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Hello friends and neighbors,

As Connecticut begins to reopen, we wanted to be sure all members of the Candlewood Acres community understand that the board’s position is to strictly follow the State of CT and Center for Disease Control guidelines pertaining to Covid-19. Any CT state guidelines take precedence over any of our community’s rules and regulations until further notice.

By practicing these common-sense safety measures, you can help ensure that we all can enjoy the beach and our boats as safely as possible. These amendments below are per the state’s guidelines as of this writing. The guidelines are updated by the state frequently, so the board will be watching regularly for changes and update this document as needed.

Beach and Dock Usage FAQ

• You must have signed your Hold Harmless form before using the beach, parking lot, or docks. All board member will have copies available if you have not done so yet.

• Do I still have to maintain social distancing? Yes. To protect yourself and others from transmission of COVID-19, you should make every attempt to cancel or avoid any gathering, and stay at least 6 feet away from anyone, whether in a large group or not. Social distancing means avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others.

• Effective June 1, 2020: Limits on all social and recreational gatherings are raised to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, subject to safety restrictions and existing orders and business sector rules. None of these exceptions mean that anyone should gather in groups of five or even fewer – everyone should stay home and stay safe and maintain all distancing and protective measures recommended by the CDC and the Department of Public Health.

• Do I have to wear a mask in public? Yes. Effective at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2020, any person in a public place in Connecticut who cannot or does not maintain a safe social distance of six feet must cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face-covering. Any homeowner, resident or their guest who refuses to practice social distancing or wear a mask per the state’s guidelines will be asked to immediately leave the beach or docks. Dock Slip Holders: Enter and exit the docks with your mask on. If you are entering or exiting the docks and see others exiting/entering the docks, be considerate and let them pass first before you enter thereby maintaining social distancing. The dock is too narrow to safely maintain social distancing.

• Can I use the picnic benches and beach chairs? Yes, but use at your own risk. Although the community owned chairs and benches have been cleaned, there is no way the board can ensure that they will remain sanitized . As such you are strongly encouraged for everyone’s safety to bring your own personal chairs, or disinfecting cleaning cloths and wipe down the chair, bench, or picnic table before and after use. Anything containing a disinfectant, such as Lysol, Clorox, or 70% or more alcohol is advised. Another suggestion after wiping down the picnic table and bench is to use a tablecloth from home which can be washed later, or a paper tablecloth which can be thrown away.

• Can I use the gas grills for cooking? Use at your own risk. The grills have been cleaned and disinfected, however there is no way to ensure their cleanliness on a daily basis. Please bring your own cooking utensils, containers, paper towels, and disinfecting wipes. Wipe down the grill area well with disinfecting wipes before and after cooking and use disposable gloves while you are cooking. Turn the grill on high, and pre-heat thoroughly before cooking your food. To maintain social distancing the grill should be used by one member one at a time. Alternately pre-cook your food at home to bring it with you to avoid using the grill.

• Is it safe to use the Porto-Potty? Use at your own risk. We are looking into installing one that has a hand cleaning station, if available. We suggest that members avoid using the Porta Potty unless there is no other option. If you must use it, we suggest you wear gloves and dispose of the gloves after use in the proper trash receptacle, then use hand sanitizer. Though inconvenient, going home and using your own facilities is highly recommended, as it is the cleanest and safest option.

• I would like to use the beach or my boat safely, what should I bring with me? Planning ahead will help keep you and your fellow community members safe.

 Hand sanitizer
 Disinfecting wipes or spray
 Beach chair/blanket
 Face mask or covering
 Disposable gloves
 Paper towels
 Enter and exit the dock area quickly and be considerate
 Wear a mask in any situation where social distancing is not possible

By following the state’s guidelines, using common sense and being considerate of others who may be high risk, we can all enjoy a little fresh air and sunshine safely. If you have any suggestions or improvements, please contact the board. You can read all the State’s Guidelines at https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/COVID-19-FAQs.pdf?la=en

Thank you!
CAHC Board

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