WESTBROOK COUNCIL ​OF BEACHES



committee updates

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Meeting Dates for 2024
May 6,  7pm Zoom Meeting
June 3, 7pm, In Person Multi-Media Room   

July 1,  7pm In Person Multi-Media Room

​​Aug 12, 7pm In Person Conf. Rm A 

Sept 9, 7pm In Person Conf. Rm A

Oct 7, Canceled/ No Meeting

Stand by for 2025 meeting dates

Meeting dates for 2025 TBA in January 2025


May meeting will be via Zoom. 

The rest of our meetings are in person see room locations. August date is still pending. It will be in Conf. Rm A ​

All meetings will be held at the Westbrook Town Hall unless Covid restrictions prevail.

               

*See Archives for Agendas and Minutes of Meetings

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​Candidates' Forum Oct 4, 2021

To view video, click here.


Candidates' Forum Oct 7, 2019 -
To view video, clickhere.


Candidates' Forum Oct 1, 2018 - 
To view video, click here.

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Officers:

President- Pat Marcarelli
Vice President - Cindy Howard
Treasurer - Steve Smith
Recording Secretary- Ann Cole

Publishing Secretary- Pauline Peterson

Special Projects Secretary - Mary Jane Monahan










​ ​​​COASTAL RESILIENCY COMMITTEE 

PLEASE FOLLOW HERE

CURRENT UPDATES AND

​AND COMMUNITY INPUT

We look forward to pubic presentation Oct 7th. at Town Hall

​More to follow soon.

See link below to follow

October 7th 2023 meeting

www.4ShoreResiliency.com


 

2024 Meeting NOTICES

The Town of Westbrook is the recipient of a grant from National Fish and Willdife Foundation (NFWF) Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) to prepare a multi town Coastal Resiliency Plan in partnership with the neighboring Towns of Clinton, Old Saybrook and the Borough of Fenwick. The Westbrook Committee will be working with a consultant and the community to analyze, coordinate, and prepare the Coastal Resiliency Plan.  The plan will address the impacts of climate change, storm surge, flooding, extreme weather events, and sea level rise, and will identify projects to address the risks and hazards to infrastructure and coastal properties (public and private).  Community engagement is essential to the development of a successful plan. On August 19th the consultant will hold a pop up event at the Westbrook Town Beach to obtain community feedback. This will be a great time to voice your opinions on any areas of concern.  Click here to connect to the Westbrook Coastal Resiliency Committee webpage.

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​​​Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD) Committee - Westbrook   


Click here to review the Revised Draft of the 2021-2031 Plan of Conservation and Development.   

​An update of the plan is required every ten years.

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​​​Westbrook Economic Action Initiative (WEAI) 

​​Andy Schatz, Jim Crawford and Tony Cozza have been working very hard with this group in order to help our young, local residents to achieve their goals in both bettering themselves and preparing them to move forward in life and hopefully continue to serve our community.  Leslie Carson our Career/College Readiness Coordinator at Westbrook High School is also on the Board. Click here to learn more about WEAI.


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​​​Literacy Volunteers


Literacy Volunteers is looking for additional Tutors.  They are an organization staffed mostly by volunteers, located in the Westbrook Library that teaches English to those in the area who are not conversant in English.  For additional information please contact.  Joanne Argersinger at 860-399-0280 or jarsinger@lvvs.org. Learn more by clicking here.


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​​​​TOWN OF WESTBROOK


Harbor Master News:


Harbor Management Happenings from John Rie, Chairman Commission Management: Click here.

Mooring Permits are $30 
The Harbor Commission will be reviewing the rule regarding Moorings and will have updated information available om the Town website. Click here for online moorings step-by-step procedures to apply or renew your mooring.

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Hurricane Preparedness -  For more information, see westbrookem.com

A Message from Westbrook Emergency Management.  Click here.

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Animal Control Officer: 860-391-7127

Caroline Fountain

203-780-1311.  Click here for more information.


From the Town:  Regarding Public (not private) Beaches:  Ordinances - Dogs and Other Pet Animals

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Town Review of Westbrook Zoning Regulations

Westbrook is reviewing Zoning Regulations.  For more details, click here.

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Planning Commission 


Westbrook Hazardous Mitigation Plan

Meeting September 16, 2019--7pm

Multi Media Room, Town Hall

This is the final Public Hearing for 

FEMA compliance before all findings are sent to the State of CT.

This will deal in Emergency Planning, Floods and Flood insurance.


Click here to view Public Meeting No 1 07-29-2019

Click hereto view Public Meeting No 2 09-29-2019 


Save the Date

Westbrook Christmas Tree Lighting

December 8th. 

Parade 4pm Be there early to line up by 3:30

We will sponsor a Food Drive Booth on the Green. Please help out with Food and/or monetary donations.

We would love to have you march with us as Council of Beach Associations will light the tree this year.

Family event with lots of Food, games entertainment and of course Santa!

Free Event

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Community Center

There is a survey and workshops regarding a proposed Community Center in town. We will try to keep you updated with any meetings. There was a workshop Nov. 20th however we were not notified until late for this. Anything in the future we will post.


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Town Center Septic

There has been several workshops and meetings regarding proposed community septic systems for our town green. This would be to enhance our economic business base in our town center and possibly attract new commerce.

We are following this as we would also like to see what we can do to stem the flooding to our shoreline properties and prevent septic failures due to flooding. This is all a concern for our tax $$$

Please follow the Town's website and of course right here. 

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ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE

Thank you to all that participated

July 13th

It poured down rain

BUT! we raised a record

$14,300 + still growing &

2,400 lbs of food

Largest Westbrook Food Drive Ever!

Way to go Westbrook!

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Dunkin Donuts Building Plans

Zoning approved an application from Krausers to occupy this building. There are several stipulations in place that need to be met. So far no word and further work has not started.

Stay Tuned. 

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Residential/ Retail Proposed For Westbrook Outlets

PUBLIC HEARING

JULY 22nd 2024

Zoning Commission 

The meeting was held with a very large crowd. This project will move forward to the next step which is awaiting State approvals DOT and DEEP.

Where it goes and what scale it is will be a wait and see. 

We'll keep you informed.

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The Economic Development Commission & Westbrook Council of Beach Associations

PROUDLY SUPPORTS

The Westbrook Merchants 

Please support our local 

Merchants

​Visit www.visitwestbrookct.com

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On October 3, 2022 the WCOB

hosted the Connecticut Department of Energy &

Environmental Protection (DEEP)

Kathleen Perzanowski
Environmental Analyst II
Land and Water Resources Division
Bureau of Water Protection & Land Reuse
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Brian Golembiewski (Enforcement Program Supervisor), Diane Ifkovic (FEMA/Flood management)

presented the  

"Connecticut Beach Association's Guide to Coastal Activities and Permitting." 

Click Here for the power point presentation or

you can click this link for the live recording of the DEEP Presentation. ​Thank you to the Westbrook High School students who recorded the event.

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WESTBROOK COUNCIL OF BEACHES TIDAL RISE AND STORM WATER FLOODING - JUNE 7, 2021

Special Guest Speaker Jessica Beach,

Chief Resilience Officer for the 

City of St-Augustine


​​The town of Westbrook will begin work on a Resilience Plan next year. Please take a moment to listen to Jessica's presentation.  It will be most helpful to our community as we begin the planning process.  She is extremely knowledgeable and offers many resources that the town of Westbrook will be able to leverage. 


Click here  for powerpoint presentation
or 
watch it live on the Valley Shore Community Television Click here


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   Affordable Housing Subcommittee

​The town of Westbrook is in the process of preparing an affordable housing plan as required by the State law. An Affordable Housing Plan Subcommittee comprised of members of local boards and agencies has started the process of preparing the plan. The subcommittee will be looking at the current and anticipated future housing needs in Westbrook and will be recommending policies and action steps to address them. Community input is an important part of the overall process of preparing the plan and your input will help the working group in developing strategies, policies and action steps.  


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The Alleviating Hunger Committee

In August 2016, the Westbrook Council of Beaches established the Alleviating Hunger Committee to provide food to those in need and educate our community on hunger and poverty.  Some of the initiatives include:  

  • Food collection for local food pantries click here  Please join us on Tuesday between 1:30 and 2:30pm, at St. Mark's Church for grocery distribution.


Options for contributing food:


Bring food donations to St. Mark's between 9 am and 12 noon on any Monday. 
Bring food to COB meetings, and we will bring your donation to one of the food pantries. 
Get in touch with the Alleviating Hunger Committee and we will arrange to pick up your food donation. 


     -Consider helping out at the Valley Shore YMCA Vegetable Garden.  One way you could help is letting them know if you have any cardboard that they could use to lay the wood chips on top of. If you do, please email Jon Capozzoli at jcapozzoli@vsymca.org.  He is the new contact for all things to do with the garden.  The Community Garden will open this year.  It is vital to the Westbrook Food Pantry that they are able to grow fresh local produce for those in need.  We hope 
that even through the current situation you are all on board to join them for this growing season! ​(5-28-2020)

     -COB has seven volunteers supporting the Friday Night meals at 6pm at the Westbrook Congregational Church.

     -COB members can make monetary or gift card donations to support Westbrook families in need.  If you would like to contribute, please contact Elizabeth Carpenter, Westbrook Social Services Coordinator at ecarpenter@westbrookct.us.  Her office is in Town Hall, next to the First Selectman’s Office. Her phone number is 860-399-3090.

The Committee is always looking for volunteers.  If you have an interest or would like further information, please contact us at  ajcbeachboy@comcast.net    Our members are Mary Polchaninoff, Barbara Alessio, Kit Bishop,Tony Cozza, Andy Schatz and Jim Crawford.  All have been great resources for us. Our student members are Juliana Frabreizi, Gavin Lebrec, Jackie Grace and Seth Caslin. 

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EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

​Enjoy the Holidays!

​ Welcome

to Westbrook