Connecticut Town & City - August 2017 by Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

August 2017

Balancing Act. Local governments are stressed as they struggle to start their fiscal year, with little or no direction from the State. INSIDE: CCM SURVEY RESULTS • BOE: LINE ITEM VETO • OUTREACH TO MILLENNIALS

Roger L. Kemp MPA, MBA, PhD Credentialed City Manager • Career Adjunct Professor

~ National Speaker ~ Dr. Kemp provides national professional speaking services on current government topics. Some of these topics include state-of-the-art practices in the following dynamic and evolving fields: - America’s Infrastructure

- Model Government Charters

- Budgets and Politics

- Municipal Enterprise Funds

- Cities and The Arts

- Police-Community Relations

- Economic Development

- Privatization

- Financial Management

- Elected Officials and Management Staff

- Forms of Local Government

- Strategic Planning

- Immigrant Services

- Town-Gown Relations

- Main Street Renewal

- Working with Unions

Roger Kemp’s background and professional skills are highlighted on his website. Dr. Kemp was a city manager in politically, economically, socially, and ethnically diverse communities, on both coasts of the United States. He has written and edited nearly 50 books on these subjects, and can speak on them with knowledge of the national best practices in each of these fields. Call or e-mail Dr. Kemp for more information. His contact information is shown below.

Dr. Roger L. Kemp 421 Brownstone Ridge, Meriden, CT 06451 Phone: (203) 686-0281 • Email: rlkbsr@snet.net www.rogerkemp.org

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 Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester Jayme A. Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain Daniel Syme, First Selectman of Scotland Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia Steven R. Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland

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State Budget Woes Road Chaos Outreach to Millennials Sustainable CT Executive Director’s Column

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 10 Point/Counterpoint

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

CCM STAFF Executive Director, Joe DeLong

CIRMA News

Town News Stories

On the cover: CT towns are struggling as the State budget crisis continues

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

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

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 3

CCM Survey Results

Municipalities continue to struggle without budget deal in place

CCM survey of towns and cities in late July clearly showed that service and fiscal constraints had been widely imposed at the local level by municipal governments of all sizes, as they began the first quarter of the new fiscal year with no indication of the final state aid level for this fiscal year. Over 60 towns and cities reported a wide range of troubling issues amidst continuing the state budget impasse. “These survey results presented a snapshot of the stresses on local government as they attempted to start their fiscal year, with little or no direction from the State regarding the level of state aid they will receive, never mind the level of state aid they need,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “With the looming state budget crisis this spring and summer, towns and cities moved to cut spending and limit tax hikes as they feared a significant reduction in municipal aid.”

• Implementing city-wide hiring freeze • Slowing the hiring process where at all feasible • Freezing all department budgets with only contractual and emergency spending authorization • Funding only work projects that support core services and essential work performed over summer months • Placing a hold on virtually all discretionary spending • Postponing planned road work due to uncertainties of Town Aid Road (TAR) funds • Not implementing planned road construction spending

What municipal services have you been forced to reduce, or curtail, as a result of the state budget crisis, with the start of the new fiscal year?

“And the specter of towns and cities needing to reopen their local budgets to adjust for significant cuts in state aid that could result from a final state budget agreement has created an unprecedented local-budget situation among municipal leaders, who pride themselves on responsible fiscal management and balanced local budgets year in and year out,” noted DeLong.

Again, nearly half of the responding towns (28 of the 61 communities) have already started to curtail some municipal services. For example:

Here is an overall evaluation of the individual responses for each question.

• Not filling vacant teacher positions

Has your local government frozen its municipal spending partially or wholly until the impasse is resolved and your state aid has been determined?

• Eliminating summer youth programs

Nearly half of the respondents (29 of the 61 communities) have imposed some level of spending freeze during the first quarter of the fiscal year. For example:

• Reducing education expenditures • Cutting police overtime and part-time hours • Delaying public works hiring after retirements • Postponing paving local streets • Reducing employee raises • Reducing library services and cutting back library hours • Delaying tax bills for motor vehicles • Cutting parks and recreation services

• Freezing capital budget spending funded through town’s General Fund

• Cutting back on environmental testing

• Holding on spending for police cars and public works equipment

• Delaying start of new school year

• Eliminating positions at the board of education

“Here is one way the state has set us up to fail: permitting so many properties to go off the tax rolls and then not reimbursing us. The state’s generosity is costing the taxpayers of New London dearly,” — Michael Passero, Mayor of New London 4 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

“Some staff have left and we have not replaced them; and we have put a freeze on spending until we know what our state revenue is going to be.” — Michael Freda, First Selectman of North Haven “Some state leaders are saying they don’t want any tax increase. Well, property taxes are taxes. It’s kind of naïve to think they’re going to cut that kind of money and not have a property tax increase.” — John Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry In the absence of a state budget and final state aid allotments, how much did your approved local government budget spending increase (by dollar increase and percentage) compared to last fiscal year? The average percentage increase in approved and proposed local government budgets among the 59 responding towns was only 1.52 percent. Recognizing that once a state budget agreement is reached, with final state aid numbers, local budgets in many cases may need to be adjusted (state legislation allowing for such action is expected to be included in the final state budget agreement) and this percentage figure may well change. • The increases range from .6 percent to 6 percent.

In the absence of a state budget and final state aid allotments, how has your property tax mill rate changed (by number of mills and percentage) compared to last fiscal year? The average percentage increase in approved and proposed local government mill rates among the 59 responding towns was 2.86 percent. Again, recognizing that once a state budget agreement is reached, with final state aid numbers, local budgets in many cases may need to be adjusted (state legislation allowing for such action is expected to be included in the final state budget agreement) and this percentage figure may well change. • The percentage increases in the mill rates range from .8 percent to 9.39 percent.

Has your board of education budget increased, remained flat, or been reduced as a result of the state budget impasse (by dollar amount and percentage change)? Of the 52 municipalities who answered this question, the education budget increased in 37 communities, while nine municipalities saw no increase in their education budget and the education budget in seven towns was cut below FY 2016-17 levels. • The average percentage increase in education budgets was 1.37 percent. • The percentage increases in education budgets range from .3 percent to 4.5 percent. (It should be noted that, under current statutes, municipal governments have little or no line-item control over education spending.)

Do you support or oppose removing the mill rate tax cap on automobiles? If you are opposed to removing the mill rate car tax cap, would you be willing to mitigate the state’s budget deficit by raising the mill rate car tax cap above the current rate of 37? If yes, what mill rate would you be willing to raise the car tax cap to? Of the 49 municipalities that responded to these questions, 38 supported removing the car tax cap and 11 opposed removing it; of that 11, three respondents said they would be willing to raise the mill rate car-tax cap above 37 mills; and lastly, when asked what mill rate should the car-tax cap be raised to, those three respondents said 40 or 42 mills. AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 5

Road Chaos

Budget crisis means less road work being done

here are many town and city programs hurt by the budget stalemate at the State Capitol. One of those with the most immediate impact is road work in the 165 municipalities that make up the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. That’s because road reconstruction, paving, and repair work can only be done in good weather months, i.e., summer and fall months, or when for most municipalities the new fiscal year starts. But with Governor Malloy and state legislators unable to reach a budget agreement before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1st, the legislature and the Bond Commission could not sign contracts allocating state funding for road work for towns and cities. Subsequently, municipalities’ public works crews have hit the roads during their busy season armed with only local funds – meaning most will only be doing about half the amount of work they normally do to keep the roads in good shape. The state budget crisis is a double whammy for road projects. The Town Aid Road (TAR) Grant provided to municipalities to assist in the construction, reconstruction, improvement, or maintenance of their local roads, highways, and bridges is dwindling. TAR funding includes funds for snow plowing, the sanding of icy pavements, trimming and removal of trees, the installation, replacement, and maintenance of traffic signs, signals, and markings for traffic control, and vehicle safety programs, and the operation of essential public transportation services and related facilities. Recent increases in state funding for municipal road and bridge repair haven’t been enough to reverse decades of shrinking assistance, or to prevent the steady deterioration of local infrastructure, CCM reports.

CCM said skyrocketing maintenance costs threaten local taxpayers across the state. “The passage of time and the slow recovery from an historic recession have created a perfect storm for the deterioration of Connecticut’s local roads and bridges,” said CCM President and First Selectwoman of Portland, Susan Bransfield. “While the state has made strides to increase investments to improve and maintain the state and local transportation network, the additional funding has not kept pace with the declining state of our transportation infrastructure,” Bransfield said.

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This year’s $60 million grant has the same purchasing power the program had in 1988, when it provided towns with $30 million, using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index inflation calculator. It would require $92.6 million this year to match the inflation-adjusted purchasing power of the original $13 million grant in 1967. The Local Capital Improvement Program, a second state grant that helps communities pay for infrastructure improvements, still provides the same $30 million per year it offered when the program began in 1987.

Meanwhile, the cost of transportation maintenance has generally moved upward, and sometimes very quickly.

that the school buses are off the town roads. It is what we call our prime time.”

Connecticut communities are responsible for maintaining 17,287 miles of roads, more than four times the 4,103 state highway miles assigned to the Department of Transportation.

Elsesser said his town has “cut our road program in half” due to funding uncertainty. “We’re going to lose some roads,” due to not being able to maintain them, the town manager said. “And, some that we save are going to be crappy roads.”

There also are more than 3,400 bridges and culverts on municipally maintained roads, also more than four times the number of state bridges, although the latter typically are larger than local structures.

“The passage of time and the slow recovery from an historic recession have created a perfect storm for the deterioration of Connecticut’s local roads and bridges,” — Susan Bransfield, CCM President

The state budget crisis – and the question that leaves over funding for road improvements – couldn’t have come at a worse time, according to John Elsesser, CCM Vice President and Town Manager of Coventry. “July and August are our really busy months for road work,” Elsesser said, “because those are the months

Besides urging increased funding for local infrastructure improvements, the CCM report argues that state and local maintenance should be planned in a more coordinated fashion.

“The reality in Connecticut is there are no separate state and local transportation networks,” Bransfield said. “… Investment in state roads should be done in concert with sufficient investment in local roads and bridges.”

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 7

Point / Counterpoint — Special Edition Issue: Communicating with Millennials

Millennials change budget presentation dynamic By Larry Peterson

illennials tool of choice is the smart phone - an icon driven device that is not only a telephone but connects them instantly to a once inconceivable array of applications and information. Their expectation and demand is that any source of information must be easily navigable, be visual, and above all have one click drill-down capabilities to reveal more details. Additionally, the millennial group (18 to 34) is bigger than the baby boomers and are more connected to technology than previous generations. Millennials are now the largest, most diverse generation in the U.S. population. By 2020 Millennials will represent one half the total workforce. What’s more, Millennials currently represent the largest voting group and will continue to be a sizable part of the population for many years. So, it is clear that the millennial group not only will be, but already is, the most powerful influential block of residents and taxpayers.

What is also clear is that budgets are generally presented in large printed books or online PDFs, making them time consuming to read. For example, the Hays County, TX PDF budget is 330 pages long and contains over 93 thousand words. A normal reader, at 200 wpm, would take 7.75 hours to just read through it. And, as we just stated, it is not in the DNA of Millennials to pour through these hefty documents. It just ain’t gonna happen. While all generations have experienced technological advances, the sheer amount of computational power and easy access to information that Millennials have had at their fingertips since grade-school is unparalleled. Millennials believe that their relationship to technology is what makes their generation unique — they are digital natives! Technology now allows internet-accessible graphical presentations with search capability and one-click drill-down methods that make budget accounts and subaccounts easy

to navigate and understand. People see in pictures and that is why navigating and understanding a graphical budget takes a fraction of time compared to reading hundreds of pages of a PDF document. “There’s a movement afoot to help people better understand government budgets by visualizing taxes and spending’” according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In addition, the National Transparency Association is helping municipalities and school districts become more financially transparent by suggesting ways to present important financial information and accrediting their transparency efforts. A number of municipalities have adopted one new budget visualization tool called Budget Infographics, aimed at better explaining, through graphics, where tax dollars come from and how they are being spent. To view an example of a city and county graphical budget go to the following links: www.budgetinfographics.com/leaguecity and www.budgetinfographics.com/traviscounty. The gradual, but growing, use of budget visualization tools by state and local government officials is welcome news, especially for Millennials.

“There’s a movement afoot to help people better understand government budgets by visualizing taxes and spending.”

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It’s not just Millennials that stand to benefit though. With easier understanding, there is more efficient information transfer to citizens resulting in fewer open records requests and citizens’ questions. A more efficient explanation of how tax dollars are being spent is a boon for everyone involved and gains citizen trust in elected officials and hardworking government staff.

CCM Interns read the piece on their generation and have a few thing to say By Kristin Lemley and Mackenzie Rafferty CCM Communications Interns, when proofreading articles for CT&C, found themselves in stark disagreement with the article on the previous page concerning ways Millennails process information. CCM staff proposed that the interns submit their own rebuttal. The interns eagerly accepted the challenge. Their response is below.

ur tools of choice are our minds, our words, and our ideas– but we appreciate you telling us it’s our smartphones (a device that was not created by our generation, but seems to be our defining characteristic). Our only expectation is that we not be spoken to like technology-addicted morons and we can confidently say that we have never demanded, nor even heard the phrase, “one click drill-down capabilities.” But, we will proudly wear the label of the most diverse generation. As more of us enter the workforce, we are eagerly preparing for the moment when we can effectively influence our professional and political environments. More than any generation before us, we have a drive to share our ideas collaboratively for a common purpose, rather than to simply make a point. We are open minded, forward-thinking, and curious. We are both tolerant and radical. What is clear to us is that no one wants to read 93 thousand words on the spending of Hays County, TX. Probably not even the people who wrote it. Budgets, in general, are presented in a manner that can be monotonous and time consuming for any reader–not just millennials. Instead of stressing this fact, our Millennial expert takes a rather accusatory tone as he insinuates that we (with our smart-phones in hand) are both too lazy and dumb to engage.

Well, as we stated, it is not in our DNA to be discouraged by shallow generalizations. It just ain’t gonna happen. All generations have experienced technical advances, and all previous generations have shamed and underestimated these advances. We believe our relationship to technology is necessary to succeed in an ever-changing environment. What makes us unique, though, is our dedication to equality, receptiveness to the unknown, and commitment to self expression.

“

it is not in our DNA to be discouraged by shallow generalizations.

So, when we read that graphical budgets are helping make government more accessible, it is “welcome news,” but not because we are too superficial to read them in their outdated form. What we welcome is the potential for increased participation. When budgets are more transparent and easier to read, you open government to audiences that are ignored– the underprivileged and underserved. This accessibility leads to a greater sense of collectivity and inclusion. Our generation has a deep sense of civic responsibility; we strive to leave the world a better place than what we were handed. For this reason, we embrace the use of graphical budgets and other technological advances. We want our jobs to be a way of doing good for our communities, but we are constantly being patronized. It is time to end Millennial bashing and to adapt to our professional approach. This means an end to stereotyping us as tech-obsessed narcissists, which is simply a projection older generations use to fit us more neatly into their boxes. Millennials are the future; we hold valuable insights and ideas. It is important that our voices be considered with sincerity. We will use our passion and, yes, our technology to make the world more sustainable, inclusive, and just. AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 9

Point / Counterpoint Issue: Line Item Veto

Association of school business officials opposes line item veto By Eva Gallupe, President, CASBO

ASBO opposes the specific item in the House Democratic Budget Proposal that gives local councils/boards of finance a line item veto over a board of education’s administrative and non-curriculum expenditures if voted by a ¾ majority. We are joined in this opposition by the member associations (CABE, CAPSS, and CAS) of the What Will Our Children Lose Coalition. This proposal is an unnecessary overreach by the legislature for the following reasons: It contradicts the statutory authority rightfully placed on boards of education for the implementation of all educational interests for local communities. Specifically, Section 10-220 of the CGS defines the duties of the board of education to include, but not limited to, providing “… an appropriate learning environment for its students which includes (1) adequate instructional books, supplies, materials, equipment, staffing, facilities and technology, (2) equitable allocation of resources among its schools, (3) proper maintenance of facilities and (4) a safe school setting.” In order meet these statutory responsibilities, boards of education and their staffs must have the authority to exercise full control over every aspect of providing education to our children. To bifurcate decision making for certain expenses incurred to educate our children would be unwise, counter-productive, and would possibly lead to decisions that are detrimental to the education of children. Knowledge and expertise of the inner workings of a school rests with the staffs that oversee and operate the buildings as they relate to the education of the students who are the responsibility of the local board of education as defined under CGS Section 10-220 above. To that extent, every item in a board of education bud10 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

get relates to services provided to children. To place this responsibility in the hands of others who are not directly knowledgeable of the day-to-day operations that impact children would again lead to decisions that are not in the best interests of children; and would be in violation of state statute. The development of education budgets goes through a very thorough vetting and approval process. This includes many meetings with municipal officials, public hearings, and, in many cases, town referenda. This provides townspeople an opportunity to vote a budget up or down. Once the budget is passed, however, it is a board of education’s and their staff’s responsibility to implement and monitor the budget to meet their responsibilities and not over expend the total appropriation. Again, this is part of the BOE’s responsibility under 10-220. Over many years, BOEs have worked continuously and cooperatively with local municipalities, and other school districts, in mutually beneficial ways to streamline processes and to provide shared services that have benefited boards and towns alike. These include, but are not limited to: group purchasing of electricity, oil, diesel, technology, supplies, health insurance and other benefits, field maintenance, food services, transportation, etc. (For more information see CASBO’s Shared Services White Paper: http://www.ct-asbo.org/ news/272597/CASBO-Shared-Services-Whitepaper. htm). CASBO is concerned this proposal will impact negatively the cooperation and collaboration between the BOE and other municipal boards. The Connecticut Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is a non-profit professional organization that represents school business officials (SBOs) that work in most of the 169 towns in Connecticut. SBOs work closely with school boards, administrators, staff, public officials, and communities and are responsible for most aspects of school business and operations.

The time for line item veto of education budgets is now By Steven Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland

began my career in local government in 1976 and in the forty years since that time local governments and Board of Educations for the most part operate in the same manner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; independently. Sure, there are cases where some functions have been combined and even in some cases schools have regionalized, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Connecticut has long been the state of steady habits; what we have done in the past is what we will do in the future. Budget realities at all levels of government are making it less likely that the government structure we have in place will be sustainable in the long run. At the local level, the inability for most towns to expand their tax base at a rate equal to budgetary increases, combined with the continued reduction in state aid, means constant increases to the property tax and/or reductions in municipal and school budgets. The way in which we do our business has to change if we are to remain competitive as individual municipalities and a state as a whole. I was originally asked to comment on the ability of local governments to have line item review of non-curriculum related accounts. I do not believe in that methodology either for review of local government or education budgets. The focus should be on functions and not line items. Therefore, my approach is to encourage the merging of non-curriculum related functions and putting them under the operational control of local governments. The core function of local government is to manage a wide range of diverse functions, from accounting to solid waste collection, and overseeing additional non-curriculum related functions is well within the ability of local government. The most obvious justification for this sea change is to

avoid duplication of effort. Local officials have as their primary focus the fiscal well-being of their operations and general administrative oversight of a myriad of functions. This is not a slight on Board of Educations, but rather an acknowledgment that their focus is the education of our children. Allow municipalities to manage operational functions of both organizations and savings will occur from the cost of services being integrated more fully with other similar services. Why do we within the same community have different purchasing rules for the town and board of education as well as bid procedures? Why do we have different personnel rules and provisions within collective bargaining agreements? Why do we have separate labor attorneys and different health benefit packages? Why do we have trained public works officials, but in many cases they have no jurisdiction over maintenance of school grounds or facilities? Why do we have finance offices duplicated within both entities? Other activities such as fleet operations, information services, library services, school crossing guards, and school resource offices all would seem to lend themselves to oversight by a municipality. It can be argued that the duplication of these activities between organizations within the same town and on a broader scale between towns and boards of education within a certain geographical area represent an unnecessary duplication and burden on local and state resources. By relieving school districts of the obligation for overseeing non curriculum related items will allow certified employees of the district more time to concentrate on matters of primary concern. With potentially shrinking budgets the allocation of resources will have to be more directed and any time spent during the course of the day by trained certified staff should be in their areas of expertise and not on administrative matters tangential to their primary focus. continues on page 12

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 11

continued from page 11

Municipal managers do not desire to absorb control of education budgets or operations, but are willing to lend their expertise in managing non curriculum related matters as a recognition of the difficulties boards of education will have in the future with reduced student population, increasing operational costs, and reduced state aid. Thomas B. Mooney, Esq., author of Connecticut School Law, identified the concern of boards of education to this approach in this quote from page 75, “Everyone has an opinion on how to run the schools and local municipal officials are no exception. Towns have tried various ways to dictate how local boards of education should expend funds appropriated to them, but the principle that school boards may exercise their independent discretion in deciding upon school expenditures remains intact.” Town and Board of Education officials, in order to survive the changing landscape, will like never before

have to develop or renew their faith in each other to mitigate the impression that a new paradigm for operations is being done merely to grab power. Rather, it is a necessary means of survival that will go a long way with demonstrating to the public that all municipal officials, both town and board of education, work together in the best interest of their constituents. While I have been a strong opponent of state mandates, it may be necessary for this concept to be embraced state-wide within a reasonable time period for there to be incentives attached for those towns moving forward with combined activities. I certainly understand the strong desire of most boards of education to maintain their independence and in order to allow that to occur we are going to need to look at all means possible to streamline the cost of the most expensive and one of the most important functions of town government.

Sustaining CT

New initiative to launch in November

unicipal leaders, residents from across the state, CCM, and representatives from key state agencies, non-profits, and businesses all partnered to help create Sustainable CT. Sustainable CT seeks to help towns and cities across the state become more vibrant, healthy, resilient, and thriving places for all of their residents. Sustainability actions, policies, and investments deliver multiple benefits and help towns make efficient use of scarce resources while engaging a wide cross section of residents and businesses. “The benefits of Sustainable CT to cities and towns of all sizes are built upon shared values of community and statewide partnerships,” said Theodore Shafer, First Selectman of Burlington and Chairman of the Sustainable CT Advisory Board,” with all coming together to accomplish the goals of health, economic development, environment, and cost savings” Sustainable CT will foster and reward: • Clean and diverse transportation systems and choices • Strategic and physical infrastructure and operations • Strategic and inclusive public services

• Dynamic and resilient planning • Well-stewarded land and natural resources • Thriving local economies with benefits for all • Healthy, efficient, diverse, and affordable housing • Vibrant and creative cultural ecosystems Stay tuned for additional updates over the next four months as we prepare for our launch in November! The Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University is coordinating and supporting the initiative. Support is provided by a funding collaborative composed of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation (EHTF), Hampshire Foundation, and Common Sense Foundation. Since January, municipal leaders,

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subject matter experts, and other stakeholders have been working energetically to create Sustainable CT’s roadmap of actions that towns will choose from to become certified. The visual story of the logo reinforces our tagline, “Local Actions. Statewide Impact.,” through the use of the state outline dotted with local communities represented in different colors and sizes. The ripples on the logo highlight a key goal of Sustainable CT to integrate solutions across a broad spectrum. Some ripples are closer to home, some reach far and wide. Some ripples overlap and connect municipalities to each other. These all represent the different types of sustainability work that happens locally, and the resulting benefits that can be shared across municipalities and statewide.

A M E SSAGE FRO M TH E

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CCM initiatives reflect municipal leaders’ commitment to collectivity By Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director

omething remarkable happened last fall in a crowded conference room in Meriden. Municipal leaders from across the state gathered to discuss community-based economic growth with reform from the General Assembly. The committee, on the heels of a discussion point, were taking a short break when Leo Paul, First Selectman of Litchfield began to speak. Paul pledged his support to the collective work of the group, despite the conversation having little to do with his own community. As Paul’s comment trailed off, the Chairman silenced sidebar discussions to move the agenda forward–but before the committee had a chance to regroup, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin stepped forward with an objection. Bronin expressed that since Litchfield could garner no benefit from the prior discussion, it was not resolved and the committee could not move forward. For Bronin, true resolution required an increased impact on the town of Litchfield– a testament to municipal leaders’ commitment to collectivity. To call this exchange “remarkable” might seem like an overstatement. With its small geographic size, Connecticut is extremely economically interdependent. Working together for the greater good is a crucial concept that municipal leaders from diverse communities not only grasp, but embrace in open quorums. The problem, however, comes when members of the General Assembly refuse to accept this same practice of collaboration. While municipal leaders eagerly embrace bipartisan participation, state leaders take on a rather narrow and self-motivated approach. This sectarian approach is seen time and time again in session– for example in the case of Malloy’s proposed ‘Robin Hood’ budget that would redistribute wealth to underprivileged communities. Every caucus in the General Assembly responded in their singular and restricted perspective–only aiming to save their districts and preserve their ideologies.

want the same thing for Connecticut, but simply differ in their views on how to reach their “collective” vision. While these statements sound valuable, they are not true. In fact, the budget impasse continues because legislators do not share a common vision for Connecticut– some legislators think preserving aid to their community is a legislative victory even at the expense of neighboring towns. Some want to bail out distressed cities, others want these cities to fail. Self-preservation has become a competition in which victory is declared only through the failure of the opposition. As Steven Covey declares in his best seller The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People “begin with the end in mind.” When municipal leaders put forth their recommendations, they work together towards a positive outcome for all of Connecticut. With a willingness to reach across parties and communities, municipal leaders cooperated to reduce rural and suburban property taxes while stimulating economic growth in urban centers– a clear display of the collaborative leadership that Connecticut desperately needs. When state legislators lead with inflexible self-serving approaches, there is little room for our state to thrive as a whole. When economic success for one town yields economic strife for another, the entire state fails. Collaboration, not single minded competition, inspires an attitude towards shared responsibility and mutual benefit. In order to move forward towards progress and prosperity, Connecticut legislators must put aside their limited self-preservation and embrace a more collective and collaborative approach.

This divide runs so deep that legislators have committed to vote down any budget that sends more money to a specific community. Leaders from both sides have expressed that they AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 13

Your “Concierge”

CTL serves CCM Members with 12 staffers across state

unning a town or city is time-consuming and has never been more challenging. We understand that at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

CCM Town Liaisons

That is why we are expanding our very successful Town Liaison (CTL) program. We like to think of it as our “personal concierge” program for towns. CCM’s Town Liaison Program is now expanded to 12 CCM staff persons whose mission is to best serve our member municipal leaders with direct, person-to-person service. Under the program, each of our 165 member towns have a dedicated CCM staff member assigned to them who will serve as the main portal to the organization, and to assure the highest levels of responsiveness and service from CCM. Each CCM Town Liaison fast tracks any information request or service need their assigned municipality may have and coordinates a timely response from all CCM services areas. Here are all the members of the CCM Town Liaison Team. You will be hearing from one of them soon!

n Kevin Maloney - Avon, Berlin,

Bloomfield, Canton, East Granby, Farmington, Granby, Hartford, Newington, Plainville, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Southington, Suffield, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks

n AJ Birmingham - Bethany,

Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven, Woodbridge

Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Bristol, Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, Plymouth, Prospect, Seymour, Shelton, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, Woodbury

n Randy Collins - Bozrah, Colches-

n Jennifer Cruz - Bridgeport,

ter, East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Preston, Salem, Sprague, Stonington, Waterford

n Tiffany Newsome - East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Somers, South Windsor, Vernon

n Daniel Giungi - Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Coventry, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Hebron, Manchester, Mansfield, Marlborough, Stafford, Tolland, Willington

n Barbara-Ruth Hickey - Bethel,

Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Stamford, Weston, Westport, Wilton

n Michael Muszynski - Burlington, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Litchfield, New Hartford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Roxbury, Torrington, Warren, Washington, Winchester

n Beth Scanlon - Cromwell,

Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford

Durham, East Hampton, Middlefield, Middletown, Portland

n Donna Hamzy - Ashford, Brook-

n Brian West - Chester, Clinton,

n Zachary McKeown - Canaan,

Please contact Kevin Maloney at (203) 710-3486 or kmaloney@ ccm-ct.org with any questions or suggestions regarding the CCM Town Liaison program.

lyn, Canterbury, Eastford, Hampton, Killingly, Pomfret, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson, Union Cornwall, Franklin, Griswold, Kent, Lebanon, Lisbon, Morris, Plainfield, Salisbury, Sharon, Sterling, Voluntown, Windham

14 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

Deep River, East Haddam, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook

Cutting Costs

Innovative energy system can shave town energy bills

CM and U.S. Energy have partnered to provide CCM-member towns and cities, their school districts, and local public agencies Fireye from United Technologies. The NX-M2G intelligent boiler solution eliminates waste cycling, reducing energy use and cost by up to 25 percent. The system has been successfully installed in locations such as the John Rowland Building in Waterbury, and PURA buildings in New Britain, which showed an immediate reduction in natural gas usage. Recently selected by the General Services Administration and U.S. Department of Energy as a High Impact Technology through the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, this technology uses temperature sensors and advanced algorithms to distinguish between boiler standby losses and actual demand for space heating. By doing so, the system conserves energy by reducing boiler “false starts” without compromising occupant comfort. NX-M2G is an intelligent boiler load optimization controller and has been specifically designed to prevent boiler dry cycling by differentiating between a genuine demand for heat from a demand resulting from standby losses from the boilers. An NX-M2G is fitted to each boiler (less than one day needed for installation) and constantly measures and analyzes the temperature profile of each boiler in real time via digital sensors fitted to each boiler’s supply and return lines.

This enables the NX-M2G to identify and prevent the boiler from standby cycling and more importantly allows the boiler to fire immediately if there is a genuine demand for heat. If a BAS/EMS is in place, the NX-M2G integrates with it, taking its “Stop/Start” signal directly from the BMS. Just as importantly, it recalculates the values every time the boiler reaches its required set point temperature. This allows the system to adapt to BAS/EMS variable set-points and not conflict with other existing controls. Contact Andy Merola, (203) 498-3056, amerola@ccmct.org, for additional information.

Good Work Rewarded

CCM Excellence Award deadline approaches

residents, and showcasing why Connecticut’s towns and cities are excellent places to live, work, and play.

We received nearly 90 entries from 60 CCM member municipalities in 2016, highlighting both individual and team efforts to improve the quality of life for Connecticut

Please help us recognize the innovative projects and individuals working to establish partnerships and build community support again this year by nominating a person or program for a 2017 Municipal Excellence Award. Submissions must be postmarked by September 1, 2017, or sent electronically by the close of business on Friday, September 1. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of CCM leaders past and present, and we will announce the winners and present the awards at our annual fall convention, November 28 and 29 at Foxwoods Resort.

t CCM, we know what municipal excellence looks like. We see it day after day, year after year, as we work to provide our members with benefits and services to help make life in Connecticut better for everyone. Last year, we launched a new awards recognition program, the Municipal Excellence Awards, to help our member towns and cities recognize the outstanding work and often life-long dedication afforded to them by their employees and elected or appointed officials.

U N I C I PA L Mexcellence AWARDS

Full information detailing the awards categories and submission process can be found on our website at http://www.ccm-ct.org/ municipal-excellence-awards.

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 15

Upward Mobility

Enroll in CCM’s Certified Connecticut Municipal Official Program

he job of a municipal official is complicated and demanding. To be successful officials need special skills and knowledge, but they also must be competent in a variety of areas. We understand how valuable professional development can be. Continuing education is not only important for your current position & personal development, but also to your career path. Under the advisement and direction from experienced staff at Trinity College, the Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) program was developed. CCM recognizes the distinct set of values, perceptions, and behaviors required of a municipal official. Our training is intended to teach you how to work collaboratively, solve problems, build partnerships, and work across political and organizational boundaries. CCM encourages municipal staff, elected and appointed officials to utilize municipal training workshops, conferences, special meetings, and other educational opportunities to expand their knowledge and enhance important leadership skills through education. To reward your commitment to furthering your education, CCM proudly offers the CCMO program. Now, you can become a Certified Connecticut Municipal Official. By designing this program to focus on you, your organization, and your community, we will help you achieve a standard of excellence. This program will blend the best from the worlds of practice and theory. Training sessions will be led by associations, recognized experts, and college faculty, with lengthy experience and insights needed to help you build the required skills for your demanding job. The CCMO program was designed so participants can complete the required credit hours within a two-year office term. Additional recognition will occur at your town hall and CCM’s annual convention in the fall. Also, a press release which highlights your accomplishments will also

be issued as well as a story featured in this magazine. Participants must complete 36 credit hours of study (12 workshops) within two years from the original application date. You must complete at least two from each of the three key areas: Personal Development, Organizational Development, and Community Development. To maintain certification, you must complete 9 credit hours of study (3 workshops) within the following two years. Enrolling is easy! Start by completing the enrollment form through the online portal http://bit.ly/2tN6hXG. Your attendance will be tracked through CCM’s event registration portal. CCM will then notify you once you’ve reached your required credit hours and become a CCMO. CCM can provide you with an attendance report at any time. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $120 for member municipalities and a $50 yearly fee to maintain your certificate. For questions about CCMO contact: Jennifer Cruz Phone: 203.498.3073 Email: jcruz@ccm-ct.org http://www.ccm-ct.org/ccmo

Charlotte Hosts NLC’s City Summit Register now for the November event!

harlotte will be the host to the 2017 National League of Cities City Summit, which will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center November 15-18. Attendees will be able to choose from more than 30 workshops, Thursday afternoon through Saturday morning. In addition to these main work-

shops, the conference programming will include mobile workshops around Charlotte on Wednesday and Thursday. Some of the workshops scheduled include panel discussions on economic development, affordable housing, philanthropy, smart technology, reducing burdens on city/town services, reducing crime, tackling homelessness, youth

16 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

employment, supporting entrepreneurs, and energy policy. Also scheduled will be new technologies for today’s vehicles, transforming vacant buildings into community assets, and engaging community youth. Those interested in registering should go to https://registration. experientevent.com/ShowNLC172/.

Tuition “Break”

CCM teams up with UNH, Post, Sacred Heart

CM will offer tuition discounts to our members at three Connecticut universities through a unique education program called “Partners in Education.” CCM understands how meaningful earning a degree can be and how important education is, not only to a worker’s current position, but also to his or her future career path. Through this program, CCM member municipalities (including all employees, elected and appointed officials, and board/commission members) will receive a tuition discount. The three colleges are: Sacred Heart University, Post University,

and the University of New Haven. At Sacred Heart, the university will offer a 10 percent tuition reduction to CCM members taking part-time undergraduate courses online or at its Fairfield campus. To find out more about the Sacred Heart program, visit the Sacred Heart/CCM partnership page online. At Post, the university will offer a 10 percent tuition grant to CCM members taking undergraduate and graduate courses. The offer is extended to immediate family members and includes spouses and children. It includes online accelerated degree program courses, classes taken at any of Post’s

regional locations, or a combination of both; or enrolling at Post’s four-year main campus in Waterbury. Visit the Post University/CCM partnership page online. At the University of New Haven, the school will provide a 10 percent tuition discount to all students employed through a CCM member town, including municipal personnel, elected and appointed officials, board, committee, and commission members who are enrolled in a part time undergraduate or graduate program at the West Haven, Orange, or New London campuses. Visit the UNH/CCM partnership page online.

#LoCoolGov School Contest Your community. Your call.

igh school and middle school students across Connecticut are going to tell us in their most creative way: What is cool about local government? CCM has put out the call to students to submit an essay, poem, photo, video, painting, multimedia project, or any other medium that paints a vivid picture of what makes local government cool! All entries are due by October 27, 2017! “The future of government — local, state and federal — lies in today’s students,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “We want to help inspire intrigue and civic engagement in local government by offering an opportunity for CCM to hear from the voices of Connecticut students about what they think is cool about their own Connecticut municipal government.” We have asked students to create a project using this as the central question and general theme — to have fun, and be creative! They may choose to submit their creative works in any medium they like — including three-dimensional! The contest is open to all students attending the municipality’s public middle and high schools. Participants must create their own original work themselves, but may get help from teachers, parents, or friends in the form of ideas. They may collaborate with peers and submit group projects of no more than 3 people. One submission per person/group. See www.ccm-ct.org for more information and look for #LoCoolGov!

The CCM awards committee will choose the winners based on the following: closeness to the theme, originality, and creativity. CCM will select the top projects using the above criteria. The winners will receive a $500 scholarship to be presented at CCM’s Annual Meeting & Dinner during our fall Convention November 28, 2017, along with an overnight stay at Foxwoods Resort for the winner and their parents that evening. All submissions will be featured in the online archive at www.ccm-ct.org. Winners will be notified after November 13, 2017. Here are some suggestions that students can use to get themselves started: • Do you know anyone who works in local government that you could speak to on the topic? • What excites you about your town? • What services do you like that your local government provides? (Club sports, theater, parks, fairs and festivals, parades, etc.) • What is your favorite place in your town? • What suggestions do you have to make your government cooler? What services do you wish your town provided? Email questions and submissions to: memberservices@ccm-ct.org

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 17

CIRMA CIRMA’s $5 Million Members’ Equity Distribution

ince 1980, Connecticut’s municipalities, public schools, and local public agencies have trusted CIRMA with providing financial strength and stability, innovative risk management services and insurance. This year, CIRMA members shared in our $5 Million Members’ Equity Distribution, the largest in the six years of the program.

Barbara Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury and CIRMA Chairman of the Board, noted, “The Board of Directors is pleased to be returning a share of its equity to its owners: CIRMA members.” “CIRMA is managed by municipalities and works for municipalities, and this commitment to serving the best interests of Connecticut’s local governments certainly shows. Hamden is proud to continue working with CIRMA, and we continue to look forward to the many mutual positive benefits of our relationship.”

CIRMA began its Members’ Equity Distribution Program in 2011, and has distributed nearly $20 Million to its member municipalities, public schools, and local public agencies. “Westport is fortunate to have a partner like CIRMA that advocates for us with a variety of insurance support. The quality of its work, combined with the efficiency of its operations, allows CIRMA to return Distributions like this one…” James Marpe, First Selectman, Westport

Mayor Curt Balzano Leng, Hamden CIRMA’s Equity Distribution program demonstrates the value of membership, and how, by working together, municipal governments can create an organization that serves them better than the commercial insurance market.

David Demchak, President & CEO, CIRMA, said, “CIRMA’s mission is to help our members build stronger, safer communities to live, learn, and work in, and the Members’ Equity Distribution program plays a vital role in that effort.” The distribution caps a year of outstanding financial results for CIRMA and its members. CIRMA continues to achieve its mission of delivering rate stability in support of its members’ need for budget predictability through strong financial management, operational improvements, and the success of its members’ risk management programs.

New CIRMA Staff

CIRMA: Developing insurance professionals

t the core of any innovative organization are professional staff. CIRMA has increased its ability to deliver risk management services with the addition of Ian Havens to its staff.

Ian Havens joined CIRMA in June to work with Pamela Keyes and George Tammaro as a Risk Management Junior Consultant. Before joining CIRMA, Ian was a CIRMA Risk Management Intern in 2016 and 2017. He has also worked for the Knights of Columbus as an Actuarial and Claims Intern. Ian, a resident of Hamden, recently graduated from St. John’s University where he received a Bachelor degree in Actuarial Science.

18 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

“I am very happy to accept this check on behalf of the Town and have CIRMA as our carrier. They have been very easy to work with and receiving this amount, especially this year with the state additional proposed taxes on our property owners, will be helpful to our town budget.” First Selectman Lizz Milardo, Haddam

CIRMA

Thank you for your loyalty and commitment!

Together, we’ll build a stronger, more secure future. Since 1980, Connecticut’s municipalities, public schools, and local public agencies have trusted CIRMA with providing financial strength and stability, innovative risk management services and insurance. This year, CIRMA members shared in our $5 Million Members’ Equity Distribution, the largest in the six years of the program. Visit www.CIRMA.org for more information.

CIRMA Call for Entries — Excellence in Risk Management Award, 2017

New for 2017! $2,500 risk management grant to each award recipient.

IRMA members’ risk management achievements have played a major part in creating the financially strong, stable, and innovative organization that CIRMA is today. This year, CIRMA will award each recipient a $2,500 risk management grant for future risk management programs! Our Excellence in Risk Management Award program recognizes those members that have demonstrated outstanding risk management leadership and results. Entries for the 2017 Award Program can be submitted from August 1 through September 30. One award recipient will be honored in each of the following award categories:

• Substantial Impact on Total Cost of Risk • Sustained Risk Management Programs • New and Innovative Risk Management Initiatives • Establishing Risk Management as an Organizational Priority Know of a risk management program that has made a big difference? Be a champion for the team that made it happen! Download an application form from www. CIRMA.org and submit it by September 30th.

City of Meriden joins CIRMA

hen the City of Meriden joins CIRMA as a self-insured member on September 1st, 2017 it will become a member of an organization dedicated to delivering innovative claims and risk management solutions. David Demchak, President and CEO of CIRMA, said, “CIRMA is excited and honored to work with the City of Meriden as their Workers’ Compensation and Heart and Hypertension claims management provider.” While it will be Meriden’s first time ever as a CIRMA member, City Manager Guy Scaife had worked with CIRMA in previous positions. “I had excellent experience with CIRMA. It says a lot that 85% of the municipal market in Connecticut are CIRMA members,” said Scaife. CIRMA’s market leadership demonstrates the breadth and depth of its capability and expertise, and helps drive continual improvements to CIRMA’s services and programs. Meriden has made risk management and managing work-related injuries a priority. “We chose CIRMA because of the high quality of claims management, online reporting, and return-to-work programs that it will provide to our employees,” he said. CIRMA will deploy a service team of claims professionals with over 100 years of industry experience dedicated to providing the best claims solutions. CIRMA partnered with industry leaders to develop CIRMAcare®, its state-approved medical care program that brings injured employees best-in-class medical care with the flexibility to customize care and control costs. CIRMA’s predictive modeling system ensures the right resource is applied at the right time to facilitate the recovery 20 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

process. The Business Analytics team focuses collecting and analyzing accident data to help cities and towns with preventing accidents. CIRMA also has the experience and tools in place to monitor and follow up on that small number of claims that may be suspect. [Pull quote] “CIRMA is a most trusted business partner.” [end pull quote] According to Mr. Scaife, the City of Meriden is very focused on ensuring the health and safety of their employees. As Workers’ Compensation exposures become more complex and medical costs continue to rise, CIRMA continues to develop innovative managed care and risk management solutions, including a broad array of training and education programs designed to improve workplace safety and reduce losses. Meriden, as a town of 60,000 people, has a wide variety of operations — including a municipal golf course, a water treatment plant, and airport — all of which have different working environments that present different risk exposures to employees. “CIRMA has the breadth of experience to assist us in managing risk,” said Scaife. CIRMA’s Risk Management team focuses on accident prevention, data analytics, best practices, and training to help members like Meriden build a culture of safety to reduce accident frequency and severity. As a member-owned and governed organization, “I trust that CIRMA’s business decisions will be made in the best interest of Meriden, he said, “CIRMA is a most trusted business partner.”

Library Revamping

CIVIC AMENITIES

Hartford restructures system after extensive study

artford Public Library (HPL) Board Chairman Greg Davis announced that Hartford Public Library will be implementing a Strategic Branch Restructuring Plan to create an enhanced and more sustainable service model that will enable the library to deliver more hours and better service system wide. This restructuring is the outcome of a nine-month strategic planning initiative and includes branch consolidations. “Our library serves, and must continue to serve, our diverse and changing neighborhoods and communities with services, programs, and collections so that all residents can learn, succeed, and thrive,” said Davis. “This plan will enable us to achieve those goals.” While the City has worked to provide level funding for the library, this funding has been unable for many years to support adequate staffing for the branches because of rising operational costs. This has resulted in service cuts over the years including reduced hours and days of service. And while foundation and corporate support has been generous, substantial revenue growth over the long term will be challenging. Regarding the decision on which branches were identified for consolidation, Andrea Comer, HPL board member and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, said, “Each community’s needs were looked at in the context of its ecosystem of current services provided.” The restructuring will keep open the downtown library, Albany, Park, Dwight, Barbour, Camp Field, and Ropkins branches.

system. There will be no layoffs with this plan. The HPL board unanimously supported the plan in a vote on June 29. TDC, a Boston consulting firm, assisted in researching branch demographics useful in making decisions about the sustainability and services of the library. Library leaders have made 16 presentations about the findings to the staff, public, and constituents in politics, business, nonprofit and other key parties. “This plan, which starts in September, will provide service enhancement opportunities that will mean more hours, including Saturdays and evenings, at several locations, and additional programming in the branches,” says Bridget Quinn-Carey, HPL’s CEO. “We will also be exploring 24-hour self-service kiosks, expanding locations, and enhancing mobile services. “This plan will enable us to expand services and ensure long-term sustainability for one of Hartford’s most valued institutions.” “The Hartford Public Library is a vital resource for children and adults alike throughout our city, and the library’s Board of Directors has conducted an open and thoughtful strategic review that looks at usage, hours, service levels, and the availability of public transportation,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “While the board has made the tough decision to close branches, they have done so with the goal of expanding hours and improving service throughout the city, in order to maximize accessibility and service for all residents. I want to thank the Board of Directors and Bridget Quinn-Carey for their leadership,” Bronin said.

The Goodwin, Mark Twain, and Blue Hills branches will be closing and their staff will be redeployed across the

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 21

CIVIC AMENITIES Teaming Up To Benefit Kids

Eversource, East Hampton work together on rebuilding park

versource is contributing $2,500 and is joining the effort to rebuild the Seamster Park Playground in East Hampton, the utility company and the town jointly announced. The park was built by the community nearly 24 years ago, but wear and tear has taken a toll on the equipment, and it has been deemed unsafe by the town’s insurance company. “There are issues with sight and supervision — you can’t see your child playing from one side of the playground to the other,” said Jeremy Hall, the Director of Parks and Recreation for East Hampton, in a statement. “It was built to code then, but now it’s not ADA accessible. There are some equipment issues and the wood is splintering.” Eversource’s contribution is in support of the town’s plans to tear down and “rebuild a brand new, state-ofthe-art playground that is 1,000-square-feet larger, and has all the bells and whistles for children and families to enjoy,” according to the company. Fundraising events and plans are in place to help pay for the $250,000 park, including a GoFundMe page. If the town doesn’t raise enough money to cover the cost, they will remove a few items from the playground to lower the final cost. The new and improved Seamster Park will add between 40 and 50 new structures for children to play on including a zip line, ropes course, tire swing, pirate ship, monkey bars, rope bridge, rock wall, and more. Plans also call for the park to be sectioned off with

Pickin’ It Up

Bridgeport attacks litter

ayor Joseph Ganim, and neighborhood community leaders, residents, local business owners, and volunteers came together to continue their efforts in Bridgeport’s anti-litter campaign ‘Park City Pickin’ It Up.’ The latest program supports local business owners in their cleanup efforts with ‘Adopt A Trash Can.’ Local merchants are encouraged to apply for a trash can to be installed in front of their establishment, making it easier for residents to discard litter. This initiative focuses on the beautification of the city and overall quality of life for Bridgeport residents. The ‘Park City Pickin’ It Up’ program will continue to include education, engagement, and sustainability.

22 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

activities geared towards school-aged children and another area for younger children. “The Seamster Park Playground will once again be a great place for kids to come and play for years to come,” said Rod Powell the President of Corporate Citizenship for Eversource, in a statement. “We’re committed to making a difference in the communities we serve and supporting initiatives like East Hampton’s new playground is a great way to give back to our customers and neighbors.” Similar to how Seamster Park was built 24 years ago, Hall said the community will be invited to help build the park from the ground up when the time comes. If fundraising goes as planned, the hope is to start construction in April 2018.

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A MIN L R

NEW HAVEN TERMINAL, INC.

The Economic Development section of CT&C is sponsored by New Haven Terminal, Inc. Learn more at: www.nhterminal.com

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORPORATE

Cue The Music

Baseball out, live concerts in for Bridgeport

ayor Joe Ganim built the Ballpark at Harbor Yard and brought the Bluefish baseball team to Bridgeport twenty years ago. Now the mayor and his staff have decided it is time to begin a new era at the venue. Baseball is out, live concerts are in. Developer Howard Saffan on Monday night revealed that his and concert promoter Live Nation’s competing proposal to turn the 20-year-old Harbor Yard ballpark into a warm-weather amphitheater was selected by City Hall over a new contract with the Bluefish. Saffan promised 29 concerts annually in a season running from May to October, and eventually hoped to include other events, from beer festivals to graduations. The amphitheater will open in spring 2019, he said. What that will mean for the neighboring Webster Bank Arena, an indoor music, sports and entertainment venue, remains to be seen. Saffan, of Weston, is certainly familiar with Harbor Yard and the arena — he was president of the Sound Tigers, who play hockey in the arena, from 2005 until 2015. In the statement released by the city, Live Nation’s Jim Koplik said Harbor Yard will be “a great boutique amphitheater.” Saffan said he and Live Nation will pay for $15 million worth of renovations to the 5,000-seat ballpark, but added he does anticipate a public/private financial arrangement with the city. Ganim’s office followed Saffan on Monday with a statement that highlighted Live Nation’s involvement as “one of the world’s leading artist management companies ... from ‘up and comers’ to veteran superstars like Elton John and Lady Gaga.” The details of the partnership between Saffan and Live Nation have yet to be explained. Besides his prior involvement with the Sound Tigers, Saffan is also known as owner of Shelton-based SportsCenter of Connecticut, a skating and recreation attraction. “This next chapter of Bridgeport’s future is bright with the benefits and experience of a world-known entertainment company like Live Nation, and the historic success of Saffan as a venue operator, to bring in

concerts and shows that will certainly put Bridgeport in the forefront as a destination place for family and friends,” Ganim said. The city sought proposals for Harbor Yard in March. The Bluefish’s contract expired at the end of last season. The team, owned by Frank Boulton since 2008, submitted its bid, as did a soccer league, and Saffan and Live Nation. Ganim in Monday’s statement from the city thanked the Bluefish for “all that (they) have done for our community.” “If this is the last year for the Bridgeport Bluefish, it will be an exciting one,” Boulton said at that time. “We’re in first place with the best record in over a decade. We just had a great event (the 20th anniversary “legends” game). Hopefully we’ll be in the playoffs — maybe win a championship.” AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 23

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Beer Craze Hits New Britain First brewery in over half-century opens

he state’s growing craft beer industry has a new entry.

New Britain just opened the Alvarium Beer Co., its first brewery in more than a half century. Mayor Erin Stewart and other city leaders joined Alvarium co-founders Mike Larson, Chris DeGasero, and Brian Bugnacki at their 5,000-square-foot brewing space and tap room at 365 John Downey Drive, Suite B. Founded in 2016, Alvarium, Latin for “beehive,’’ which is part of the city’s official seal, is the city’s first brewery since the closing of the Cremo Brewing Co. in the 1950s, officials said. “We have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Alvarium ever since the brewers first announced their plans last year. This will be the first commercially brewed beer in New Britain since 1955,” Stewart said.

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24 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Big-Time Development Amazon looks to add 2,000 jobs in North Haven

here are big projects and then there are really big projects.

The one coming to North Haven is in the really big scope. Amazon is expanding in Connecticut with plans to build a new 855,000 square-foot fulfillment center at the former Pratt and Whitney site in North Haven. The company, which recently opened a fulfillment center in Windsor and a sorting center in Wallingford, employs around 2,000 people in Connecticut, according to Gov. Dannel Malloy, and the North Haven facility would add around 1,800 more jobs. “This is a significant win for our state’s taxpayers and our economy,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said. “Amazon’s $255 million investment to expand operations in Connecticut is proof positive that when we work

with companies and bring our collective ingenuity to bear, we deliver on creating jobs for the hardworking residents of our state.” The worldwide online retailer plans to redevelop the vacant site on Washington Avenue into a new distribution center and warehouse. The property has been vacant for more than 15 years. “Five years after announcing our first fulfillment center in Connecticut, we’re excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in North Haven, creating more than 1,500 full-time jobs that offer wages 30 percent higher than traditional retail roles and include comprehensive benefits on day one, bonuses and stock awards,” Akash Chauhan, Amazon’s vice president of North America operations, said in a statement.

“We’ve found an abundance of talent in Connecticut’s workforce, and we are so happy to have this opportunity to expand in the state to serve customers.” Amazon already has a fulfillment center on Old Iron Ore Road in Windsor and a sorting center on Research Parkway in Wallingford. The Department of Economic and Community Development is supporting the project through the First Five Plus program, making Amazon eligible to earn up to $15 million in Urban and Industrial Sites Reinvestment tax credits if they reach certain job creation and capital investment milestones, according to the governor’s office. An additional $5 million in credits might be available if the company surpasses initial job targets.

“We’ve found an abundance of talent in Connecticut’s workforce, and we are so happy to have this opportunity to expand in the state to serve customers.” AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 25

EDUCATION The Education section of CT&C is sponsored by Gateway Community College’s GREAT Center. Learn more at: www.gatewayct.edu/Great-Center

Teaching Politics

9 Connecticut schools cited for civics lessons

ine schools or districts are being recognized for a pioneering civics education program that used the 2016 presidential election to teach politics to Connecticut children and young people. The program—called Red, White & Blue Schools— is a partnership between the State Department of Education and the Office of the Secretary of the State. It rewards outstanding schools that develop programs that foster strong civic engagement among students. The program, available to all K-12 schools in Connecticut, had its inaugural run with the 2016-17 school year and centered on the theme of “The Electoral Process”. “It is critical that we equip young people with the knowledge and perspective it will take to be informed, active citizens in a global society,” Commissioner of Education Dianna R. Wentzell said. “The Red, White & Blue Schools Initiative encourages schools to think outside the box about ways to engage students more actively in community and government. I am so impressed with the work happening in the schools being recognized today and I encourage more schools to participate next year.” Secretary Merrill said, “It was great to see children find ways to participate in the 2016 election. Democracy is not a spectator sport and there are many more ways to get involved than simply voting. We hope the experience sparks an interest among young people in democratic participation and that it will keep them engaged as active citizens in the future.” Activities included mock elections, the creation of political ads, linking students with campaigns, hosting debates, and creating math projects centered on the Electoral College, among many others.

• Westhill High School, Stamford • Windsor High School Schools receiving special recognition are: • Outstanding High School Program: Enfield High School • Outstanding 6-12 Program: Amity (Amity High School, Amity Middle School - Orange; Amity Middle School - Bethany)

The schools achieving recognition as Red, White & Blue Schools for the 2016-17 school year are:

• Outstanding K-12 Program: South Windsor Public Schools

• E.O. Smith High School, Storrs

The Red, White & Blue Schools program will continue to develop, promote, and recognize extraordinary civics education programs in the state. The theme of the 2017-18 Red, White & Blue Schools program will be “Engagement at the Local Level.”

• Lincoln Middle School, Meriden • Norwich Free Academy • Tolland High School 26 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

Excellence Rewarded

EDUCATION

Stratford, Milford teachers win prestigious Bridgeport teaching plaudits

he Inspiration Awards honoring the best of the best teachers in Bridgeport, Connecticut was hosted by the Bridgeport Public Education Foundation (BPEF) and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. Over 300 supporters from Bridgeport and throughout the region gathered at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport, Connecticut to honor teachers, their colleagues and friends of the schools who have dedicated their time and passion to helping Bridgeport students succeed. The Inspiration Awards honor the level of excellence and its impact currently occurring educationally in Bridgeport’s public school system. Teachers, administrators, and community leaders making a difference in the lives of Bridgeport students and families were honored at the Inspiration Awards. The annual ceremony is a memorable moment in the school year. 2017 Bridgeport Public Education Foundation Honorees The Beard Awards were a highlight of the Standing: Robert Laska (BPEF), Marcos Olivera (Tisdale School), Jacinspiring award ceremony. The Beard Awards, queline Simmons (Roosevelt School), Bryan Ripley Crandall (Fairfield among the largest education awards in the University), Wendy Milson (John Winthrop School), John Joyner (Hallen country, are provided each year through an School), Natalie Liberty (Central High School), Rebecca Kaplan (Central endowed fund at Fairfield County’s CommuHigh School), Arun Kadam (Bridgeport Military Academy), Barbara Bellnity Foundation. inger (BPEF). Seated: Amy Henson (Geraldine W. Johnson School), Jacee

The Theodore and Margaret Beard Excellence in Teaching Awards presented in Bridgeport are two $20,000 unrestricted cash awards presented to teachers who have brought innovation, excitement, and a love of learning to the classroom.

Rhodes (High Horizons Magnet School), Pamela Jannetty (High Horizons Magnet School), Arlette Mello Johnson (Multicultural Magnet School).

The 2017 Beard Award winners are Arlette Mello Johnson, a first grade bilingual teacher at Multi-Cultural Magnet School and Wendy Milson, a middle school mathematics teacher at John Winthrop School. Ms. Johnson has been teaching in the Bridgeport Public Schools for nearly five years. She passionately uses her own immigration journey to help her students become successful English language learners. Ms. Johnson lives in Stratford. Ms. Milson has been teaching in the Bridgeport Public Schools for over 14 years and specializes in middle school mathematics. Using a theatrical approach and creative technology, Ms. Milson makes mathematics BEARD AWARD Winners with the Beard Family and other dignitaries. come alive in her classroom in her mission to Standing Left to right: Juanita James, CEO & President, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation; David Emerson; John Beard; Molly Beard and help her students understand the importance Laura Emerson. Seated left to right: Beard Award Winners, Arlette Mello of mathematics in the real world. Ms. Milson Johnson and Wendy Milson. lives in Milford. AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 27

EDUCATION Government 101

Manchester lets citizens attend classes on local government

he Town of Manchester is now accepting registration for the Manchester Government Academy Fall 2017 Class.

In an effort to provide the public with a hands-on opportunity to learn about the inner workings of local government, the Town of Manchester developed the Manchester Government Academy in the fall of 2002. Government Academy will consist of a series of interactive sessions. Academy participants will get an inside look at the municipal operations covering everything from public safety to the public library. The Academy will feature a lively blend of demonstrations, presentations, and tours, all conducted in a casual format at numerous sites throughout the town.

Participants can expect to come away with a heightened awareness and knowledge of local government operations as well as a greater understanding of how to get involved in local affairs. The nine-week Manchester Government Academy class will begin on Thursday, September 7, 2017, and will conclude with a graduation ceremony on Thursday, November 9, 2017. The sessions are free and held mostly on Thursday evenings with a few exceptions; anyone living or working in Manchester are welcome to apply. Detailed program brochures and registration information is available online at www.townofmanchester.org.

It’s A SNAP

Free education and training brings hope for financial independence

t’s no secret that the decline of economic vitality in Connecticut has created a greater demand on social services. According to the 2016 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Accountability Report, 441,161 Connecticut residents rely on government assistance to feed themselves and their families.

DSS “E&T is a skills-based program that provides short-term vocational programs at community colleges and community-based organizations.

Along with nutritional assistance, the SNAP Education & Training program (SNAP E&T) aims to assure that food-stamp recipients can take the necessary steps to improve their financial situation by offering subsidized opportunities for training, retraining and eventual employment.

Each location takes on the recruiting effort, offering information sessions and step-by-step guidance for Connecticut SNAP recipients. Participants are not required to live in the town where the services are provided and may self-initiate at any location. According to the Gateway Community College SNAP web page, the program uses a holistic approach to help participants succeed. This includes counseling, vocational training and employment preparation.

Nine of Connecticut’s community colleges have entered into agreements with the Connecticut Department of Social Services to provide SNAP recipients with training programs designed to prepare them for employment in the current job market. These are Gateway, Housatonic, Capitol, Asnuntuck, Three Rivers, North Western, Naugatuck Valley, Quinnebaug and Middlesex. According to CT.gov/

Training programs are intended to prepare participants for entry-level jobs in industries that are looking for a trained workforce. Examples of courses available to SNAP recipients include Bookkeeping, Office Assistants, Church Management, Computer Science, Digital Print Production, Medical Office Assistant, Distribution & Supply Chain Logistics, Pharmacy Technician, Food & Beverage Professional,

28 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

Small Engine Repair and Web Design. Candidates for SNAP E&T are encouraged to attend information sessions. A photo i.d., proof of benefits and a social security number are required for admission into the program. The Connecticut Department of Social Services encourages qualified SNAP recipients to take advantage of the Employment and Training (E&T) program, by explaining that “E&T programs are based on labor market information that indicates projected job growth in a given field. Self-initiated workfare is available at nonprofit organizations and provides a way for SNAP recipients to gain valuable work experience which may lead to paid employment.”

ENERGY

Going Solar

Meriden schools convert energy usage plan

oth of Meriden’s middle schools recently went to complete solar power for energy use.

NRG, an energy company, recently completed the installation of solar panels on the roofs of Washington and Lincoln middle schools. The panels were installed at no cost to the city. NRG owns the arrays and as part of an agreement the Board of Education will buy electricity generated by the arrays at a fixed cost over the course of 20 years. “We’re seeing an increasing trend of schools in New England embrac-

ing renewable energy, and these two schools are the latest examples,” said Erik Linden, a spokesman for NRG. “In addition to the more tangible benefits of going solar, the schools also use the opportunity to teach students about the science behind renewable energy.” The power purchase agreement allows the district to buy back power over the course of 20 years at a fixed rate of 9.5 cents per kilowatt hour. As energy prices go up over time, the fixed price will save the district money.

Terraform, another energy company, is handling a separate solar panel project on the roof of Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. The school district has a similar fixedrate agreement with that company. Under the fixed contract, the schools would save roughly 4 cents per kilowatt hour of usage, which adds up to $35,646 in savings after the first year and about $1.3 million over 20 years. At the end of the 20-year contract, the school district can choose to purchase the panels.

Ice Rink Plugs Into Energy Program Hamden, UI team up on Astorino project

ayor Curt Balzano Leng and the Hamden Legislative Council worked closely to establish a new agreement which permits the town to participate in an Energy Opportunities Program with the United Illuminating Company for the Louis Astorino Ice Rink.

be funded as follows: $43,840 will be covered by the UI utility incentive and $43,840 is to be financed at 0 percent interest over 36 months.

The Energy Opportunities Program is a conservation program designed to retrofit existing systems with more energy efficient alternatives.

“I am pleased to see this project moving forward, and eagerly anticipate the energy savings the Town expects to receive as a result of modifying the existing energy systems at Louis Astorino Ice Rink.”

This program has a total cost of $87,680, which shall

Commenting on the agreement, Mayor Leng said, “Enhancing the energy efficiency of Town properties are key goals of this Administration.

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 29

ENERGY Energy Winners

Shelton, Bloomfield, Thompson will be in pilot program

onnecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has selected three proposals from Shelton, Bloomfield, and Thompson to participate in a new shared clean energy facilities pilot program that was designed to make access to renewable power available to more state residents.

The projects selected are:

In response to a Request for Proposals (RFP), DEEP selected two projects in Eversource Energy (Eversource) territory totaling 3.6 MW and one project in The United Illuminating Company (UI) territory that is 1.6 MW.

• US Solar Corp – USS Shelton 1.6MW, Shelton

The three selected proposals are for solar facilities that met program requirements to offer power at a price under a cap of 17 cents/kWh and to subscribe low- to moderate-income customers to at least 20% of the output of the generation facility. One project is located on a landfill, another project is located on a vacant industrial site, and the final project is on another vacant parcel that requires no tree clearing. “These projects will help increase access to clean energy resources for those customers that cannot participate in rooftop solar programs and focuses on outreach to low- to moderate-income customers,” said DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee. “The proposal prices for power from these facilities came in under the price cap we established as part of this initiative – and they will be sited on land with limited development opportunities, such as a landfill.”

• CHIP Fund 5 – Riverside Thompson 2.0MW, Thompson, • Clean Energy Collective – Bloomfield Board of Education 1.62MW, Bloomfield, The selected projects will now go to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) for regulatory approval. DEEP’s extensive evaluation process included an assessment of the delivered price of energy and renewable attributes, environmental considerations related to siting the clean energy resource, consumer protections beyond what DEEP mandated in the pilot program structure, project diversity to ensure DEEP learns best practices for shared clean energy in Connecticut through the pilot, and other factors outlined in the solicitation. DEEP will be submitting its final determination to PURA for review and approval in the coming weeks. DEEP will also be making recommendations on next steps for shared clean energy beyond the pilot program in the upcoming release of the Comprehensive Energy Strategy. These recommendations will seek to strike a balance between increased access to clean energy, along with other program benefits, and the cost of the program to ratepayers.

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30 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

New Revenue Source

GOVERNANCE

Suffield to charge non-residents to use town beach

abb’s Beach has been a favorite recreation spot in West Suffield since the late 19th century, but beginning in July, out-of-town visitors will have to pay to enjoy the property. Effective July 7, the town of Suffield, which has owned the 7-acre property at 435 Babbs Road since 1977, will charge an entrance fee for Babb’s Beach for non-residents only. Gate attendants will collect $20 per car for up to six people, with each additional person charged at $5 apiece. Located on the eastern shore of the Middle Pond of Congamond Lakes, the beach consists of 375 feet of shoreline. “The Town of Suffield has instituted this new policy for non-residents because there has been added maintenance costs for Babb’s because some visitors have not taken care of the park,” First Selectman Melissa Mack said.

“The Town has invested considerable resources and time to make Babb’s a beautiful place to visit. This past 4th of July weekend, the park was left littered with garbage. The Highway Department spent a substantial amount of time in the clean-up effort. The ‘carry in, carry out’ policy is due to the fact that trash cans initially established at the park were thrown into the lake and had to be fished out; the ‘catch’ included used diapers,” Mack said. “To date, two-thirds of the visitors to the park have been recorded as non-residents,” Mack added. “Suffield residents pay for the upkeep of Babb’s through their taxes. Because of the added work, we are now requesting non-residents to help defray costs via an entrance fee. We encourage all visitors to enjoy the park and take pride in its appearance.” Alcohol, littering, and dogs are all strictly prohibited from the park, and violators will be evicted from the premises.

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 31

HEALTH Health Investment

Two hospitals to study New London neighborhoods

awrence + Memorial Hospital and Yale-New Haven Health are investing $50,000 into two New London neighborhoods as a way of addressing social factors that impact health. The neighborhoods will be chosen from among the dozen identified in a 2016 community health assessment as having the highest rates of poverty and the lowest percentages of educational attainment. The assessment was conducted by the Ledge Light Health District with Lawrence + Memorial and highlights for the greater New London region the significance of social determinants of health, the conditions under which people are born and raised, work and age and the health disparities linked to income, education, housing, and access to nutritious food. Studies have shown, for instance, that lower-income and less-educated populations are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. The hospital’s contribution will be invested into prevention efforts, she said, activities specifically designed to impact social determinants of health. A community garden is one example, she said, of a way to bring people together on a social level while growing and learning about healthy foods.

People from city neighborhoods identified in the assessment will be asked what they like about their neighborhoods, what they wish they could change, and ideas they have on how to make their neighborhoods better. The process of determining which neighborhoods will benefit will be tackled by a selection committee that will include both community members and youth voices, said Jeanne Milstein, the city’s director of human services. Youth will be asked to submit their ideas through photos and essays. “This is an important investment as part of the partnership that we intend to sustain with the City of New London,” said Patrick L. Green, president and CEO of Lawrence + Memorial and executive vice president of Yale-New Haven Health. “Given the enormous financial pressures facing hospitals in this state, this is a program that would not have been possible had it not been for our new affiliation with Yale-New Haven Health,” he said. The timeline for formation of a selection committee is still being determined.

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http://ccm-ct.org 32 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

Sharing Resources

REGIONALISM

Budget woes push talk of regionalism

haring resources, or regionalism, has always been a conversation piece on the shoreline where towns are similar in size, population, and mission.

But the state’s budget crisis has moved the issue to the front burner lately. At the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting in Madison, Selectman Al Goldberg told fellow selectman that the Madison Board of Police Commissioners had a lengthy discussion about regionalism — in other words shared resources such as personnel and equipment between more than one town — at its most recent meeting. That discussion about potential “shared resources,” Goldberg said, was clearly instigated by the current budget crisis in Hartford, and the threat that state funding coming to more affluent towns in the state, such as Madison, Guilford, Branford, etc., may be severely limited in the coming years. Goldberg said that if and when police departments on the shoreline get real serious about sharing resources that is vitally important, in the eyes of the police com-

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missioners in Madison, that “transparent discussions” about the matter be held by three different bodies. Those bodies, Goldberg said, are the Board of Police Commissioners in each town, the police chiefs in each town, and the Boards of Selectmen and/or the first selectman in each town. Goldberg said while currently nothing is in the cards on the regionalism agenda, if the state’s budget crisis and the impact that will have on towns doesn’t improve, the issue may be forced on towns such as Madison sooner rather than later.

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 33

TECHNOLOGY Fighting Litter

Stratford launches social media campaign to clean up town

In an effort to curb litter and blight in Stratford, the town’s Beautification Committee has launched a unique campaign, #StratfordStopLittering, an anti-littering scavenger hunt throughout the town in July. So that individuals know what to look for, images of the signs can be found on the Town of Stratford Beautification Committee’s Facebook page @StratfordCTBeautificationCommittee. The object of the scavenger hunt is to be the first to find all the hidden lawn-style signs, take photos of each one, and then post them on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter using the hashtag, #StratfordStopLittering. Participants are asked not to move or remove the signs, and prizes for the first three correct entries will be awarded at the annual Beautification Committee Awards ceremony in September. The Stratford Beautification Committee’s goal with this summer scavenger hunt is to get people thinking twice before littering. By engaging students with cool artwork and relevant messages, the hope is to reach more individuals online and via social media to take part in this community effort. The signs were created by students in a Stratford High School graphic design class under the direction of Sarah Mahoney-Voccola, with the guidelines to be used as Public Service Announcements (PSA). Signs had to be eye-catching, relevant, and impactful with their message. Students researched various PSA ad campaigns for inspiration before starting on their own designs. This same class also contributed the logo and poster design for the “Stratford Light the Way” lighthouse art exhibit that is now on display along with many other Stratford High School related projects. Participating students include: Justin Gendron, Brooke Haschak, Caitlin Hoey, Tiffany Mendenhall, Emily Mucherino, Vanessa Rivera, Lucia Solis, and David Tran. For more information about the campaign, visit the Stratford Beautification Committee webpage on Facebook.

34 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

TRANSPORTATION Room For Growth

Train station on shore under utilized

ne of the big things people learned at the public sessions on Branford’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan is that there is plenty of room to grow right at the center of the plan – the Shore Line East train station. The town is currently studying potential future development opportunities within a half-mile radius of the train site location, but during a close to two-hour presentation by consultants those in the audience learned that the train station itself is currently underutilized. The consultants said they surveyed use of the train station site on a recent day, and that only about 25 percent of the 465 parking spaces were occupied. The consultants termed that as a station that is being “fairly underutilized,” adding that part of the problem is that train commuting is still a relatively new concept for Connecticut. Commuting patterns haven’t been established in Connecticut yet, the consultants said, noting that Shore Line East is only a decade old. “Basically, we’re a suburban state,” was what those in the audience were told, though the consultants said if bigger cites, such as Stamford, continue to grow as job centers that could change over time. The Town of Branford is conducting a study of potential redevelopment opportunities in the area around the Branford Shoreline East Train Station. Called Transit Oriented Development, this is development that benefits from proximity to transit services. It includes and would build upon, existing and pro-

posed projects such as Atlantic Wharf, Anchor Reef, and the Stony Creek Brewery. The Branford Station TOD Plan being developed will be an integral part of a town and regional initiative to promote growth and redevelopment that is more transit oriented, will increase the tax base, and will provide uses better suited to the current local and regional economy, said town officials in a news release. The study will also focus on improving pedestrian and bicycle access and walkability, with the goal being to improve linkages between the Town Center, Branford Station, and the waterfront. Community outreach is a critical component of the Plan to ensure the vision for future development meets local needs, said Town Planner Harry A. Smith in a news release. The Branford Station TOD Plan development will provide a host of opportunities for public input including two public workshops, a survey, and stakeholder interviews and focus groups. This outreach for public input will help to define a set of realistic and publicly supported development goals and objectives for the area. The study is supported by technical planning and market professionals so as to develop realistic development alternatives that consider potential impacts and/or constraints, parking, traffic, infrastructure, and other potential impacts on community facilities and services. The study will also identify issues that may require further study. The Plan is also proceeding concurrently with an update to the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).

AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 35

TRANSPORTATION Sidewalks And Bike Lanes

Ledyard seeks grant to rebuild Colonel Ledyard Highway

edyard’s Finance Committee has given its approval for town officials to apply for a grant that would allow for sidewalks and bike lanes to be added to a stretch of Colonel Ledyard Highway between the high school and Ledyard Center. Brought to the Town’s attention by Public Works Director Steve Masalin, the grant would allow the town to resurface and widen a few stretches of the road where necessary to build out the bike lanes and sidewalks along the roughly mile-long stretch. A good deal of resurfacing eventually will need to be done along the road anyway, Masalin said. This project would both accomplish the resurfacing and potentially be a first step to upgrading Colonel Ledyard Highway to the Groton town line. Funding for the project would be provided through a transit-oriented development grant from the state government, administered through the state Office of Policy and Management, if the town’s application is approved. Grants such as these attempt to maximize access to public transportation — in this case connecting major

36 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

municipal buildings, neighborhoods, and businesses with existing pedestrian sidewalks in Ledyard Center. A feasibility study was drawn up by architecture firm Kent + Frost and shows sidewalks connecting to Ledyard Center through Ray Holdridge Circle. The total cost of this first phase would be $1.06 million, and the town plans to apply for a grant of that amount. There is an optional “voluntary match” with this grant, which Masalin said could be met by showing the state the existing resurfacing work that already has been done on the road, and therefore no local money would be needed. Councilors pointed out that as it stands, Colonel Ledyard Highway is not pedestrian- or cyclist-friendly. A bridge over a stream near the high school means that pedestrians are “hemmed in by guardrails on both sides,” said Finance Committee Chairman William Saums, and they would have to jump over the side to avoid an errant vehicle. Masalin estimated that in the very long term, upgrading the entire road to the town line with Groton would cost about $4 million.

SENIORS More Help For Seniors

Tax relief program continues to grow in Madison

inety-six new applicants have qualified to participate in the town of Madisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior Tax Relief program, now entering its second year in operation. Twenty-two applicants for the program, which was started last year, were rejected because they did not qualify due to either not living in town long enough or having too much income. The senior tax relief program was approved at town meeting last year and was designed to ensure that the amount of money allocated for seniors does not exceed one percent of the previous yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s town total and education budgets. The cost of the program is borne by the rest of the taxpayers in town.

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 37

VOLUNTEERS Helping Those In Need

Volunteers help feed Hartford, West Hartford residents

est Hartford seniors and residents of a local shelter in Hartford benefit from a volunteer national public service campaign initiated by the Garden Writers Association of America in 1995. Westmoor Park has designated a 1/2 acre for this dynamic program that integrates the community to volunteer to organically grow vegetables and herbs. The produce grown is donated to a local shelter in Hartford, as well as the senior centers in town. The park has dedicated an organic vegetable garden to a nationwide project known as “Plant-a-Row for the Hungry.” Planting begins in April and the work continues through October. Volunteers are from all ages and levels of experience. Projects include planting, maintaining, and harvesting organically grown vegetables which are then donated to local shelters. Regularly scheduled volunteer days are: The first Saturday of each month (May - October) and Monday or Wednesday mornings.

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CCM appreciates their support and commitment to CCM and its members. 38 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2017

ZONING Saving Big Bucks

Zone change benefits homeowners in East Haven

hen it was announced a few months ago that new flood mapping panels had eliminated hundreds of homes near the Farm River from flood zones, it was hoped it might save money for East Haven homeowners who live in that area.

ings are even significantly higher,” the statement said.

Well, according to town officials, that hope has been realized.

The Town has worked with its GIS (geographic information systems) provider to get the information online. Those familiar with the operation of the town’s online mapping can find and compare the previous flood map for their area to the newly released data.

According to a statement from the mayor’s office, those who have re-done their home insurance and had their homes removed as flood plain status have saved “an average of $2,000 annually. In some cases the sav-

This portion of the 2013 FEMA flood map shows several homes in the Farm River flood zone (top, with red hashmarks).

The new status came after projects, such as bridge replacements, improved Flood Zone conditions to the point that over 200 private homes were removed from the Flood Zone completely.

The 2017 FEMA flood map shows all of the homes no longer in a flood zone.

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AUGUST 2017 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 39

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