Brewster Drive-Thru Flu Clinic 10/22/20

Brewster Drive-Thru Flu Clinic, Thursday October 22, 2020 1 pm–4 pm (Rain Date October 28, 2020)
Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, Brewster

The Brewster Health Department, in conjunction with the Council on Aging and the Brewster Local Emergency Planning Committee, is hosting our annual flu clinic on October 22 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Rain Date October 28) at Our Lady of the Cape Church Parish Center Parking Lot, 468 Stony Brook Road.  

The flu vaccination, available to all residents ages 18 and older, is an important preventive measure vital to protecting our region against vaccine-preventable diseases, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic.  The drive-thru clinic is designed to boost our resident participation in receiving the flu vaccine by providing a safer alternative during the pandemic where social distancing is important.  Vaccinations will be provided and administered by Cape Cod Healthcare Pharmacy.

Instructions before you arrive:

1. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED at clinics.barnstablecountyhealth.org  starting October 1 – October 18.  You will need to schedule an appointment and complete a consent form for each person being vaccinated.  For help with online registration, call the COA at 508-896-2737.
2. Specify your preference for the quadrivalent influenza vaccine or the high dose vaccine available to ages 65+ at time of registration. Please note: due to the current delay in vaccine shipments, we cannot guarantee availability of the high dose vaccine.  All registrants will have access to the standard vaccine.
3. Bring your insurance card for billing; there is no co-pay.  Vaccine is also available for the uninsured.
4. Wear short sleeves or clothing with easy access to the upper arm.
5. Face coverings/masks are required at all times at the clinic site.
6. Leave pets at home for everyone’s safety.
7. Participants will remain in their vehicles and be guided through the clinic.
8. Stay home if you are feeling sick on the day of the clinic.
9. For general questions, contact the Brewster Health Department at 508-896-3701 X1120.

Voting Options for November 3rd State General (Presidential) Election

On July 6th, 2020 the Governor signed legislation which calls for Vote by Mail ballots be available for both the State Primary and the Presidential Election, scheduled for November 3rd, 2020. Click here to download a Vote by Mail Application, which must be submitted by October 28th, 2020 for the November 3rd State & Presidential Election. Of course, you may still choose to vote in person at the polls on Election Day or vote in person during the Early Voting Hours to be held in Town Hall.

As of September 14, the Town Clerk’s Office has processed over 4,200 vote-by-mail applications for the upcoming November election. The November ballots are not yet available from the MA Secretary of State’s Office. As soon as the Clerk’s Office is in receipt of the ballots, we will start the process of mailing them to those who have requested one. The Secretary of State, under the current legislation, has until October 9th to have the ballots delivered to the local Town Clerk’s Office.

A complete schedule of dates and hours can also be downloaded in PDF format.

Open Position: Senior Department Assistant, Payroll & Benefits

Brewster seeks applicants for a Senior Department Assistant, Payroll & Benefits in the Treasurer/Collector’s office. Position is responsible for performing administrative and financial work to assist the Treasurer/Collector with the operation of the office and administering payroll and benefit functions. Duties include, but are not limited to; payroll preparation and processes for Town & School employees in compliance with Federal, State and local laws and regulations; coordinates the completion of administrative paperwork for new hires and retirees; perform all tasks necessary to enroll employees in, and maintain records for benefits, retirement and deferred compensation programs. High school degree required, Associate’s degree preferred, and three years of payroll and benefit experience required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. This is a 35 hour a week, Grade 5A OPEIU union positions, with a starting pay range of $22.75 - $28.47 per hour. Please send cover letter, resume and Town employment application to Susan Broderick, employment@brewster-ma.gov. Deadline 4pm on 10/04/20. EEO/AA. For job description, click here

Brewster Ladies Library Annual Report

The Brewster Ladies Library has released their Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report. Click here to view in PDF format.

Paving Project Underway in West Brewster

BREWSTER, MA – Today (9/23/20) National Grid begins the final phase of the gas main replacement project in Brewster. This work involves road repair and repaving. Over the next two weeks, crews will be milling and paving the four mile stretch of road that lies within the project’s footprint. This will include the east end of Stony Brook Road, Satucket Road, and Slough Road. During the road construction, traffic will at times be reduced to a single lane and some detours may be put in place to help motorists avoid work crews. Frequent updates will be posted to the Brewster Police Department Facebook page and the Town of Brewster Website.

9/24 Traffic Advisory:
Today the paving project will involve milling Satucket Road. Eastbound traffic will be detoured down Airline Road to avoid the construction zone. Residents who live within the work area will have access and officers will be on location to assist.

How Has COVID-19 Impacted You?

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA-DPH) is trying to better help people through the COVID-19 crisis by hearing about their experiences and challenges right now. By taking this survey, you can help find new solutions to community problems, and give MA-DPH the information they need to take action and support the communities that need it most. MA-DPH is also committed to sharing information back in ways that will help us all take collective action.

I believe this effort will help us better understand the impact of COVID-19 on our communities, and would encourage anyone over the age of 14 to participate using this link: www.mass.gov/COVIDsurvey

Residents in Need Invited to Apply to Brewster COVID Relief Fund

Earlier this year, the Town established a relief fund designed to provide direct and essential support to Brewster residents whose health and well-being are most immediately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.  The goal of this fund is to help meet the basic needs of our residents faced with financial challenges related to housing, medical bills, utilities, etc. 

To qualify for assistance, residents must meet certain financial eligibility criteria based on established federal standards and must have lived in town for at least 3 months.  Brewster Council on Aging and Housing staff will assist residents in completing the application process, review completed applications, and determine program eligibility.  Requests for financial assistance from eligible residents will then be voted on by the Brewster COVID Relief Fund Committee on a regular basis.  The identity of applicants will be kept confidential throughout the process.  Payments will be made directly to the appropriate vendor. 

Applications are available in PDF format.  Please contact Town staff with questions at covidrelieffund@brewster-ma.gov.

Thanks to the generous support of our residents, over $27,000 has been raised to date and is now available for distribution. Residents interested in donating to this tax deductible relief fund can click here.

Public Works Projects Update

The Town is undertaking several significant public works projects this fall. The Department of Public Works, in conjunction with a local contractor, is completing drainage upgrades and road work on Robbins Hill Road. Work is being performed from 7am to 6pm Monday through Friday for approximately one month. During the workday, there may be delays while work is ongoing; roads will be open and secure each evening and before each weekend.

During the next few weeks, the Department of Public Works and Natural Resources Department will be improving the walking paths at Drummer Boy Park. Paths will be paved and benches will be placed along the paths to increase accessibility for visitors to the park. Some sections of the park may be closed temporarily during the day to accomplish this work. Please use caution when work is ongoing. This project is primarily funded with state Recreational Trails grant funds.

Installation of a new culvert and upgrades to the parking lot at Crosby Landing will begin after Columbus Day Weekend. We expect this project will continue into the Spring of 2021. Pedestrian access to the beach will remain open throughout the project. More information will be provided prior to the start of the work. This project is primarily funded with state and federal grant funds.

Phase I of the Brewster Woods Housing initiative on Brewster Road will commence in late October and will involve the necessary infrastructure work for the creation of 30 units of affordable housing on Brewster Housing Authority land. We expect this phase to last about 6 months. Phase I of this important project was funded through a $1.68 million MassWorks grant from the State of Massachusetts, with matching Community Preservation Act funds.

Thank you in advance for your patience as we make progress on these important initiatives to improve Town infrastructure and facilities.

Brewster Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan – Community Survey

The Town of Brewster is currently developing a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan is important because it helps the Town plan and receive funding for projects that reduce the risk of  injury or damage to property from future natural, communicable, human-caused or technological hazard events such as flooding, hurricanes or cyber security.  This Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan update will build on some of the work already completed by the Town including the Brewster Coastal Adaptation Strategy (September 2016), Town of Brewster Vision Plan (2018), the Town of Brewster Coastal Resource Management Plan (2019), and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan (2019).  

We need your help as we gather information for the plan. The information you provide in this survey will help us coordinate activities and identify projects. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and responses will remain anonymous. The Brewster Local Hazard Mitigation Workgroup thanks you for taking the time to participate in this information-gathering process. Please click here to take the survey online.

Funds Available: New Brewster Rental Assistance Program

Short term assistance for Brewster renters with challenges paying their rent during COVID -19
and
On-going monthly rental assistance to help make year round rentals affordable for low to moderate income residents

This new Brewster Rental Assistance Program, created by the Brewster Affordable Housing Trust, with Town Community Preservation funds, has resources available for both year round affordability and emergency COVID-19 assistance. Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) is administering the program which also has a case management component.

Requirements include, but not limited to:

• Income limits. Up to 80 or 100% Area Median Income (AMI) depending on program.
• Brewster resident or employee or child in public elementary schools.
• Rental unit in Brewster.
• Lease payments made directly to landlord.

To apply, contact HAC at 508-771-5400, email hac@haconcapecod.org or apply online at www.haconcapecod.org/programs/homeless-prevention

For more information about the creation of the Town program, contact Jill Scalise, Brewster Housing Coordinator at jscalise@brewster-ma.gov or 508-896-3701, ext. 1169

Additional information from HAC about rental and mortgage assistance for Brewster residents in PDF format.