Budget Passes
The town and school budgets passed this week. It’s a bittersweet budget: relieved it passed but painfully aware how rising costs are affecting our community. The results: Town Budget: 1572 Yes, 967 No. Town Advisory: 1340 Too High, 843 Too Low. School Budget: 1538 Yes, 1003 No, School Advisory: 1225 Too High, 1050 Too Low. The turnout was around 18% of registered voters, up from approximately 11% last year. The actual moderator sheet with results is posted online at https://bethel-ct.gov/ at the Fiscal Year 26 Budget Information link in the middle of the page. Also on the page is a final video discussing the budget process.
Charter Revision Public Hearing
Don’t miss the Charter Revision Commission public hearing on Tuesday, April 29th at Town Hall in the General Purpose Room at 7 pm. The Charter outlines the way our town’s government is structured, how our officials are elected, and the powers granted to our officials. Visit https://bethel-ct.gov/2025-crc to review proposed changes to our Charter from the March 25th meeting. Charter changes will eventually be on the ballot in November or at a separate referendum.
From Parks and Rec
Kratos Gymnastics in Francis J Clarke Business Park is running summer programs to flip over! Summer programs run from June through August and all abilities are welcome. Check out https://kratosgym.com/weekly-summer-programs/ for more information.
The Bethel Run/Walk Club is starting up again on Thursdays at 6:30 pm! The group meets at the Bethel High School Track beginning on Thursday, May 1st. Train in a group with the same goals in a 10 week program to run/walk the Firecracker 5k on July 4th. Register with Parks & Rec at 203-794-8531.
Nips in the News
Bethel liquor stores sold 192,747 “Nips” between October 1st, 2024 and March 30th, 2025 resulting in a $9637.35 payment to the town. The town receives a payment every 6 months for each 50 mL container of alcohol, or “nip,” sold in town to help us reduce the generation of solid waste or reduce the impact of litter caused by solid waste. Note that Bethel received $10,519.10 for the 210,382 nips sold in town between April and September 2024.
Friends of Parks and Rec
The Friends of Bethel Parks and Recreation wants to know what you think about our parks! Fill out our survey so we can see what our parks are doing well and what they need most. Here's the link: https://forms.gle/pLEeBEuyny7jCqdu8
Office Hours
The next Office Hours is on Tuesday, April 29th from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. Stop in with questions, concerns, or just to say hello. If another time is better, feel free to make an appointment at firstselectman@bethel-ct.gov or by calling 203-794-8540.
Earth Day
Tomorrow, April 26th is the Bethel Community Earth Day at Town Hall. Trashapalooza garbage pickup begins at 10 am and goes to 12 pm. If the weather is bad, Trashapalooza will be moved to Sunday. The Earth Day Fair begins at 11 am. Enjoy games, entertainment, and snacks until 2 pm. The fair will be moved into the General Purpose room if it’s raining. Please park behind Town Hall. Learn more on the Facebook event link.
Bethel Arts has partnered with Sustainable Bethel Commission to launch the 2025-2026 outdoor sculpture exhibit tomorrow, April 26th at the Bethel Earth Day celebration on the Town Hall lawn. In the event of rain, the exhibit will kick off in the Bethel Public Library. Learn more and see the map of exhibits at www.bethelartsct.org under the “Programs” link.
Clean your car and help the Bethel Wildcats 12U Baseball team play in a tournament in the legendary Dreams Park in Cooperstown, NY this summer! The team will be hosting a car wash and bake sale behind the municipal center this Sunday, April 27th from 1 pm to 4 pm. If you can’t make it, please consider a donation through Venmo @bethelbaseball. Please add Cooperstown in the note.
Bethel CT Pride Volunteer Fair
Bethel CT Pride is hosting a Volunteer Fair at the Bethel Public Library in the Parloa Room this Sunday, April 27th from 2 pm to 4 pm. This is a great place to connect with local groups who need volunteers!
Eversource on the School Campus
Expect Eversource to be working on transmission line on the school campus next week. We are not sure of the times, but have asked them to avoid interfering with pick-up and drop-off at the schools. With that said, be prepared for delays!
Relay for Life
Join the Relay For Life of Greater Danbury at the Danbury Mall next Saturday, May 3rd between 8 am and 2 pm to fight back against cancer. Welcome the teams for the 1 mile walk at 9 am and stick around to be part of the walk-a-thon. Enjoy family activities, music, entertainment from local artists and dance groups, local vendors, art and crafts, and more. Special welcome bags for the first 100 attendees! Learn more at http://relayforlife.org/GreaterDanburyCT.
SHFD Open House
We are all invited to the Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department for their open house on Saturday, May 3rd between 12 pm and 4 pm! Meet the volunteers and check out the equipment! There will be activities for all ages. Please register at: https://forms.gle/mveu4PCGmUZgUDa1
Bethel Fish & Game Fishing Derby
Mark your calendars for the Annual Bethel Fish and Game Association Fishing Derby at Bennett Park on Saturday, May 10th from 8 am to 11 am. It is followed by their 4th Annual Pig Roast and Clam Bake at 4 pm! Visit https://www.facebook.com/bethelfishandgameCT/ or https://bethelfishandgame.square.site/ for tickets and info.
** Shoutouts **
- Thank you to the Board of Education, fellow members of the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance, Bethel Public Schools leadership and staff, the Town of Bethel department heads and staff, our amazing Voter Registrars and poll workers, and the hundreds of residents who participated in the budget process. A special thanks to the town’s Director of Finance, Brad Heering and the Director of Finance and Business Operations for Bethel Public Schools, Jen Variale, for months of work preparing the budget!
- Congrats to our Athletes of the Week, Amelia Wade, a Senior captain on the girls lacrosse team who has been a key player on the Wildcat defense, and Thomas Martin on the boys baseball team who was 8-12 in three games last week with a home run, 4 RBIs and 4 runs. Boys baseball is 8 – 0 and girls lax is 6 – 3!
- Congrats to the boys 4x 100M Team! Fiengo, Richardson, Sorbello and Vasquez took 1st and set a new school record of 43.64 The last record was set 23 years ago! Way to go
- A huge shoutout to K9 Penny and Sgt Robinson for locating a man with dementia this week! Sounds like everyone went one way, and Penny went the other and located the man! Go Penny!