interest accrues at 1.5% per month.

If you would like to know how the Mill Rate is determined, how motor vehicle tax works, what the supplemental motor vehicle tax is, what to do if you no longer own a motor vehicle that you received a tax bill for or how a Tax Sale works go to Frequently Asked Questions.

Cheryl L. (Rathbun) Dorazio, 68, was called home to her heavenly father on December 16 with her husband, Tony (Anthony), by her side.

Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Cheryl was the daughter of Merrill H. and Carmen R. (Wassman) Rathbun.

Cheryl was a graduate of Greenwich High School and the University of Connecticut.

She spent several years as the office manager at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and more recently First Lutheran Church, both of Greenwich, before retiring two weeks before her passing.

Cheryl also provided healthcare for her home-bound mother-in-law over the past 12 years, a true testament to her love and devotion for her family. Even more importantly, she loved her Lord and Savior, whom she trusted with all her heart.

Cheryl had a passion for family gatherings, for math, and for helping others. Many will lovingly remember her as one of the most thoughtful and giving persons they have ever known. Her presence at family gatherings and among the members of First Lutheran—and her delicious pumpkin pies—will be greatly missed.

Along with her husband, Tony, Cheryl is survived by her daughter Carrie (Dorazio) Gross and husband Shane and their two children, Simon and Kira; her son David Dorazio and wife Louanna (Gill) and their four children, Carmella, Jonathan, Lillianna, and Timothy; mother-in-law Mildred (Putrino) Dorazio; and siblings Cindy Schroer (David); Steven Rathbun (Annie); Darryl Rathbun (Tracey); and four nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held at Coxe & Graziano on Sunday, December 27 from 2:00–6:00 pm, 134 Hamilton Ave, Greenwich, CT.

A service of Christian burial will be held at First Lutheran Church on Monday, December 28 at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests all donations to be directed to First Lutheran Church.

Joe Marini and Dom Delfino want to remind Greenwich residents to shop local this holiday season and throughout the pandemic to keep small businesses afloat.

The two longtime friends who both own restaurants in Cos Cob – with Marini running Chicken Joe’s for 28 years and Delfino running Joey B’s for 12.

“It’s not about us,” Delfino said. “I’m not just talking about supporting Joey B’s and Chicken Joe’s. I’m talking about supporting all the small businesses.”

“Don’t forget the little guys,” said Marini whose hair, beard and even his eyebrows are still bleached from him playing Santa two weeks ago.

“The little guys always have their checkbooks open,” Delfino said.

“There’s not one ad we don’t take out for the sports at the high school,” said Marini, who also gives multiple annual scholarships to GHS student athletes.

Delfino is known for monthly events where he invites in GHS sports teams or clubs like YNET who raise awareness of teen dating violence to use his restaurant for fundraisers.

The students wait on customers , and afterward, Delfino donates a portion of the proceeds to their booster club.

He also hosted Thank a Cop Day for several years.

Both Marini and Delfino invested heavily in order to reopen their doors.

Both restaurants have made changes to adapt to Covid, including installing plexiglass partitions and hand sanitizing stations.

Marini eliminated his seating.

Delfino, who has a long counter and a row of stools, and is now operating at reduced capacity per the Governor’s executive order, installed an outdoor tent.

More recently he said he purchased an Air Scrubber by Aerus for Joey B’s and had it installed by Accu Temp HVAC Inc. The machine eliminates 99.9% of Airbone SARS-CoV-2 Virus.

“It kills Covid,” he said. “People can feel comfortable coming in.”

“My space is in and out,” Marini said, pointing to the one way pass-through for take out at Chicken Joe’s.

He said he took all the advice of the health department before he reopened his doors, including putting hand sanitizer stations at the entrance exit, and installing a plexiglass divider between customers and staff.

“They give you a list. You do it. The seats are gone. Everything’s to go,” he said. “We are hurting though. We’re off 40%. We’ve got no catering. All our parties and school events are canceled. Weddings are postponed until next year.”

During the first eight months of the pandemic, Marini said he operated strictly through a small pick up window and wiped down customers’ credit cards.

“Nobody wants to get sick,” he said. “Nobody wants to go through this.”

Delfino, who said he benefited from having outdoor seating during the pandemic, said he also has a one-way pass through for customers.

“You go in one door and out the other,” he said. “And, if you don’t feel comfortable coming inside, call us, give us your credit card and we’ll bring it out to you.”

“We do that too,” Marini said. “There’s a lot of people who call me and ask, ‘Can you bring it out?’ Absolutely. Not a problem.”

Both Marini and Delfino said they’re very grateful to their regular customers who have sustained them during the pandemic.

Both restaurants sell gift cards, which make a great last minute holiday gift!

Mark Marullo of Marullo Brothers, a local company that specializes in indoor and outdoor painting, arrived with his son John for take out from Chicken Joe’s during our inteview.

“Joe and Dom have to be the two nicest gentlemen in town,” Marullo said. “Plus, they’re both generous – they help out all the people in town, including my organization, the Umbrella Club of Fairfield County.“

Both Marini and Delfino said in addition to their loyal customers, they were both very grateful to their staff.

“Thumbs up to all my employees,” Delfino said. “They’re frontline workers.”

Chicken Joe’s is located at 231East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob.
Tel. (203) 861-0075

Joey B’s is located at 118 River Rd. Ext in Cos Cob, CT 06807.
Tel. 203 661-0573

Just when Greenwich finished digging itself out of last week’s snowstorm, the National Weather Service said a significant storm will coincide with the Christmas holiday.

The NWS says there is a 50% chance of rain during the day Thursday.

Then, Thursday night, rain could be heavy at times. Low around 55. Windy, with a southeast wind 18 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

On Friday, Christmas day, the say rain is likely, mainly before 10:00am. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 41 by 5:00pm. Breezy, with a southwest wind 18 to 23 mph decreasing to 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday will be sunny, with a high near 33°.

Eversource said they are preparing for the storm by canceling employee vacations as necessary, pre-staging resources and equipment and working hard to secure additional outside crews, despite challenges because of the holiday.

“We’ll be here when you need us,” Eversource said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Thursday afternoon, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo created a robo-call warning residents about a large storm system arriving in the area on Christmas Eve.

He noted that the National Weather Service had issued a high wind warning and a Flood Watch covering Greenwich from Thursday until Friday afternoon.

The most severe part of the storm should come between Midnight Thursday and 10:00am on Friday, with 2-4 inches of rain and winds gusting up to 60-70 miles per hour.

Camillo asked residents please to ensure that any items outside are secured so they don’t become dangerous projectiles during the storm.

Also, he warned that the rain  combined with snow on the ground will likely result in localized flooding, and travel on roadways may be extremely hazardous from sundown Thursday night to sunrise on Christmas day.

Lastly he said the weather event was likely to cause power outages.

“So we ask people to make plans for emergency lighting and alternative power for essential devices,” he said.

Temperatures are expected to drop dramatically between Friday night and Saturday.

Eversource has crews on stand by, and Greenwich has crews from Public Safety, Dept of Public Works, and Parks  Rec on stand by as well.

The public safety complex lobby will be open 24 hours as an eremgency warming center.

“Please stay safe and continue to watch out for one another, especially those who might need additional assistance,” Camillo said.