TOWN MANAGER'S MESSAGE:

Spring is in full bloom.   It’s time to get out in the yard and plant some flowers and maybe a tree or two.  You can make it a family event.  Local growers have what you need.  You can support local Coventry businesses and visit Edmondson's or Creative Living Community of CT on Route 44. On May 4th, you can tour around the Town and visit those participating in the Town-wide Tag Sale.  Also that same day, stop by the Coventry Historical Society Annual Tag Sale at the Strong Porter House Museum.  You might find that treasure you didn’t know you needed until you saw it.  As we wind down the school year, we look ahead to summer fun.  Our Parks and Recreation Department has recently mailed out a long list of summer programs and activities.  If you didn’t get your “06238” catalogue in the mail you can still check out the programs available online. Beach passes are on sale starting May 1st.  Patriots Park will be open for swimming on May 25^th throughout the season.  As we close the month of May, we will observe Memorial Day with a parade to honor the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died while in service to our Nation. The parade starts at 10:00 AM at George Hershey Robertson School with a stop at Memorial Green for a ceremony, then it continues on to Main Street into the Village.

Within Town government, Revaluation is underway.  Every five years Connecticut municipalities must by law professionally update real estate values for taxation.  The Town’s contractor, Vision, is on the job. They are widely used by local governments in Connecticut and throughout New England.  They were used the last two times the Town conducted property revaluation.   Data mailers were mailed out to property owners in March to verify the assessment information.  Please fill out the forms and mail them back.  Don’t be surprised if you see a Vision inspector visiting your property.  Inspections with Vision staff are actually part of the process of revaluation and will continue in the months ahead. Revaluation will be completed by January 2025.

As I mentioned last month, our Public Works Director is once again planning and coordinating drainage and paving projects around Town. Work began on North River Road and Pucker Street last week and will advance to the “Waterfront Park” neighborhood soon. This work is being funded by bonds approved by voters in 2022. For more details about the road bond, see this link.

This past month at Town Hall, Town Council and staff have been preparing our Town Council adopted budget. The Town Council has made significant cuts to the Town Manager’s proposed budget in order to minimize the need to raise property taxes.  Their goal is to maintain our current level of services while reducing our budget’s dependence on reserves and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds. These grant funds were very helpful over the last few years to keep the tax burden low for all of our citizens and our businesses, some of which were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, these non-renewable grant funds have all been spent and now we must choose to raise taxes or choose to reduce services or programs that we have come to expect.  You can review the “Budget in Brief” for more information.   That document is available online or in the Town Clerk’s Office.  May 7^th is day for the Budget Vote.  This year the vote for District 1 and District 2 will take place at the South Coventry Fire House (across from Town Hall).  I hope everyone that is eligible to vote comes out to vote.  Your vote impacts which path our Town will take moving forward.

I hope to see you all around Town this month, perhaps on voting day or perhaps at the Memorial Day Parade.   Should you wish to contact me, please email JDrumm@coventry-ct.gov or call the office at 860-742-6324. Frequent updates are also posted to the Town Manager’s Facebook page.

Sincerely,

James Drumm

BOOTH & DIMOCK MEMORIAL LIBRARY:

The Booth & Dimock Library is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10-8, Friday from 10-6, and Saturday from 10-3. Visit the library to check out books and movies, work or study in one of our cozy parlors, attend a fun program, or to get help with an electronic device! 

 The Library wants to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete our Patron Survey. Use this link or QR code to access the survey, or stop by the library for a hard copy. 

Check out some of the following programs happening this month!

For Kids

• Playgroup - Every Wednesday at 10:30 - Immerse your child in the enchantment of reading at our Playgroup! Enjoy free-play and the chance to socialize with other kids, all while nurturing a lifelong love for books. Join us for a delightful adventure of imagination and fun! 
• Chapter Book Storytime - Every Friday at 4:30 - Join us on Friday afternoons to read chapter books together! Miss Rachel will read aloud from books chosen as a group. 
• Sing, Stomp, and Story - May 9 at 11:00 - Have fun reading, dancing, and singing in this fun movement and music program
• Sweet Dreams Story Time - May 23 at 6:30 - All ages are welcome to join Miss Rachel for a soothing evening story time! 
• Messy Munchkins - May 24 at 11:00 - Bring your little ones to enjoy some fun (and messy) sensory play! 

 For Teens

• Open Gaming - Every Friday from 3:00 - 4:30 - Take the bus to the library and enjoy open gaming after school on PS5, PS4, Switch, PC, and tabletop.
• Anime Night - May 14 at 4:00 - A night of all things anime! Noodles, Crunchyroll, crafts, and more!
• Jackbox Games Night - May 22 at 4:00 - Play some Quiplash, Trivia Murder Party, and more from the Jackbox catalog. 
• Teen Dungeons & Dragons - May 31 at 4:00 - Join our party for a Teen DnD one-shot! Characters will be provided. Never played? Learn with us! For teens in grades 6-12 only. 

 For Adults

• Inside the Royal Bedchamber - May 8 at 11:30 - Treat yourself to an extended lunch break as we delve into some juicy stories, sorrows, and scandals of historical queens. 
• Genealogy Club - May 16 at 11:30 - Calling all genealogy lovers, from novices to experts! Join us on the 3^rd Thursday of every month from 11:30-1:00 to discuss research, commiserate over those stubborn brick walls, and trade tips. No registration required and drop-ins are welcome. Bring any research or questions you'd like to share with the group!
• Mystery Book Club - May 3 at 1:30 - Join your fellow sleuths to read and discuss a book chosen from the Time Magazine's list of "The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time" each month. May's book is The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo.
  
• Wednesday Night Book Club - May 15 at 6:30 - May's book is The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. 
• Senior Center Book Club - May 22 at 1:00 - This book club meets at the Senior Center.  For more information call the Senior Center at 860-742-3525. May's book is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.
• Spice Life & Tea Explorers - Travel the world with us through tea and spice! Each month, members will receive a tea and spice to take home and try, along with some history and fun facts on the featured tea or spice. Registration is required. To sign up, call, email, or stop by the library! 

For up-to-date information on all our programs, visit www.covenetrypl.org/events of visit our Facebook @BDLibrary.

Booth & Dimock Memorial Library
1134 Main Street
Coventry, CT 06238
860-742-7606
www.coventrypl.org

bdlibrary@coventry-ct.gov 

LIONS CLUB MOTHER'S DAY ROSES SALE & PANCAKE BREAKFAST:

The Lions Club of Coventry is selling roses for Mother's Day for $25/dozen, delivered right to your house in Coventry on Saturday, May 11th. Others can be placed on their website. 

On Memorial Day, stop by for the Lions Club traditional pancake breakfast at First Congregational Church before the parade. Look for details on Facebook.

Did you know that the Coventry Lions rent tables and chairs at a much lower price than retail rental stores? If you're having a spring or summer party this can be very handy, and the money raised benefits many different local organizations.

For questions or comments, email the Lions Club.

COVER PHOTO:

Close-up view of a marching band in a Memorial Day Parade.

To list your non-profit organization's event in this bulletin, contact Laura Stone by email by the 15th of the previous month.