Board moves forward with Windermere School work

ELLINGTON – A press conference was held at Center School on May 19 to announce $3.7 million received for HVAC projects at three Ellington schools.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, state Sen. John Kissel, Rep. Jaime Foster, First Selectwoman Lori Spielman, Board of Education Chair Jennifer Dzen, and Board members were all in attendance.

Ellington was one of 20 towns in the state selected to receive this money through collaborative efforts between the boards of Education, Selectmen and Finance.

In 2022 the state legislature passed a measure in the school construction portion of the budget implementation bill that provides additional funding for the Windermere building project.

The language in the measure increased the reimbursement rate from 55.36% to 70%, netting savings to Ellington of just over $9 million on the $61 million project.

The work will be a renovate-to-new school building project at Windermere Elementary School. The Windermere project had been delayed twice due to uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic and potential changes to enrollment.

“Pausing the Windermere Project at the onset of the pandemic was the right thing to do from both a fiscal and developmental perspective. Now it is time to move forward. The building is in need of extensive updating, our student population continues to increase and the state is now offering an additional percent of reimbursement on renovate-to-new projects,” Dzen said in 2021.

Ellington Board of Education Operations Committee Chair Karen Socha tours Windermere School in March 2022 to assess the project. Ellington Board of Education photo

It’s the time of year that we all look forward to — the Ellington Farmers Market is back.

Head down to Arbor Park on Saturday mornings, 9 a.m. to noon, for produce, flowers, specialty foods, artisan goods, entertainment, and more.

This year, EMF has 68 market partners and works with over 60 summer vendors. This nonprofit market has been recognized by the state’s General Assembly for its work to improve access to fresh, locally grown and produced, healthy food for people from all backgrounds. The Ellington Farmers Market has been working hard to make its many wonderful options accessible to all.

One of the things that make farmers markets so great is their participation in the Farmers Market Food Nutrition Program (FMFP). FMNP serves partic- ipants of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and seniors over the age of 60 who meet income eligibility guidelines by providing coupons to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, cut herbs, and honey at authorized locations throughout Connecticut.

Ellington is one such authorized location. And Ellington will double SNAP benefits up to $25 per recipient, per market, and double FMNP vouchers.

The FMNP program is good for agriculture, good for low-income families and seniors, and good for health outcomes.

Some information about the FMNP program from the CT Department of Agriculture:

WIC FMNP is authorized by the U.S. Congress and administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAG) and jointly funded by the State of Connecticut and the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS).

The program provides a coupon booklet to participants of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) who are identified as “nutritionally at risk,” to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and cut herbs at FMNP-authorized locations. WIC FMNP coupon booklets are distributed to local WIC agencies statewide by the agency through a partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is a supplemental food program for individuals over the age of 60 or those who are disabled and living in housing where congregate nutrition services are provided and meet income eligibility. Participants must be enrolled in another program with proper means of testing (ex: Renter Rebate) to verify income. Each eligible participant receives one coupon booklet annually. SFMNP coupons can be redeemed at FMNPauthorized locations throughout Connecticut for fruits, vegetables, fresh-cut herbs, and honey.

SFMNP coupon booklets are issued by the agency to municipal agents, elderly services nonprofits, or senior centers for distribution to eligible participants.

Ellington is one of the largest suburban markets in Connecticut and is the second-highest market when it comes to SNAP matches.

If you haven’t made it down to Arbor Park yet, I highly suggest a visit. You won't regret it.

As always, please contact my office with any concerns you may have. I can be reached by phone at 860-240-8585 or by email at jaime.foster@cga.ct.gov.