CT&C April 2017

April 2017

absurd.

Towns & Cities asked to foot bill for state’s failure.

Inside This Issue: CT Emergency Management Symposium • CCM Media Campaign • MS4 Permits

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS President, Susan S. Bransfield First Selectwoman of Portland 1st Vice President, Neil O’Leary Mayor of Waterbury 2nd Vice President, John A. Elsesser Town Manager of Coventry

Inside this issue...

DIRECTORS Luke A. Bronin, Mayor of Hartford Robert M. Congdon, First Selectman of Preston Michael Freda, First Selectman of North Haven Joseph P. Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport Toni N. Harp, Mayor of New Haven Barbara M. Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury Deb Hinchey, Mayor of Norwich Catherine Iino, First Selectwoman of Killingworth Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield Leo Paul, First Selectman of Litchfield Lisa Pellegrini, First Selectman of Somers Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester Jayme A. Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia Steven R. Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland

4 8 9 10 14

Teachers’ Pension Fund Legislative Updates Crumbling Home Foundations CCM Priorities: Media Campaign Emergency Management Symposium

PAST PRESIDENTS Mark D. Boughton Mayor of Danbury Matthew B. Galligan Town Manager of South Windsor Herbert C. Rosenthal former First Selectman of Newtown

Regular Features 12 Executive Director’s Column 18 Point/Counterpoint

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Elizabeth Paterson, former Mayor of Mansfield Stephen Cassano, Selectman of Manchester

CCM STAFF Executive Director, Joe DeLong

20

CIRMA News

24

Town News Stories

On the cover: Teachers’ Pension Fund threatens to sink town budgets.

Deputy Director, Ron Thomas Managing Editor, Kevin Maloney Layout & Design, Matthew Ford Production Assistant, Joan Bailey Writer, Christopher Cooper

THE BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPALITIES 900 CHAPEL ST., 9TH FLOOR, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-2807

Connecticut Town & City © 2017 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 3

You Break It, You Own It

CCM members reject municipal contribution to teachers’ pension system

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ore than 50 mayors and first selectmen at the April 4 CCM Legislative Committee meeting voted unanimously and resoundingly to continue totally rejecting any municipal contribution to the Teachers’ Retirement System, including a proposal by the Speaker of the House to phase in the new proposed municipal contribution over five years.

Governor Malloy’s proposed changes to the teachers’ pension system would require towns to contribute almost $1 billion over the next biennium; that is tantamount to a $1 billion bill to property taxpayers across Connecticut. This cost shift is untenable and will have dire consequences on local budgets.

The estimated annual contribution to the system, according to The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, would top $1.7 billion by 2032, which would push the Governor’s proposed $400 million municipal contribution to almost $600 million. If rates of return do not meet the rosy projections, however, the Center says the required contribution could reach over $6 billion by 2032, making the municipal share more than $2 billion annually.

Arguably, the fastest-growing major component of the state, the pension fund – like other state retirement benefit programs – is plagued by more than 70 years of inadequate contribution. The $1.2 billion contribution Connecticut must make this fiscal year – roughly 6 percent of the General Fund – will grow a whopping 33 percent over the next two fiscal years.

Local leaders at the April meeting additionally emphasized that: • The teacher pension fund is not sustainable, as currently constructed.

• The Governor’s proposal did not call for any increase in the teachers’ contribution — currently at 6 percent; while police and firefighters in many communities are assessed at 8 to 9 percent for their pension plans.

• Teacher pension costs can be restrained by switching from a defined benefit program to a defined contribution program, as local governments have already done with a wide range of town hall employee groups, and by switching from a single tier retirement system to a three tier one used by municipal employees.

• Towns would be handed a pension system that is highly unstable, with significant unfunded liability, and one whose funds have been raided in the past to solve state budget problems.

• In the words of John Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry, “towns didn’t break the fund, so they shouldn’t fix it.” Towns have not had a say in any aspect of the maintenance and underfunding of the fund.

While CCM recognizes Connecticut needs to make tough decisions to get its fiscal house in order, this 4 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

John Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry and CCM 2nd Vice President

proposal will have a devastating impact on towns and cities and will lead to a huge property tax hike on residents and businesses. We need structural change at the state level, not a transfer of financial obligations.

CCM is dumbfounded at the thought of having to pay 1/3 of the cost of our teachers’ retirement payment.

Towns are being asked to foot the bill for decades of neglect by the state, which has historically underfunded the Teachers’ Retirement Fund. This is completely unacceptable. Further, the proposal does not advocate for binding arbitration or other mandate reform that would hold down costs.

The Connecticut State Teachers’ Retirement System is responsible for maintaining retirement benefits for over 36,000 retired and 50,000 active teachers, school administrators, and their beneficiaries. Municipalities are the most efficient and accountable level of government in Connecticut. However, local governments should not bear the burden of these teacher retirements benefits as they are not negotiated or controlled by local government officials.

This sudden change in policy, compounded by the other reductions and changes in municipal aid, will have a dire impact on local governments. Towns and cities cannot sustain their service-delivery responsibilities when costs are shifted or municipal aid is cut, mandates relief is denied, and non-property tax revenue options continue to be unavailable. But local cost-cutting alone cannot counteract this costly burden.

CCM understands the state’s budget struggle. However, the General Assembly must avoid making this structural change that would merely shift the state’s budget problems onto property taxpayers. It is not hyperbole to suggest that this may be the largest transfer of state responsibility onto municipalities in our state’s history.

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APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 5

Bold And Strong Together

CT municipalities battle against elimination of CDBG funding and other proposed federal aid cuts

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unicipal leaders across Connecticut — already fighting to combat deep state aid cuts and/or cost shiftsto towns and cities — are also waging a battle at the same time to fend off severe federal aid reductions called for by President Trump in his first budget proposal sent to Congress.

“There is a long history of federal-local partnerships when it comes to moving America forward. Several budget proposals we’ve seen so far not only alarm us, as the nation’s local leaders, but jeopardize this historic relationship,” said Susan Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland and CCM President. “Towns and cities in Connecticut and across the nation need Congress to design a budget proposal that puts local governments first. We need Congress to stand with municipal governments.”

CCM sent a delegation of nearly 40 municipal leaders to Washington, D.C. for NLC’s Congressional City Conference, where they met individually with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy to strategize against cuts in federal aid to Connecticut municipalities.

Proposed cuts to HUD would eviscerate critical programs that support local governments, like Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which finance projects to revitalize communities, provide affordable housing, and drive the nation’s economy forward. Here are a few examples of the impact on Connecticut municipalities: • Nearly $2 million for Waterbury for social services, park improvements, senior and youth services, affordable housing initiatives, and much more.

• Over $800,000 for Trumbull for long-needed structural improvements to the Stern Village Senior Housing Complex.

• Nearly $600,000 in fire-safety improvements at the Park Hill Elderly Project in East Windsor.

• More than $400,000 for Ansonia for housing rehabilitation for low and moderate income owners to repair their homes.

• Nearly $400,000 for Hamden for low income housing needs, sidewalk curb cut repairs, homeless facilities, domestic violence services, and much more.

Other cuts contained in the proposal: • Reductions in EPA funding that could cut back more than two dozen programs that allow municipal leaders to protect their resources, prepare for increasing natural disasters, and promote healthy and stronger communities.

• FEMA cuts that reduce available funding to disaster assistance to towns and cities.

• Elimination of the economic development grants from the Department of Commerce.

6 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy meet with CCM municipal leaders.

• Cuts in federal aid from the Justice Department for sanctuary cities.

• Elimination of COPS grants that keep our law enforcement officers and communities safer places to live.

For example: Connecticut received $44.3 million in awards from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in 2016, up from $26.3 million in 2014. Virtually all towns in Fairfield County — including Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford — have benefited from OJP dollars aimed at bolstering police. Bridgeport alone has received $4.6 million since 2009.

“We are the nation’s cities and towns — bold and strong together,” stressed Thomas McCarthy, Bridgeport City Council President. “We are the engines of the economy and the bedrock of the nation. We are home to creative centers, industrial powerhouses, academic hubs, and the hundreds of millions of Americans.”

“We need the Congress to stand with local governments to fight the cuts that would devastate cities and towns across the board,” said Frank Douglas, chair of the Community Development Committee of the New Haven Board of Aldermen. “Administration proposals to cut billions in domestic funding from programs, which cities and towns use to grow and prosper, will, at best flat line the progress we have made.”

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APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 7

Fighting The Good Fight

CCM battling for towns for beneficial legislation and to derail bad proposals

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s the General Assembly races toward major reporting deadlines of the Appropriations Committee and the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, CCM is working hard to keep important beneficial legislation alive for towns and cities, as well as defeat proposals harmful for municipalities. Here are some examples of good legislation that is still alive and harmful legislation that CCM is fighting.

The Good The bill, taken directly from CCM’s State-Local Partnership Panel Report, “This is Different,” would (1) prevent towns from bargaining away or losing through arbitration their right to enter into service sharing agreements; (2) allow towns to establish special service districts to perform and deliver specified municipal services; and (3) require councils of government (COGs) to examine shared services, such as PSAPs, student transportation, library operations, public health services, purchasing, and code enforcement.

Municipal Spending Cap — Would eliminate the State’s municipal spending cap, except under certain circumstances.

Sales Tax — Would reduce the state sales tax rate from the current 6.35 percent to no more than 6 percent; broaden the sales tax base by repealing existing exemptions for selected consumption categories; and levy a statewide local sales tax at the rate of 1 percent.

Consolidation of School District Resources — Would assist town governments in requiring consolidation and/or sharing of non-instructional services and resources between school districts and the municipality in which they are located.

MERS — Would amend the Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) to establish an additional retirement plan for new hires.

Collective Bargaining — Would remove service sharing arrangements as a subject of collective bargaining, and prevent municipalities from bargaining away or losing through arbitration their right to enter into service sharing arrangements. Proposal should be amended to provide that, when sharing arrangements affect two or more collective bargaining units, the interests of all employees affected by the new arrangement will be represented by either a coalition of bargaining units or a new bargaining unit will be created to represent all affected employees.

Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR) Reform — Would allow a municipality to reduce its MBR in an amount equal to any reduction in education aid it might experience. This proposal would also eliminate the cap on reductions a municipality may make to its 8 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

Municipal Officials testify in support of measures to reduce unfunded mandates at the April 3 Appropriations Committee public hearing. (L-R) John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry; Leo Paul, Jr., First Selectman of Litchfield; Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury; Michael Criss, First Selectman of Harwinton

MBR if it experiences an education aid reduction or decline in student enrollment.

The Bad Teachers’ Retirement Contribution — Proposed changes to the Teachers Retirement System that would require towns to contribute over $400 million next year and almost $1 billion over two years. The Speaker of the House is considering phasing in just the first $400 million over a period of five years. (See pg.

4 for story) Education Aid — Proposed changes to the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grant would totally eliminate the grants for 22 communities and severely cut it back for more than 100 towns (although some of these would receive increases in special education funding).

Resident State Trooper — Towns would be responsible for 100 percent of costs associated with the Resident State Trooper program. There would be an additional $750 surcharge for each constable supervised by a trooper.

Business Property Exemption — Would eliminate personal property taxes for businesses with total personal property valued at less than $10,000.

School Construction — Would reduce funding for school construction projects. The state share of construction costs would be lowered from the current 10 - 80 percent, depending on town wealth, to 5 - 70 percent.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder — Would expand workers compensation to cover post-traumatic stress disorder for municipal police officers and career/volunteer firefighters.

Concrete Answers Needed

Statewide solution must be found now for crumbling foundations

By Steven Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland

For the residents involved there is limited protection under homeowners policies and currently no assistance available from state or federal government for repairs. Due to the high cost of the repairs, many of the homes have less value than the cost of repairs. The problem is also affecting ability to sell property and the marketability of other properties due to the uncertainty of the long term condition of foundations.

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hirty-six towns in Central and Eastern Connecticut have homes that are experiencing crumbling foundations. The cause is a mineral called pyrrhotite in the concrete and when exposed to water and air the concrete starts to expand and crack and will eventually crumble. The only solution is a complete replacement of the foundation at estimated costs between $70,000 - $300,000.

The Capital Region Council of Governments, along with the Northeastern Council of Governments, has been working on this issue for months through an ad hoc committee chaired by Steven Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland. The committee has provided the legislators with draft legislation for a framework to provide homeowners with partial assistance and loan programs. In addition, the committee has been advocating for funds for remediation. Possible sources include: surcharges on insurance policies, various state funds including potentially portions of existing bonding authorization for programs like Brownfield remediation or STEAP, and continued pursuit of possible federal assistance.

The pyrrhotite comes from a quarry in Willington, CT. Concrete from this quarry was used between 19832015 for many residential developments, including condominiums and Plan Unit Developments as well as commercial and retail establishments. It is estimated some 30,000 homes were constructed in that time period. There is currently no standard for the acceptable amount of pyrrhotite in concrete and this was not a known issue when the homes were built.

Currently over 500 homeowners have self-reported an issue with their foundation to the State Department of Consumer Protection. Many of these homeowners have also applied to their local assessors office for reduced assessments due to the deterioration. The scope of the number of homes affected is unknown, but addressing just the homes identified to date would cost $75 million.

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This is a complex problem impacting potentially thousands of residences and will have a significant impact on the entire state’s economy. Similar to how we would approach a natural disaster affecting hundreds or thousands of homes, a statewide solution must be found.

North Canaan Hartland

Colebrook

Salisbury

Suffield

Norfolk

East Granby Windsor Locks

Barkhamsted

Winchester

East Windsor Sharon

Goshen

Cornwall

Canton

New Hartford

Torrington

Simsbury Bloomfield

Washington

ThomastonPlymouth

Roxbury

Sherman

Woodbury

Bridgewater

Oxford

Beacon Falls Bethany

Orange Trumbull

Wilton Fairfield New Canaan

Sprague Griswold

Voluntown

Norwich Preston

East Haddam

Haddam

Salem

North Stonington

Montville Ledyard

North Branford

Madison

New Haven

East Haven Branford

Waterford East Lyme

Essex

Guilford

West Haven

Lyme

Killingworth Deep River

Clinton

New London

Groton

Stonington

Old Saybrook Old Lyme Westbrook

Reported Incidents

Stratford Bridgeport

30+

Westport

10 - 29

Norwalk

Stamford

Bozrah

Milford

Weston

Sterling

Plainfield

Hamden North Haven

Shelton

Redding

Franklin

Lisbon Colchester

Chester

Monroe

Easton

Lebanon

Portland

Durham

Wallingford

Brooklyn

Scotland Canterbury

Middlefield

Cheshire

Seymour Woodbridge Ansonia Derby

Hampton

Hebron

Newtown Bethel

Greenwich

Prospect

Windham

Columbia

Glastonbury

East Hampton

Southbury

Chaplin

Bolton

Middletown

Meriden

Naugatuck

Ridgefield

Cromwell

Berlin

Southington

Mansfield

Andover

Wethersfield Newington PlainvilleNew Britain Rocky Hill

Waterbury

New Fairfield

Danbury

Killingly

Marlborough Wolcott

Middlebury

Brookfield

Manchester

Bethlehem Watertown

Eastford

Ashford

Pomfret

Coventry

Hartford

Bristol

Willington

Vernon

Farmington

Morris

New Milford

Putnam Tolland

East Hartford

Thompson

Woodstock

Ellington

South Windsor

West Hartford

Burlington

Harwinton

Litchfield

Warren

Union

Stafford

Windsor

Avon

Kent

Somers

Enfield

Granby

Canaan

Darien

0

5

10

20 Miles

Very High High

3-9

Medium

<3

Low

Data compiled from Town Assessors, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, and the Connecticut Insurance Department. Map updated November 29th, 2016.

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 9

This Is Different, Connecticut

CCM digital ad campaign lights up social media and other CT markets

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o convince state legislators to enact the major legislative elements of its ground breaking “This Is Different” report, CCM has unleashed an ongoing digital advocacy advertising campaign that started in late February and will continue through early June.

Leading up to the key reporting deadlines of the Appropriations and Finance Committees at the end of April right through to the end of the regular session in June, this aggressive campaign, for example, has delivered over 1 million impressions, more than 17,000 clicks to CCM’s website, over 125,000 post engagements (likes, video views, comments, shares, replies, clicks) and over 461,000 video views.

It has penetrated deeply across social media on Facebook and in Twitter through Connecticut and beyond – with the compelling 30-second video message; and has been followed by a targeted radio ad in the greater Hartford and New Haven region and a 30-second video that debuted as CT&C went to press.

The “This Is Different” report presents an alternative way forward for Connecticut communities to operate more efficiently, eliminate over-reliance on property taxes, spur economic development, and create vibrant communities all across the state. The package of legislative proposals lay the foundation for a vibrant future for Connecticut towns and cities in the key state-local arenas — shared services, cost containment, and municipal revenue diversification.

CCM’s messaging and related materials continue to be updated as events change at the Capitol. ”CCM is committed to engaging audiences both inside the Capitol and throughout our communities during this challenging yet critically important time,” noted Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “We are continuing to incorporate various forms of communication to promote the important structural changes necessary to set our state and communities up for success both now and for future generations.”

Here is the link that the Facebook and Twitter advertisements connect viewers to: http://www.ccm-ct.org/ this-report-is-different.

An example of one of the CCM Facebook ads:

An example of the CCM Twitter ads:

Headline: How to Address Connecticut’s Budget Crisis

Text: CT towns and cities are in trouble. We need a new and different solution.

Text: Connecticut towns and cities cannot rely on Washington DC and Hartford to fix their financial problems.

Headline: This is different, Connecticut.

Supporting Text: This is a new and different approach for Connecticut.

Call to Action: Learn more.

Link to website: http://www.ccm-ct.org/this-report-is-different

10 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

Link: http://www.ccm-ct.org/this-report-is-different

Text from the first 30-second video that started in late February:

Text from the video that premiered at the start of April:

“Connecticut’s towns and cities are in trouble.

“Connecticut has had the same fiscal problems for a long time, while lawmakers kept offering the same tired solutions – until now.

State proposals shift costs onto local communities which will force property tax increases.

Fortunately there is a better way.

A bi-partisan roadmap for sustainable solutions.

Newspaper and local leaders alike are taking notice of this different approach to eliminating in inefficiencies, sharing services and providing smarter funding options resulting in a brighter future for all of Connecticut.

Find out more at CCM-Ct.ORG.

A report put forward by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, offers fresh ideas and a new way forward.

What happens when you produce a report that’s different? You get a different result.

Urge our legislators to support House bills 7293 and 6937 as necessary steps toward eliminating inefficiencies and making Connecticut competitive again.

Learn more at CCM-Ct. ORG.

The complete text of the 60-second radio ad: “A message sponsored by CCM. It’s been well documented. State lawmakers are grappling with a 1.6 billion dollar deficit and finding no easy answers. But there is a path to a brighter tomorrow.

Imagine seeing property tax bills going down instead of up.

Small businesses opening doors instead of leaving.

Our cities thriving while our small communities maintain their local charm and hometown identity.

For over nine months, local leaders all across Connecticut teamed up with nationally-renowned policy experts with just those goals in mind.

The results: a bipartisan comprehensive report outlining different solutions to control costs, promote cooperation, and provide funding options that make Connecticut competitive again.

The hard work has been done. Now we must urge state leaders to take action on the report titled, Securing the Future: Service Sharing and Revenue Diversification for Connecticut Municipalities.

We can get off this failed path by enacting different solutions to a brighter tomorrow.

Learn more at CCM-CT.ORG.”

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 11

A M E SSAGE FRO M TH E

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In Tough Times Local Leaders Unite / Lead

By Joe DeLong, Executive Director, CCM

O

n January 25, 2017, during a press conference CCM commissioned to release its report “This Is Different: Securing the Future Service Sharing and Revenue Diversification for Connecticut Municipalities,” a reporter asked Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin if the General Assembly adopted the recommendations in the report in their entirety, would the city of Hartford be solvent? The Mayor’s answer, “This would put our city in a position to be stable and I think to become vibrant.”

Now on the surface there is nothing remarkable about that statement. After all we have seen other proposals that help out the city of Hartford as well as other struggling urban centers across Connecticut. But there is a reason why this Report is Different. There is a reason why the Mayor’s response to the question is remarkable. The recommendations in the report that the Mayor and others were referencing were developed by a panel dominated by members from small rural as well as suburban communities.

When you take a look at the 21 member panel as well as the 25 member Board of Directors that had to accept adopting the panel’s recommendations, what you see is representation from every region and demographic across Connecticut. You see elected Republicans and Democrats and appointed town managers who represent urban, suburban, and rural communities.

You see men and women. You see communities from every COG region in Connecticut. If you look closely enough what you will see is the panelists who developed these recommendations meet the same composition as the General Assembly.

What made their work product so special is that in the end they voted in complete unanimity to pass out the report as a comprehensive way to make Connecticut competitive again. Sure, there were conservative panelists who sunk in their chairs when endorsing some of the revenue diversification recommendations. Equally there were liberal members who shirked at the notion of upsetting public employee unions with some of the cost control and efficiency recommendations. If you speak to any elected local official who gave hours of their time sifting through mountains of regional and 12 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin speaking to reporters at the January 25th CCM press conference.

national data, they will each tell you that there are segments within the report that fall outside their political ideology. They will also tell you that the comprehensive set of recommendations would lift up every community in the state.

We can only hope that as the 2017 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly enters the critical stages of developing a balanced approach to the state’s budgetary challenges, our elected state representatives follow the same path. The new balance in the General Assembly provides the opportunity to bring comprehensive solutions to Connecticut’s looming challenges. The other side of that balanced equation is political gridlock.

Municipal leaders showed leading in a bipartisan fashion for the betterment of all, while truly different, is possible. Our state leaders should follow that example and display the same courage. Sustainable solutions will not be found by simply cutting costs or raising revenue.

Unfortunately, fairy dust and magic beans won’t work either. Real solutions require comprehensive reform in both areas. The comprehensive recommendations found in “This Is Different” are solutions tailored with the next generation and not the next election in mind.

Gian-Carl Casa, president and CEO of the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance, addressed more than 70 CCM-member mayors and first selectmen at the March meeting of CCM’s Legislative Committee held in Cromwell.

Casa, the former long-time advocacy director for CCM, stressed that federal, state, and local government funding for community non-profit organizations needs to be sustained because they provide a wide range of critical community services to large numbers of people at the lowest cost possible — ensuring a safety net for the neediest residents in each community and providing much-needed support for local government social services.

Casa also argued that the state could reduce its social service expenditures by using these nonprofits to provide some state services in this arena, and appealed to CCM members to not support property taxation of nonprofits.

CCM Executive Director Joe DeLong hit the public-affairs talk-show circuit in the last days of March and early April, appearing on “Face the State” on WFSB, Channel 3 and “The Real Story” on FOX, Channel 61, to emphasize the need for the General Assembly to embrace the comprehensive set of state legislative initiatives in CCM’s “This Is Different” plan. This legislative package lays the foundation for a vibrant future for Connecticut towns and cities in three state-local arenas: shared services, cost containment, and municipal revenue diversification.

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 13

CT Emergency Management Symposium Radisson Hotel – Cromwell, Tuesday, April 25, 2017

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he Connecticut Emergency Management Symposium, an annual spring event co-sponsored by CCM, is almost here! This year’s symposium takes place on Tuesday, April 25th, at the Radisson Hotel in Cromwell. This day-long event is the only statewide municipal government event of its kind in Connecticut, and is full of informative workshops, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities. The Connecticut Emergency Management Symposium attracts hundreds of state and local officials who are responsible for emergency preparation, whether the emergency is natural or man-made.

The 2017 Connecticut Emergency Management Symposium includes workshops and presentations on cutting edge emergency strategies, planning, issues, and information on the following topics: • As Hurricane Season Approaches: Hurrevac Next Generation and This Year’s Forecast

• Mass Fatality Exercise, Plan and Family Assistance Center Annex • Communications—Everbridge Emergency Notification Sytem, FirstNet Update • Current Emergency Management Initiatives (Crumbling Foundations, Drought, Avian Flu, State Hazard Mitigation Plan, School Security) • Cybersecurity Initiatives and Status in Connecticut

the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). We are thrilled to have Everbridge and Eversource as trade show supporters this year.

In between workshops, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with dozens of vendors who will showcase the latest products and services during the all-day trade show, including representatives from the following companies: • CCM

• Opioid Crisis and Response in Connecticut

• DEMHS

• Current Local Deliverables and Deadlines —Rolling out the “Blue Sheet”

• CIRMA

• Grants Update CCM is once again proud to co-sponsor this event along with the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), and

14 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

• DPH • CT Emergency Management Association • Crystal Restoration Services of CT • Digital BackOffice • ESC • EVAC+CHAIR NORTH AMERICA • Everbridge • Eversource

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Need A Lift?

New CCM “CivicLift” service helps members connect with community

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he town square of old where folks gathered to exchange news and ideas and generally just enjoy a good visit with neighbors isn’t dead — it’s just digital now.

Enhancing community conversations, promoting local businesses, and staying updated on everything in town is the main thrust behind CivicLift, CCM’s newest service for members. The Torrington-based company will help municipalities build an online community with resources that engage, entertain, and inform.

More than ever, local governments need to have strong and open lines of communication with the public. Once the local newspaper hits the front steps or the mailbox, the “news” is already a day old. Most people now rely on the Internet for information and CivicLift will help towns and cities deliver essential information in real time.

CCM members will get help setting up an online hub, unique to the town’s needs. CivicLift will provide functionality training and offer strategy workshops with community stakeholders to ensure that local voices, issues, and ideas are an important part of the online hub.

The end result will be a hyper-relevant, personalized experience for the community that begins with a dynamic, attractive home page that will not only provide essential information, it also will actively encourage community participation across all demographics: citizens, businesses, schools, the arts, recreation, and municipal leadership. Some of the features include: • Community events calendar • Interactive map and directory for places of interest • Local blogs, articles, and an announcement platform 16 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

• A user dashboard, preference settings, and personal configurations CivicLift also provides a special set of promotion tools given to a selected “curator” to moderate, organize, market, and track site content that’s most relevant to the community. Before the home page goes public, CivicLift will help the municipality reach out to local businesses and others to compile events, announcements, and other listings that will be there waiting in an attractive and compelling format when the town’s or city’s site goes live.

Ongoing support from CivicLift will ensure that CCM members have the latest upgrades and access to metrics and reports. There are pre-built marketing tools already integrated into CivicLift’s online platform and submitted content is vetted through a moderation process to make sure that what’s on the site is in the town’s best interest. CivicLift also offers a return-on-investment program that allows its clients to earn revenue from the platform.

CCM is pleased to present this newest member service.

CivicLift has already done the “heavy lifting” in terms of building the platform and a community engagement infrastructure. Members now can have an opportunity to build on that and make the home page a “hometown” page. It allows you to attract many voices, ideas, and interests to one place — a high-tech yet easy to use and maintain town square whose time has come.

Want to learn more? We are holding an informational webinar on Wednesday, May 3rd at 10 am. Register at: http://bit.ly/2oMHYFS.

MS4 Help Is Here

CCM selects engineering consultants for stormwater compliance

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he envelope please! After a competitive process, CCM has chosen three qualified engineering firms that will support member towns in complying with the federally and state mandated MS4 stormwater permit, which requires towns and cities to take various planning, testing, and educational measures to minimize the impact of stormwater runoff on streams and rivers.

This comes at a time when the state is due to implement the modified MS4 General Permit this summer.

After introducing modifications several years ago, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) extended the current MS4 permit to June 30. The modified permit becomes effective July 1.

DEEP notes that pollutants picked up along the way as rain or snowmelt runs off surfaces that could include motor oils, gasoline, antifreeze, fertilizers, pesticides, and soil sediments from farms and construction sites and impervious surfaces.

CCM put out the bid in December seeking environmental and geotechnical engineering consultants with extensive experience in helping MS4 communities meet DEEP’s permit requirements. This includes helping to support programs that minimize localized flooding and

reduce discharged pollutants.

The firms selected are the Meriden-based BL Companies and two Massachusetts-based companies, CDM Smith and GZA GeoEnvironmental.

BL Companies is an employee-owned firm with offices in eight states, including its headquarters in Meriden.

CDM Smith is also employee-owned, based in Boston, and has more than 5,000 employees worldwide. GZA, based in Norwood, Massachusetts, has three offices in Connecticut — Glastonbury, Manchester, and Trumbull.

In the bid, CCM asked for specialties that include general civil engineering, stormwater system engineering, geotechnical engineering, inspection of stormwater facilities, land surveying, hydraulics engineering, hydrology, environmental, public communications, public participation, public utilities, cost estimation, and others as needed to fulfill the requirements of individual municipal projects.

CCM members will get expert assistance on assessing current stormwater management programs and identifying shortcomings in the context of the new permit.

The consultants will help schedule and budget for required activities over the 5-year permit lifetime.

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 17

Point / Counterpoint Issue: Shared Services

Looking at Change by – TAKING SMALL STEPS

By William F. Smith, Jr., Town Manager, Granby Most of us realize that organizational change is difficult. This seems especially true when it relates to local government. Agencies and departments tend to resist things that may interfere with local control. When change is forced, resistance may increase. Keeping what’s in place, even though it may not be best for all concerned, seems easier. On the other hand, we often accept change over time. Slow incremental adjustments should be given thought and can work. For a change to be successful, oftentimes it needs further review or a form of justification and verification or consensus.

One way I found to be successful is to work with town agencies by taking small steps. For example, working together at the end of the fiscal year, both the Town and Board of Education offices coordinate the balancing of many funds including the General Fund, Grants, and the Capital Fund for audit inspections, thus saving audit expense. During budget preparation both Town and Education Finance offices work together coordinating revenue and expenditure expectations for public presentation. In Information Technology (IT), the 18 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

Board of Education shares its file server with the Town as well as Internet service. In addition, Education and Public Works share bulk purchasing of supply items and HVAC contracting.

Furthermore, our Town Hall Complex houses the Police Department, Library, Senior/Youth Center, and the Board of Education’s Central Office. While the Town and Education separately maintain facilities, it was deemed practical for the Department of Public Works (DPW) to maintain the outside grounds at the Complex rather than have Education maintain the Education portion at the Complex. Although there is no written agreement for the sharing of such service, it works for both. These small steps can likely lead to focus on more service sharing. And records should clearly indicate that the small steps in service sharing can often lead to more efficiency.

Granby has regularly looked at intra-town cooperative activities. Last year a Memorandum of Understanding was crafted that is intended to more formally recognize the values of operational coordination by focusing on both short and long-range economic efficiency that may further increase and improve service levels. A closer look at measuring the small steps is one way to move forward.

Why Not Shared Services?

By Richard Huot, Connecticut Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) Connecticut has a long history of seeking ways to reduce costs through cooperation. Some shared services have been functioning so long in communities they may not even be seen as shared services.

Two areas of Shared Services that fit this category are Medical Benefits and Cooperative Purchasing.

Towns and Boards of Education naturally come together to obtain Medical Benefits because they can leverage the price through larger numbers of covered staff.

Some smaller Towns and Boards of Education have banded together to create a “credible” group to keep costs down. For example, Region 8, Andover, Marlborough, and Hebron have had a Medical Consortium for twenty years.

Towns and Boards of Education routinely bid heating oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, electricity, natural gas, and other commodities both organizations use. Bidding consortiums and cooperative bids put together by Regional Education Service Centers (RESCs) are very popular and develop leverage from larger numbers.

These types of cooperative arrangements have been in place for decades, so why not explore other avenues of cooperation?

One area that seems to be gaining popularity is Technology Services. Fiber optic networks, access to the internet, and Internet Protocol Telephony (IP Telepho-

ny) today are an integral part of our infrastructure, but quality tech leadership and network engineers are hard to find and expensive to keep on staff. Sharing the cost of the network development and management is cost effective. To share the labor expense for a network engineer or contract out for this service as a team, makes fiscal sense.

The challenge in developing effective Shared Services is to keep the process free of politics and those individuals looking to protect “turf” and/or build an empire. It is clear from CASBO’s research, interviews, and experience from school business officials and municipal officials, that collaboration can be most effective when good planning takes place, egos are put aside, and the planners are united in their mindset of “Public Service First.”

Goals and objectives of Towns and Boards of Education are significantly different. When developing Shared Services, this reality has to be recognized and addressed. If these issues are not addressed, the Shared Service initiative will wither and die or function poorly for one entity or the other. With the State moving to shift expenses to the Towns and Boards of Education, it is imperative that new areas of cooperation and savings be addressed, but the initiative has to serve both entities effectively.

For more information about Shared Services, please visit CASBO’s website to read and download the Shared Services Whitepaper. http://www.ct-asbo.org/news/272597/CASBO-Shared-Services-Whitepaper.htm APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 19

CIRMA On The Line

The experts behind CIRMA’s Employment Practices Helpline program

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ince the launch of CIRMA’s Employment Practices Liability (EPL) Helpline Program last fall, Attorney Michael Rose and his team of colleagues at FordHarrison’s Connecticut office have answered dozens of questions and resolved complex issues regarding employment practices for CIRMA LAP pool members.

The FordHarrison team provide CIRMA LAP members expert guidance on employment law with a focus on Connecticut municipal issues. The team possesses a deep understanding of statutory and public policy goals behind Connecticut and federal employment laws and they regularly advise and represent employers on a broad range of labor and employment matters, in both unionized and non-union settings. Since the start of the Helpline program, they have guided CIRMA LAP members through urgent employment issues, providing advice on topics such as the Wage and Hour Rule, FMLA, drug testing, the ADA accommodations, and a range of other issues and regulations.

Guidance When It’s Needed Timing is crucial in avoiding employment liability claims. “Our team answers calls to the CIRMA EPL Helpline within a day, and often within an hour,” notes Attorney Rose. In today’s legal environment, even small or unintended procedural errors in employment practices can expose the municipal or school employer to major liability and civil rights claims. Although most missteps are simple oversights, they still require the employer to defend against the claim and endure potential damage to their reputation and workplace morale.

“A lot rides on our members’ ability to deliver educational and public services. CIRMA’s Employment Practices Liability Helpline program helps our members — many of whom do not otherwise have access to human resources or employment-law specialists — to navigate employment issues,” said David Demchak, CIRMA President and CEO. The goal of the program is to provide CIRMA LAP members the expert guidance they need to help them avoid these types of claims.

Access to the expertise at the EPL Helpline Program is exclusive to CIRMA members and is a free program.

Each CIRMA member is entitled to one hour each month of guidance from the helpline. In this first year of the program, Attorney Rose noted, “Our team isn’t watching the clock — we’re take the time needed to fully and completely answer all questions.”

CIRMA LAP members are urged to call the Helpline with questions about employment practices: Call the EPL Helpline at 844-426-9086 Or e-mail at cirmahotline@fordharrison.com The EPL Helpline program is one of many recent additions to CIRMA’s portfolio of risk management resources for reducing employment practices liability. CIRMA recently released its new e-book, Public Safety Hiring: A Guide to Best Practices, authored by the FordHarrison Team, which can be ordered from CIRMA’s Learning Media Library. CIRMA has also issued a number of whitepapers on hiring practices in law enforcement.

Visit www.CIRMA.org/publications to download copies.

May is CIRMA’s Preventing Sprains and Strains Awareness month No one wants to be injured at work. To help build awareness of the high personal and financial costs of spraining and strain injuries, CIRMA is dedicating the month of May as “Preventing Sprains and Strains Awareness” Month.

Sprain and strain injuries are often painful; worse still they may lead to permanent disability. These types of injuries are a leading cause of loss to CIRMA members. In 2015-16, CIRMA members incurred almost $8 million in claims costs related to sprain and strain injuries.

To help members reduce the incidence of sprain and strain injuries, CIRMA has created a range of resources to increase awareness of ways to avoid these types of injuries among their employees. CIRMA has created the Preventing Sprains & Strains webpage where managers and supervisors can download a variety of educational and awareness posters, handouts, and quick tips to promote safer work habits among all municipal and school employees. Visit www.CIRMA.org for more information.

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CIRMA CIRMA Expands Cyber Risk Resources

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t can happen in an instance, but once a cyber breach occurs and sensitive municipal or school data is stolen or compromised, the financial and reputation losses — and headaches — are often severe. According to experts, municipalities are specifically targeted for cyber attacks due to the vulnerable and open nature of their operations.

Municipal leaders don’t have to be cyber experts to begin the process of protecting their systems, just aware, informed, and alert. CIRMA has expanded its cyber risk resources and services to assist its members with developing a plan of action.

In response to these rapidly evolving threats, CIRMA has partnered with a number of leading cyber security organizations to develop and distribute cyber security tools to help its members prevent, avoid, and respond to cyber threats.

“Cyber risks, while often serious and sometimes unfamiliar, can be managed through appropriate risk management techniques and specialized insurance programs,” said David Demchak, President and CEO of CIRMA. “Working with our strategic alliances, CIRMA is introducing a new portfolio of resources to help our members understand and manage the risk management issues surrounding rapidly evolving cyber risks,” he added. The new portfolio of tools complement CIRMA’s new Cyber Liability Insurance program, introduced in 2016-17. CIRMA’s Cyber Liability program provides coverage for cyber losses and professional resources for mitigating and responding to cyber attacks.

Strategic Partnerships CIRMA’s cyber risk resources draw on the expertise of its strategic partners to address a full spectrum of cyber threats, including cyber attacks, cyber extortion, data theft, and phishing scams. CIRMA has joined forces with the: • State of Connecticut’s Cyber Security Committee; • Office of Counter-Terrorism, Division of State Police; • State of Connecticut’s Fusion Center; and • Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC).

CIRMA leadership participates on the Connecticut Cyber Security Committee. Also, representatives from the state organizations are members of CIRMA’s Risk Management and Law Enforcement Advisory Committees. This cross-participation enables complex cyber threats and the unique needs of CIRMA members to be better understood by all, allowing CIRMA to develop specialized risk management resources needed by their members.

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New Cyber Resources New resources being developed in partnership with CIRMA’s strategic alliances include: 1. A new white paper, Cyber Security, available in May. 2. From its membership in MS-ISAC, CIRMA will be publishing a new non-technical bulletin, Cyber News, for municipal and school leaders on current cyber security topics, as well as technical alerts for IT staff.

CIRMA’s participation in MS-ISAC will provide CIRMA members additional key resources for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery. Including: • Incidence response resources for assistance with malware analysis, forensics, code analysis, and mitigation recommendations • Educational, training, and awareness resources • Access to incident response teams 3. CIRMA is also introducing a new Risk Management Training & Education Program, Understanding the Basics of Cyber Risks, which will be hosted by the Town of Westport in June.

Please look for the cyber e-bulletins in your inbox beginning in April 2017. CIRMA encourages members to forward the advisories to their IT staff or IT services providers. To subscribe to the bulletins, please contact Carolyn Field, Communications Supervisor, at cfield@ccm-ct.org.

Excellence in Risk Management Awards CIRMA members’ risk management achievements have played a major part in creating the financially strong, stable, and innovative organization that CIRMA is today. In 2016 CIRMA created its Excellence in Risk Management Award program to honor those members that have demonstrated outstanding risk management leadership and results. The application process allows members to nominate their own or another member’s program. There are four award categories: • Substantial Impact on Total Cost of Risk • Establishing Risk Management as an Organizational Priority • New and Innovative Risk Management Initiatives • Sustained Risk Management Programs Know of a risk management program that has made a big difference? Applications for the award program will be accepted beginning August 1st through September 30th. Visit www.CIRMA.org to learn more about the program and how to apply.

CCM understands how meaningful professional development can be.

Continuing education is not only important for your current position, but also to your career path. Under the advisement and direction from experienced staff at Trinity College, the Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) was developed.

To be successful officials need special skills and knowledge, but they also must be competent in a variety of areas. By designing this program to focus on you, your organization and your community, we will help you achieve a standard of excellence.

Contact: Jennifer Cruz, Education and Events Program Administrator 203.498.3073 â&#x20AC;˘ jcruz@ccm-ct.org APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 23

CIVIC AMENITIES In Tune With The Times

Danbury Library now has a recording studio

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ibraries across the state have been redesigning their roles to keep pace with the rapidly changing ways in which people find and use information. Technology is a big part of that effort and the Danbury Library is staying on the leading edge, now with a brand new recording studio that is the only one of its kind in the state in a library – and one of only a few across the country in libraries.

Best of all, Studio 170 is free to anyone in the state with a Connecticut library card. For library patrons who have always dreamed of becoming the next big thing, the time could be now. Anyone 17 years and older can schedule a session for up to three hours and can book time in half hour increments.

Studio 170 is intended for people who know their way around a recording booth and for people trying to learn how to record for the first time. To use the studio, patrons must attend an orientation session before their scheduled studio time. Up to six people can be inside the recording booth at any one time and the studio is open four days a week.

“We hope once word gets out that there will be a whole lot of interest from people all over the city,” said Amanda Gilbertie, who works in the library’s technical services depart-

ment. “This is for kids, for older people, for anyone who has their own band and for people who want to record anything.”

“Libraries must be about books, but they must also be about helping the community do things,” said Mary Cappiello, publicity chair of

the Friends of Danbury Library.

“There is a lot of other stuff going on in the library you wouldn’t think has anything to do with reading a book, but it is all knowledge.”

The $18,000 studio was built with a donation from the Friends of the Danbury Library.

Like most municipalities, you want grants, you need grants, but you’re not sure how to get grants. Let us help.

For additional information, contact Andy Merola, (203) 498-3056 | amerola@ccm-ct.org.

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Good Neighbor Policy

CIVIC PRIDE

Norwich firefighters celebrate century of service

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or 100 years, Norwich’s Taftville Fire Department has answered the call — a lot of them.

Based in the section that was home to the once bustling Ponemah Mills complex, the department averaged about 15 fire calls a year when it was formed a century ago. Now, Taftville firefighters respond to 700 to 800 a year and also provide assistance for neighboring towns and the city’s other fire departments.

The department was officially formed in the aftermath of the 1915 fire that began in a club and quickly spread, destroying several businesses near the mill. The only fire department in that neighborhood was owned by the mill and had just one truck. By the time other departments arrived to help, it was too late. Gone were three butcher shops, a clothing store, a drug store, bakery, and barbershop. Many families also lost their homes.

BROADBAND SOLUTIONS

The department celebrated its century of service recently with an awards banquet honoring the present and the past. Many retirees returned for the festivities.

“It’s really family coming together,” Chief Timothy Jencks said. “This is a milestone and is very significant.

It brings all of us together.”

Jencks is one of just a dozen men who has served as chief in the department’s history and for him, it really is a family affair.

His brother Tom is a deputy chief, his daughter was part of the junior firefighters program, and his son can’t wait to join in two years when he turns 16.

“This fire company has held the community together.

Even today, we are very active throughout the community. We care about it, that’s why we are here,” Jencks says.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Hat City Makeover

Danbury to convert shuttered music hall into community theater

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daptive re-use of existing structures is one of the lynchpins of urban redevelopment and examples of successful projects are abundant throughout Connecticut in the downtown centers of cities small and large. Many cities, like Waterbury and Torrington, have refurbished historic theaters which have become magnets in their revitalized downtowns.

Now Danbury is moving forward with plans to purchase a vacant downtown club that once hosted music venues and convert it into a 7,000-square-foot community theater that would seat about 250 people.

The former Tuxedo Junction concert hall is in a strategic location on a pedestrian walkway adjacent to Main Street, right in the middle of downtown and in close proximity to 370 new apartments at Kennedy Place.

The brick building, with 20-foot ceilings, a balcony and a stage, used to host musical performers from the famous — like Joan Jett and Kansas — to the nearly forgotten, like the alt rock band Lemonheads. In recent years, the club hosted smaller bands and even live wrestling events.

“This could be a potential anchor for some of the work we want to do downtown,” Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said. “Our goal is to renovate it with an industrial warehouse feel that could be used to stage anything from Christmas programs to having a pro-

moter come in and rent the space.”

Mayor Boughton said he got the idea about turning the building into a theater last year when it closed.

“We are in the process of working out the management structure,” he said. “For example, it could be operated by the city or by a non-profit group.”

Back To Basics

Milford adopts plan to boost business and market harbor area

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embers of Milford’s Economic Development Commission (EDC) are looking forward to a busy year and expect to continue the success the small shoreline city has recently enjoyed in business growth after adopting a new plan that supports existing strengths and puts a new focus on its oldest asset – its harbor.

city has experienced a 26 percent increase in new business growth.

Settled in 1639, Milford has in recent years enjoyed “an explosion of new businesses moving into town” according to Commission members.

The city’s commercial spaces have a 96 percent occupancy rate and last year Milford saw over $100 million in new construction. In addition, the

Commission Vice Chairman Greg Harla said, “Milford has one of the only city-owned transient marinas along the sound. This is an asset we need to pay more attention to and I look forward to working with everyone to continue to get the word out about the marina.”

So for an encore, the city is going back to basics. Milford’s harbor was what first attracted English settlers to the area. This year, the EDC decided to include the harbor area as an economic development priority along with downtown development, business retention, and tourism.

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The commission has also launched a new Economic Development Roundtable, created to facilitate meetings between all related economic development organizations in the city on a quarterly basis to share ideas and help promote and update each organization on new developments.

“This will be an important year for our commission,” EDC Chairman Michael Lynch said. “We have a great mix of expertise on the EDC, that, along with our plans and relations with other organizations, we will strive to continue to build upon Milford’s image as an inviting and business-friendly community.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Hives Of Activity New Britain pursuing more development around CTfastrak stops

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he city of New Britain continues to build on the momentum fueled by CTfastrak by creating four new transit districts around the stations through updated zoning ordinances.

The districts would allow for primary and secondary districts along East Main and East streets with the intention of attracting new housing and business opportunities. This will complement the ongoing modernization of downtown at Bank and Columbus where the Route 72 overpass is getting a structural and aesthetic makeover.

“The Main Street overpass — one of the busiest bridges in town — will be transformed into a colorful and welcoming piece of functional architecture,” Mayor Erin Stewart said.

City officials are currently working with a developer to turn a 2.2-acre parcel on Columbus Boulevard into a mid-rise, mixed use property. If built, it would be the biggest transit-oriented development (TOD) along the $570 million CTfastrak line to date. The mayor has recommended offering a tax abatement for 30 years on the first 80 apartments.

Additionally, the city is now considering updating zoning in other areas, recommendations that arose from a $250,000 TOD planning study, dubbed “Creating Hives of Activity: New Britain’s TOD Plan.” The study was funded through a state grant.

Recommendations zeroed in on revitalizing underused parcels near the bus line from downtown to Central Connecticut State University. Planners say those properties, when redeveloped with a combination of retail, restaurants, and housing, could generate more foot traffic from campus.

According to the report, the focus of the new zoning is to foster “multi-story buildings with medium to high residential densities, and secondary TOD zones at the peripheries consisting of lower density, mostly residential buildings providing a transition into the surrounding residential neighborhoods.”

A Working City

Torrington rises to the challenge

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orrington is getting high marks for its collaborative efforts to move the city forward.

The city has learned that it was one of 10 small cities selected for a grant to take part in the Working Cities Challenge, an initiative led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The initiative supports community leaders in smaller communities that face big city challenges and has been successful in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Torrington was chosen because of its strong “sense of community,” said Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce President JoAnn Ryan.

The Challenge helps the selected cities build collaboration with the public, private, and non-profit sectors in order to remedy the issues that affect lower-income residents. Participants are tasked with identifying a complex challenge and creating a solution that will have a positive impact on the community.

The leadership team is headed by Mayor Elinor Carbone, Economic Development Director Erin Wilson, and the Chamber. More than 30 stakeholders have been meeting since October to identify a challenge and a long-term goal. Ryan says they based their challenge on the following: • The city is a distressed municipality that supports an entire region.

• It has the fastest aging population in the state of Connecticut countywide along with a declining student enrollment and loss of millennials.

• It needs to attract and retain a younger workforce.

The grant will go to support a team within the community as it works toward solutions.

“This is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity,” Wilson said.

“And there’s just so many different things that we can be doing to promote real, good change in Torrington from an economic perspective.

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 27

EDUCATION Growing Pains

Norwalk addressing school expansion, upgrades

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ow best to address the aging of Norwalk school buildings, classrooms over capacity, and limited resources to remedy those issues is the subject of a couple of plans introduced to the public.

Most recently, the mayor’s office provided details on “Fix It First,” a proposal designed to upgrade all 19 schools and expand where possible before building a new school. With state aid much in limbo, Mayor Harry Rilling and the city’s legislative delegation say this approach would make the most of precious resources.

Another proposal, the school board’s “School Facilities Master Plan,” recommends building a new school in South Norwalk and expanding current buildings to accommodate a growing student population.

The goals, Rilling says, are the same.

“We want good schools for our children and we want to provide them with buildings in which they can study and learn and grow and develop,” Rilling said. “We are all on the same page, it’s just that we need to discuss how to get there.”

The last time the city had a long-term plan to address school infrastructure was in 2001. The school district

is now at 103 percent capacity. There are 10 portable classrooms being used at Jefferson Elementary School, which is at over 170 percent capacity and lacks playground space. The two oldest schools in the district — Tracey and Columbus Magnet — need major upgrades. Norwalk High School has had a new science wing built but there has been no money available to upgrade the rest of the building.

The “Fix It First” plan recommends making the necessary upgrades simultaneously in three years by spending approximately $100 million with another 32.5 percent reimbursement from the state. The projects include building additions to the most overcrowded schools to remove portable classrooms and making needed repairs to Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon.

Rilling stressed the importance of community involvement to determine if a new school is warranted.

Businesses and taxpayers without children should all be consulted, he said.

“Fix It First” supporters say the result would be “a win-win rather than another generation of students advancing in schools 45, 50, or 70 years old without significant changes.”

Off The Clock

Ridgefield considers pushing back school start times

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o sleep, perchance to dream – and ultimately to get better grades. That’s what Ridgefield school officials believe could happen if students could get to school a little later.

The school board is considering moving back start times for school based on scientific studies of adolescent sleep patterns and school performance.

After reviewing research from the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Sleep Health Awareness Project, the School Board has voted unanimously to develop a plan for the 2018-19 school year.

“While the science is clearly related to the link between adolescent sleep patterns and the overall health and wellness of young people, it is important that we recognize that a change to school start times is a decision that can affect the entire community,” Superintendent Dr. Karen Baldwin said.

The district’s Strategic Planning Committee will begin exploring the feasibility of new start times and will also 28 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

gather input from groups throughout the community that may be affected by the change. Supporters say later start times could improve health and performance of the children. Opponents, meanwhile, have argued that it could be stressful for parents and staff and cost taxpayers more money.

“This feedback will be of paramount importance to the committee in order to develop a plan for the Board to consider that reflects the various options available and the obstacles that such a change may present,” said Committee Chairman James Keidel.

The district has also hired a transportation consultant to look into route efficiencies that would help implement the plan.

“The board will engage in a consultation process,” School Board Chairman Fran Walton said. “We recognize that any changes will affect all children K-12 and their families, which is why effective consultation is of paramount importance.”

ENVIRONMENT Happy Trails

Charter Oak Greenway extension sees light at end of tunnel

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he 2.75 mile extension of the Charter Oak Greenway from the Highland Park section of Manchester to Bolton Notch State Park is nearing completion as the trail now extends to just a few hundred yards from the Bolton line.

The final step involves a trail bridge over Camp Meeting Road near the Manchester/Bolton line that had to be redesigned and now is slated to be completed during the summer. Once the final design was approved, it takes three-months for the structure to be fabricated.

While waiting for the bridge to be fabricated, the signs of what will be are already there; the base of the bridge is in place and the trails have been cut and graded. Once the bridge is in, a second section of the greenway will enter the woods at the Bolton line and then extend to Bolton Notch.

From there, the trail will connect with the Hop River Trail, which runs to Willimantic and Vernon, as part of the state’s portion of the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway that links 26 major cities between Maine and Florida. The extension will also help close a gap in the

state’s 200-mile section of the East Coast Greenway.

The greenway is a combination of connected park trails, former rail lines, canal tow paths, bridges, waterfront walkways, and roads.

The section of the greenway being extended is part of the trail that runs from the banks of the Connecticut River in East Hartford through Manchester and soon, into Bolton.

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APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 29

GOVERNANCE Fix It Up

Hartford plans to take bigger bite out of blight

H

artford Mayor Luke Bronin wants residents to keep their properties in good repair or face the consequences of a new beefed-up anti-blight ordinance. In a letter to members of the city council, Bronin proposed changes to the ordinance, saying “Our goal is to increase the quality of life in all of Hartford’s neighborhoods.”

The ordinance would make it a violation to leave windows or doors boarded up for more than a year, for grass to grow more than a foot tall, and to leave trash, inoperable cars, appliances, or machinery on properties.

The mayor said the new, stricter rules would allow the city to better use the courts, fines, and liens to go after absentee property owners.

Specifically, officials say the changes will strengthen the city’s existing process for enforcing anti-blight violations and liens and encourage more property owners to bring their properties into compliance.

The changes will also allow the city to collect more revenue from fines and liens to offset the cost of blight on the Hartford community and enable the city to abate the nuisance or force a transfer of ownership (through lien foreclosure or voluntary sale) when property owners do not comply.

The changes will follow the “Fix It Up, Pay It Up, or Give It Up” model of strategic code enforcement used in other cities across the country to fight blight.

The changes also increase the number of potential anti-blight violations from 12 to 34.

Examples of new violations that did not exist under the previous ordinance: • Boarded up windows and doors — owners will not be allowed to keep properties boarded for more than 1 year.

• Trash accumulation • Weeds and grass over 12 inches high • Inoperable appliances, machinery, and cars being kept on property • Shortens the time period between notice of violation and issuance of a citation from 30 to 10 days.

• Creates an opportunity for property owners to request and receive a 30-day extension of time from the Division of Blight Remediation to correct violations. If property owners need more time to comply, they can request additional time.

• Keeps the existing fine amount at $100 per violation per day, an amount restricted by state law.

Open Door Policy

New London schools embrace immigrant community

E

nsuring that school is a safe place to learn for all students, regardless of their citizenship status, New London is developing a procedure to use when the federal immigration agencies request information or visit.

Places where law enforcement does not usually conduct business, such as schools or churches, are considered sensitive areas by the Department of Homeland Security. However, local officials say that designation does not have the force of law.

“It can be revoked by the Department of Homeland Security at any time,” said Michael Doyle, director of the city’s Immigration Advocacy and Support Center.

The New London policy, called “Welcoming Immigration and Refugee Communities,” prohibits staff from asking about anyone’s immigration status. It also references a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision “Plyler v.

Doe” that makes it “unconstitutional for states to deny students access to a free public education based on

30 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

their immigration status.” The policy, which is similar to advice Governor Malloy recently issued, states in part: “New London Public Schools (NLPS) welcomes anyone from any nation, culture, religion, and ethnic background. NLPS values and embraces the richness and cultural assets that all of our wonderfully diverse students and families bring to the greater New London community and our schools.

“The Board of Education believes that the success of each and every New London student will not be predicated by race, income, ethnicity, home language, personal characteristics, gender identity, or ability.”

“We want to protect our students in any way we can.

It’s incredibly disheartening that in 2017 we even need a policy to protect the rights of immigrants,” said School Board Member Zachary Leavy. “There is nothing more un-American and against our values than what the president is doing.”

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Narcan is just one product in a comprehensive program to reduce the costs of medical products used by participating agencies. If you cannot meet the minimum order requirements, Narcan will be available through certain Premier authorized pharmacy distributors, at a higher price point. Premier customer service representatives can put you in touch with the appropriate representative.

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HEALTH A New Approach

In Manchester, HOPE is first step on road to recovery

A

s many Connecticut communities look for ways to combat the opioid crisis, a coalition of law enforcement, citizens, advocates, social services, and the medical community in Manchester are working together to give opioid users real hope of recovery.

In fact, the Manchester initiative is called just that — HOPE — and has been in existence for a little over a year.

Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy said the basic thrust is to help users into recovery without the stigma of criminalization.

“Our goal is to offer people another option that perhaps they haven’t thought of when dealing with the police,” Montminy explained.

When officers come across someone struggling with addiction, someone who is simply a user, they will not arrest them. Instead, they will ask them if they want to enter treatment or give them information on how to get treatment for when they are ready.

Relaying that information is important, Chief Montminy says, because people hit rock bottom at different times.

“It could be two in the morning next Tuesday or a year from now — you never know,” he says.

If the individual agrees to treatment, he or she is brought to Manchester Memorial Hospital as a HOPE patient where they are joined by a “recovery coach.”

The Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery provides the coach, who is usually someone who has overcome his or her own addiction issues and will be there for the patient throughout the process.

Additionally, Manchester Social Services will help patients with housing and other needs as they work to

Chief Marc Montminy

put their life back together.

HOPE is a new approach to the opioid crisis and Chief Montminy said it is worth pursuing. Removing the stigma of drug addiction is the first step. Arresting people, he said, hasn’t worked.

“We cannot arrest our way out of the heroin epidemic,” he said. “Maybe there will be a reduction in crime as a result, I don’t know, but if we save one person then it was worth the effort.”

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32 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

PUBLIC SAFETY Practice, Practice, Practice Firefighters learn new tricks from deer rescue on frozen lake

W

hen the fire alarm is sounded, firefighters and first responders have to be ready for anything.

Already trained in conventional firefighting and rescue techniques like forcible entry, wall breaching tactics, and low angle rope rescue – which teaches emergency workers how to safely descend a steep incline and rescue someone from an area that is difficult to access – firefighters are always looking to up their games because when they spring into action, lives and property are at stake.

This past winter, people and property were not the only recipients of the Branford Fire Department’s rescue skills.

In January, the Fire Department assisted officers from the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter and the Regional Water Authority Recreation in the rescue of four deer that had fallen through the ice on Lake Saltonstall and were trapped in icy waters.

The rescue turned out to be a learning experience.

The Branford Fire Department quickly responded with a boat to create a path through the ice so the deer could swim back to shore, but the department said the “event helped us identify shortcomings in our ability to rapidly deploy and communicate in this environment.”

Branford firefighters practice using the Rapid Deployment Craft.

“This led to an evaluation of our equipment, communications, and techniques used for cold water rescue.

Today firefighters took advantage of winter’s last gasp to practice using new equipment and hone techniques to better respond to such incidents,” the Fire Department posted on its Facebook page.

“The new equipment fills gaps in our cache for not only ice rescue, but other open water rescue scenarios where rapid deployment will make the difference,” the post said.

Risky Business Gets Less Risky

Guilford Police offer residents a safe place to make Internet transactions

D

oing business online can be risky, especially if you have to complete the sale in person.

Some police departments now encourage people to do that at the police station, where cameras are rolling. The Guilford Police Department is one of them. People do their online business with dispatchers watching to keep both people safe.

Cheryl Buckley sells on websites like eBay and Craigslist. About twice a month she heads to the Guilford Police Department for transactions she has to do in person. That’s what two parking spots in front of the station are for.

“It’s much more convenient than telling somebody directions to your house and getting a neighbor to

come in your house to make sure you’re okay,” Buckley said.

Sergeant Martina Jakober implemented the internet purchase exchange location, hoping it would help prevent scams, and possibly even violent crime. People don’t need to call ahead if they want to use the space. It’s under 24-hour surveillance, and the camera recording it can zoom in.

“People who are going to come to a police station and know they’re going to be on camera, in general, they’re going to shy away from committing a crime,” Jakober said.

The police department has gotten the word out through its Facebook page. Jakober says the response has generally been positive, though

some have been skeptical.

“They said oh, they’re going to come after you for taxes on those sales, or something like that, which is absolutely not the case,” Jakober said.

But for the price of the sign, police hoped this would give people peace of mind. They say dozens typically use it each week, and many keep coming back for business.

“It’s just taken all the fear out of this Internet world that we’re in,” Buckley said.

In addition to online transactions people also use the space for custody exchanges. So far there have been no incidents and police have not yet had to review the footage.

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 33

PUBLIC SAFETY Smart Policing

WhatsApp is what’s up as new community policing tool

C

ommunity policing is a proven method of building relationships, increasing communication, and keeping neighborhoods safe.

New Haven, one of the first cities to institute the community policing approach, is now taking it to a new level to keep up with the rapidly changing times.

WhatsApp users can join groups, such as neighborhood associations or a crime watch, and send each other unlimited mobile messages, pictures, and videos about events or developing situations on their phones.

Between three and four hundred New Haven residents are now part of the Beaver Hills WhatsApp chat group, established by Sgt. John Wolcheski when he became the New Haven Police district manager for the Beaver Hills neighborhood.

Wolcheski credits the idea to his predecessor who told him WhatsApp, “gives you an opportunity to see what’s going on in the neighborhood.”

Last year a neighborhood in the area was hit by a series of break-ins. Wolcheski said communications

between members of the WhatsApp group helped identify and apprehend the thief.

“This gives residents the ability to have direct access to their neighborhood officer,” he said. “In this case, a resident saw a break-in in progress, called the police department, and then went on the chat and started giving updates on the thief’s location.”

Resident Nan Bartow said members of the WhatsApp group assisted police in a crackdown against drug dealing and prostitution in her neighborhood.

“We were able to say real time, ‘this is happening, come out,’” Bartow said. “I never had the kind of relationship with the police that I do through the WhatsApp because the district manager watches all the time and he will send somebody out immediately, if needed.”

The full range of services on WhatsApp includes voice calls, one to one video calls, plus the ability to send text messages, images, GIFs, videos, documents, user location, audio files, phone contacts, and voice notes to other users.

Giddyup

Suffield Police can’t wait until the cows come home

N

o one can accuse the Suffield police of not looking on the lighter side. This is what the department posted on Facebook after they were called about a pair of runaway cows one Sunday morning a few weeks ago: “Early this morning officers responded to a complaint of two suspicious males going door to door trying to sell dairy products.

Officers determined that the two individuals did not have a solicitors permit and were apprehended after a short foot pursuit. We would like to remind everyone to NEVER open your doors to any unfamiliar cattle.”

At least the officers didn’t have to order them to mooo-ve over… the cows were led away without incident.

Sgt. Geoffrey Miner said the cows wandered over from a farm a couple of houses over.

“The cows got out because part of the fence was broken. It’s an electrical wire fence, electricity was off, one of the wires was broken, so plenty of opportunity to escape,” Miner said.

The Facebook post is an example of how local police departments across the state and country are taking to social media to enhance their contact with the community.

The benefits of community policing and stronger ties to the community are well established and using social media is one more way to reach people with important safety information.

For example, recent posts on the Suffield police department page have included an image of a robbery suspect whom the department was seeking help identifying, instructions on how to add an emergency contact to your cell

34 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

phone’s lock screen, winter storm updates and parking ban notifications, info on a drug sweep at Suffield High School, road closure information, and a shout out to a local Girl Scout troop for showing their appreciation by dropping off Valentine’s Day candy at police headquarters.

Looks like social media is becoming a sweet spot in more ways than one!

PUBLIC SAFETY

PAL Turns Ten

Police activities league marks a decade of changing lives

A

bout ten years ago in one of Waterbury’s toughest and most dangerous neighborhoods, a Police Athletic League (PAL) recreation center had the audacity to open in the midst of the blighted buildings and gang clubhouses.

Once it opened, police began to notice a change. After officers started going out on the street and bringing kids to the PAL center, they said the incidents of crime in the neighborhood first started to drop, and then took a nosedive.

“In the beginning, when juvenile crime drastically started to drop, we weren’t sure we could say it was because of PAL, but we are committed and convinced that PAL has played a very big role,” Deputy Chief Fernando Spagnolo said.

PAL used to stand for “police athletic league,” but the “a” now stands for “activities” and they offer a wide range of programs from culinary instruction to woodworking. The activities are hands-on and the students learn how to cook meals and train to be ready for the workforce by high school graduation.

The non-profit organization has spent millions of dollars over the past decade on facilities and grow-

ing their programs because they believe it’s good for the officers and the children involved. Dozens of police officers typically volunteer each year.

On Friday nights, they have 120 children playing basketball in their “Friday Night League.” A couple of years ago, their baseball program got a brand new field.

In total, there are 31 different activities kids in Waterbury can participate in on the PAL campus including: • Baseball/Softball/T-Ball • Basketball

• Swimming • Tang Soo Do Karate PAL Park is a 2.2 acre park that includes the Little League baseball field, three full-sized basketball courts, one youth basketball court, and a rubber surface playground for young children.

“We are really looking to reach out to that kid who is having a difficult time at home, and maybe he doesn’t fit the typical mold where you would join the basketball team at school or some type of sporting event,” Spagnolo said.

Officials say some of the students have been coming to PAL since they were three years old, and the officers have become part of their family. Years later, some students still stay in touch with their former mentors with a text now and then.

• Cheerleading • Fitness Center • Flag Football • Gardening • Golf

Daishion Morrison has been with PAL since he was 12. He’s a model athlete and student, and when he graduates high school he wants to become a lawyer.

• Holiday Chorus • Holiday Parties • Homework Haven • Soccer • Special Olympics Unified Sports • Summer Camp • Summer Youth Employment Program

“Talking to the cops, they tell you how you have to get to law school and everything,” Daishion said.

“They try and help you with a way out. If you need help with the homework, they’re always there to help.”

APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 35

PUBLIC SAFETY Informed Citizens

Public Safety Academy teaches residents about city emergency response roles

T

wenty six Stamford residents recently completed a nine-week program at the city’s Public Safety Academy, which offers locals the opportunity to learn about the city’s Police, Fire, Health, EMS, Emergency Management, Emergency Communications, and Social Services departments, as well as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

• K-9 demonstration

The Academy offers hands-on, interactive, and behindthe-scenes instruction, taught by experienced police officers, firefighters, emergency medical, health, social service, and CERT personnel.

• Incident command, basic emergency awareness, and CERT duties and responsibilities

The curriculum included an overview of the responsibilities of each agency and their respective roles in responding to emergency situations. Participants were taught to assess safety issues and share their knowledge of public safety practices and policies with others.

“The purpose of the Citizen’s Public Safety Academy is to foster community involvement, understanding, and education by providing an opportunity for the public to gain first-hand experience of the duties and responsibilities of public safety personnel,” said Ted Jankowski, Stamford’s Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.

The topics covered in the class included: • Law enforcement overview and community policing • Field trips to public safety agency facilities with guided tours • Terrorism awareness and evacuation procedures

36 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | APRIL 2017

• The use of force continuum and incident de-escalation procedures • Ambulance life support services and disaster medical operations • Firefighting overview and techniques

• Health, emergency management, and emergency communications • Bomb squad response and duties • Current narcotics trends and enforcement Participants’ experiences during the nine weeks gave them an up-close look and a keen appreciation for what it’s like to “walk a mile in the shoes” of emergency responders. They went on ride-alongs with the Stamford Police Department, on tours of the Fire Department and its trucks and equipment, and on ridealongs with Stamford Emergency Medical Services.

“As graduates of the Citizen’s Public Safety Academy, these individuals now have a better understanding of what goes into making Stamford a safe and healthy city,” Stamford Mayor David Martin said. “Graduates should be proud of what they have accomplished and we are thankful for their dedication to making Stamford a safer place.”

YOUTH

Emotional Learning

Feelings matter in Bridgeport classrooms

W

hen educators in Bridgeport ask students how they’re feeling, they really mean it.

Beyond books and tests scores, Bridgeport educators have put a lot of emphasis on the emotional well-being of city students. And they’re seeing results.

In 2016, the school district tapped into a program initiated by Yale University. Dubbed “RULER,” the program name stands for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating” emotions. The goal is to increase student attendance and decrease bullying and other behavior that warrants discipline.

The program is designed to help students and staff recognize and control their emotions. Reminders are everywhere. There are “mood meters” on high school bulletin boards and faculty has regular discussions with students about their feelings.

There were 46 school arrests in 2015-16 compared to 185 in 2012-13. Other metrics include teen pregnancies – 170 in 2013, down from 317 in 2008. Chronic absenteeism was at 22 percent in 2015-16, a drop from previous years.

“The Bridgeport school district has been putting a lot of effort into social and emotional learning,” says Mary Pat Healy, executive director of the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC). “We’re beginning to see that pay off.”

The poverty level, however, remains stubbornly static.

The report notes that about 32 percent of children are living below the federal poverty level, a level that hasn’t changed much over the years. That has an effect in a number of ways. Parents often have less time to spend with their children because they may be working several jobs and/or have to move often. There were 176 students who spent time in a homeless shelter in the last school year.

The improvements are quantifiable and measured in BCAC’s annual State of the Child in Bridgeport Report.

The most recent results were contained in the group’s 31st report that shows a drop in school absenteeism and suspensions and a “dramatically reduced” youth arrest rate.

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The median family income in Bridgeport is $45,244 compared with $105,514 among all households in Fairfield County.

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APRIL 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 37

AROUND TOWN U.S. News & World Report has ranked the 100 best places to live in the United States and two of them are in Connecticut with Hartford in 31st place and New Haven garnering the 81st spot. The magazine cites Hartford’s “many cultural gems hidden amidst rolling hills and wooded neighborhoods,” the steady growth in the city’s immigrant population, and a public transit system that includes the CTfastrak bus system. U.S. News & World Report says New Haven is a combination of “New England charm and global cosmopolitanism” in a “livable seaside metropolitan area.”

S&P Global Ratings has affirmed New Britain’s “A+” general obligation bond rating and also affirmed the City’s GO bond outlook as “stable.” In January 2016, Standard and Poor’s upgraded the city’s bond rating to “A+”— the city’s highest bond rating from the agency since 2008.

In its report, S&P Global cited strong management and notable financial policies from City Hall that led to “robust budgetary performance, including an operating surplus in last fiscal year’s budget”

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MUNICIPAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATE

and credited city government with maintaining a fund balance that amounts to at least 5 percent of the city’s expenditures.

Shelton has received $200,000 in state funds to investigate a local brownfield site under a grant program that helps towns and cities “assess, remediate, and revitalize brownfields across the state.” Last year, Derby received $85,000 under the same program to study one of its brownfield sites.

Stamford officials are pursuing a new project they expect will ease congestion on local roads by re-synchronizing the city’s traffic lights to eliminate bottlenecks.

Incorporating feedback from residents on where the problem areas are, the new light pattern will adjust to what drivers and pedestrians are normally doing at certain intersections at certain times.

Storrs is one of the best cities for college basketball fans, according to a new WalletHub study which focused on NCAA teams. Storrs ranked ninth out of the 291 cities considered in the analysis, which looked at seven key factors including the number of teams per city,

winning percentage of each team, stadium capacity, and social-media engagement.

Suffield has completed a fiber optic project linking critical emergency services. The year-long undertaking extends the fiber from its original terminus at the Kent Memorial Library to the Bridge Street School, Suffield Senior Center, and the Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association, which houses Suffield’s Emergency Operations Center.

The extension joins departments already within the network including the Town Hall, Fire Department, Parks & Recreation, Highway Garage, and Police Department.

Police, fire, and ambulance are now all linked within the same network.

The Tolland Fire Department has acquired new thermal imaging camera units, thanks to “a sizable private donation.” Thermal imaging cameras render infrared radiation as visible light, allowing firefighters to see areas of heat through smoke, darkness or heat-permeable barriers. The acquisition replaces units purchased in 1998, also through fundraising, fire officials said.

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