Welcome Letter

"Suffield is a dynamic community that is well positioned for the future. As we develop the vision for Suffield's future, we celebrate its past, and embrace the present. The Board of Selectmen is guided by the concept of stewardship. We understand that our decisions today will have a lasting impact on tomorrow and so each decision that impacts the community must be carefully considered. The Selectmen, town staff, and various commissions, boards and committees are working diligently to provide residents and future generations an outstanding quality of life. The theme that motivates and guides this administration is "Preservation and Progress" - preservation of all that makes Suffield special and progress in meeting the needs of the community.

Preserving our rich historical heritage, including our

Beautiful and charming Main Street
Phelps/Hatheway House and the King Museum
Academy Hall in West Suffield

Preserving our rural character, farmlands, open space, vistas, watershed land, historic structures by participation in the

Capitol Region Council of Governments "Picture It Better Together" Program, which resulted in recommendations to prevent sprawl development
Farmington River Biodiversity Study to support Suffield's unique ecological system
New partnerships with the State's Farmland Preservation Program, as well as the Federal government to purchase development rights for additional acreage to encourage farming
Town purchase of the 120-acre Hilltop Farm overlooking the Connecticut River, a designated American Heritage River

Preserving a sense of community is vital. In this fast-pace world with great demands of families, it is more critical than ever to preserve a sense of community. Events on the green like the summer concert series; Friends of Suffield sponsored Suffield on the Green Weekend, active civic groups like the Garden Club, which is involved in beautification improvements throughout town, and the Farmer's Market, work to provide vehicles that sustain our strong sense of community. Our town Library, Parks and Recreation Department and other town and emergency services are consistently improving performance to deliver our residents with top-notch service.

Though we are trying to preserve Suffield's small town character that makes it special, we are also striving to meet the needs of residents and enhance the quality of life in the community. Many restaurants, shops and services, including a wonderful market are located in town to serve our residents. Our Suffield Chamber of Commerce is ready to assist residents with business assistance. An updated town website is one of many initiatives underway in which the Town is progressing into the 21st Century. We have created a technology committee to assist the town in improving our computer network capabilities. The brand new Suffield High School is a state of the art structure of which we can be proud. An active Senior Center provides excellent services to our seniors and others. A Community Center Steering Committee is determining how we can build our first community recreation and wellness facility. The Heritage Committee is actively working to make Suffield Town Center a pedestrian friendly, vibrant, commercial center. We are also promoting additional commercial and industrial development by Bradley Airport so as to diversify the tax base. Town staff has also been engaged in strategic planning sessions to ensure efficiency in our operations. The initiatives described above are progressive and will help ensure that Suffield remains a remarkable place to live, work and play.

Please feel free to call or stop by the Town Hall and let us know how we may be able to better serve you. And please participate in the democratic process and attend town meetings and vote. And finally, welcome, we are happy you have joined our community.

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