Dear Neighbors,

I hope you stayed safe during the recent winter storm!

As an elected official at both the state and now the local level, I have been committed to pedestrian safety. At our last Board of Selectmen meeting, the Department of Public Works presented a Safe Streets for all Action Plan and a Resolution declaring Greenwich's commitment to eliminating fatal injury and serious injury crashes on Greenwich's streets by 2040 (you can view the resolution here).

Signing this resolution will allow the town to apply for grants to implement Safe Streets for All and make our streets safer.

We will be having a second read of the Plan at the next Board of Selectmen meeting on February 12 at 10:30am.

If you'd like to submit comment on that item or any other item that we'll be discussing, you can do so here. Please note that comments are permitted until 4pm the day before the meeting.

BET Remarks

On Tuesday, I testified on the budget in front of the BET Budget Committee. Here are my remarks:

Good Evening Members of the BET,

I’m Rachel Khanna, Selectwoman for the Town of Greenwich, former State Representative for the 149th. I’m also a co-chair for the Climate Resiliency section of the Greenwich Sustainability Committee.

My focus tonight is on sustainability and resiliency. As we look to the future, we need to ensure that our town is prepared for the realities of flooding, sea level rise, and needed upgrades to protect our town infrastructure.

Therefore, as I did last year, I urge you to allocate funding for an Energy Director, focused on energy management and cost reductions for our municipal buildings, schools and infrastructure and other budget reducing measures. This role is vital to creating a resilient and efficient Greenwich.

As a resident of the Western part of Greenwich, I’ve witnessed firsthand the increasingly severe flooding that impacts neighborhoods and homes. I urge you to provide DPW with the funds to develop a Resiliency Plan for the town. And if you sense a theme of planning, then you’re not wrong. With that in mind, I also urge you to fund Planning & Zoning’s request for a consultant to begin the process of developing our Plan of Conservation and Development.

Investing in our town is not just about meeting today’s needs. It’s about positioning our town for the future. A safer, more sustainable, and better equipped Greenwich will attract families and businesses and keep our town thriving and fiscally sound.Thank you for your time and for your service to our town.

Westchester Airport Intermunicipal Airport Master Plan Task Force

On Tuesday, January 20, the RTM voted to support the recommendations of the Westchester Airport Intermunicipal Airport Master Plan Task Force. We must make sure that Greenwich has a seat at the table during discussions of the airport’s forthcoming master plan and RFP for increased operations and infrastructure because so many of our neighborhoods are affected by the airport - Byram, Pemberwick, Glenville and Backcountry.

In addition to the noise and traffic concerns, there are the important concerns of air pollution, stormwater impact, as well as water quality. Specifically, airport operations have contaminated groundwater over the years with high levels of some PFAS and other toxic chemicals.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me at: Rachel.Khanna@greenwichct.gov or (203) 622-7706.

Best Regards,

Video: Freedom of Information Act

You may have heard of the federal Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. It allows the public to request records from federal agencies so we can see how government decisions are made. At its core, like the federal government, Connecticut's FOIA is about transparency — making sure the public can see how decisions are made by the agencies that represent and advocate for them.

Upcoming Events:

Join me for coffee & conversation this Friday!

Hot Chocolate in Byram Park

Elder Justice Forum with CT Attorney General William Tong

WBDC Ignite Grant

WBDC is excited to announce the next round of their Ignite Grant Program, which will open February 3, 2026.The deadline to apply is March 18, 2026.

The Ignite Grant Program is designed to help women-owned businesses grow. The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in the state of Connecticut who have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million. Since the start of the program, WBDC has distributed 469 grants of over $4.3 million to women-owned businesses in Connecticut. For additional information and more details on the program, please visit WBDC's website.

Rescheduled: Abilis Workshop: Supporting Your Young Child's Development

Abilis, the nonprofit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families throughout Fairfield County, is offering a very special program for parents entitled, “Supporting Your Young Child’s Development: A Parent Workshop,” to be held on Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center in Stamford, Connecticut. This workshop offers parents and caregivers practical guidance and trusted information as they navigate developmental concerns, new diagnoses and key transitions for young children with developmental disabilities. The workshop is free and open to the public with advance registration; on-site babysitting is provided for $25. Those interested can register at abilis.us/workshop.

AARP Community Challenge Grant Opportunity

AARP CT is inviting eligible local nonprofit organizations and government entities to apply for the 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant program. Now in its tenth year, this initiative funds quick-action projects that make communities more livable by enhancing public spaces, transportation, housing, digital connectivity, and more. Since its inception 32 grants have been made in Connecticut. Applications are due by March 4. Learn more & apply at:

https://states.aarp.org/connecticut/aarp-connecticut-now-accepting-2026-community-challenge-grant-applications