Lots of Great News for our District!

June 7, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

Happy Friday! It's a great week to be a resident of Fairfield and Southport, and I can't wait to walk you through all the wonderful news for our district.
 

You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
 
Great News for Our District!
The first piece of news I want to share is that the State Bonding Commission today approved over $1 million to repair the Lower Wharf in Southport!

The funds will go toward the repair and replacement of stone retaining walls and replacement of a public fishing pier destroyed by a coastal storm in December 2022. Project specifics include reconstruction of damaged seawalls, concrete cap/retaining walls that support the property, along with the replacement of a public fishing pier.

Below is a photo of the wharf before the damage struck:
And then photos of the damage done, showing how important this funding will be to restoring this community gem:
As the photos above show, this funding can't come soon enough.

Between the plentiful recreational activities, access to the Southport Harbor and Long Island Sound, amazing community events, and much more, the Lower Wharf is an incredibly meaningful part of the Southport community, and I’m thrilled our town has received the funding to restore the wharf to its full splendor. A very special thank you to everyone who worked so hard on this project, in particular Kim Taylor and Donald Hyman, past and current Chairs of the Fairfield Harbor Management Commission, as well as the entire Commission and the RTM for their matching investment. Lastly, I want to thank Governor Lamont for approving this bonding allocation that will mean countless residents can continue to enjoy Southport Lower Wharf. 
 
In addition, the Fairfield School District was one of several districts across the state to receive funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the 2023 Clean Bus School rebates. The district will receive $2 million in rebate funding to purchase 10 clean school buses!

Per the EPA, "Older, more polluting school buses can lead to significant health risks for students who typically ride these buses for one-half to two hours a day. Children are more susceptible to air pollution than healthy adults because their respiratory systems are still developing and they have faster breathing rates. Asthma, which affects 6.3 million American school children, is the most common long-term childhood disease in America, making newer, cleaner buses an urgent priority."

I'm so glad to see Fairfield leading the way with this transformative program. You can learn more about the health impacts of school bus emissions and the program here.
 
The good news doesn't stop there! It was also great to see that the Fairfield Historical Society was awarded a Quick Grant from CT Humanities for $4,966 for their exhibit, Bridgeport at Work: Muralist Robert Lambdin and Bridgeport Brass. This funding came from money allocated by the General Assembly and State of Connecticut, and I'm thrilled to see the effects reverberating throughout our community.
 
And finally, Fairfield received $255,284 for the planning and design of an open space trail in Fairfield as part of a $10 million state grant for recreational trails across the state!

Learn more about funding through the Connecticut Recreational Trails Program here: https://shorturl.at/ttoVc
 
Celebrating the "Lollipop Kids"
Congratulations to Jacqueline Glick and all the students from Mrs. Robb’s third grade class in 2020-21, who we now fondly refer to as the “lollipop kids”! Thanks to their creativity, outreach, organization, and persistence the lollipop is now officially the state candy because of the law they were instrumental in passing! It has truly been so joyful to be a part of this project and wildly inspiring to watch these young people lean into the power of their voices and trust that they can in fact be impactful and create change. Thank you Mrs. Robb for inspiring your students! And thank you Governor Lamont for coming to Dwight Elementary School to recognize them!
 
Experience Fairfield's June Calendar of Events

Experience Fairfield has released their June calendar of events, which includes a music festival, movie nights, and more. There's something for everyone in this calendar, so I hope you'll take a look!
 
I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Leeper
State Representative
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