Connecticut Town & City - December 2016 by Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

December 2016

This photo of Hartford was part of the 86 submissions from 60 municipalities we received for consideration.

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

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

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS President, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of Danbury 1st Vice President, Susan S. Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland 2nd Vice President, John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry 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 Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour

Inside this issue...

4 State Budget 8 Slate of New CCM Officers Lisa Pellegrini, First Selectman of Somers Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester 10 Education Funding Report Mark Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia Steven R. Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland 12 CCM Celebrates 50 Years 16 Municipal Excellence Award Winners PAST PRESIDENTS Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury

Leo Paul, First Selectman of Litchfield

Matthew B. Galligan Town Manager of South Windsor Herbert C. Rosenthal former First Selectman of Newtown

Regular Features 22 Point/Counterpoint

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

CIRMA News

Town News Stories

CCM STAFF Executive Director, Joe DeLong Deputy Director, Ron Thomas Managing Editor, Kevin Maloney

On the cover: A street scene from Hartford’s entry in the Municipal Excellence Awards

Layout & Design, Matthew Ford Production Assistant, Joan Bailey Writer, Christopher Cooper Editorial Assistant, Beth Scanlon

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

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 3

The Bottom Line

More state budget cuts called for as $1.3B deficit awaits

ore state belt-tightening is on the horizon as another major state budget deficit looms and agencies have been required to devise plans that cut spending 10 percent across the board. While the Malloy administration points out these are still proposals, CCM is closely watching the process because austerity at the state level can potentially shift more financial burden onto towns and cities. Such cuts would be on top of a to-be-determined $20 million cut in municipal aid this fiscal year. Lawmakers return to the Capitol in January for the “long session” to hammer out a new two-year budget. The state is projecting a gap of some $1.3 billion over the biennium. Some 20 state agencies so far have presented proposals that trim their budgets by the required 10 percent. Most agencies have taken the budget axe to payroll, identifying savings through layoffs or attrition. The state has already shed 1,550 positions through layoffs this fiscal year. One area of workforce reduction is centered on reducing the state prison population. The Department of Correction has proposed lowering the population from 15,000 to 13,900 inmates. The 7.3 percent drop in population aims to save $13.4 million through staffing reductions, shutting one prison entirely, and closing a number of units at others. The Department has also identified about $8.5 million in savings if it were to end its contract with UConn Health for mental health and other services for individuals transitioning out of prison. Those are programs that “do not directly relate 4 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

to medically necessary care,” the Department said and instead could be handled in-house. The state also plans to save about $3.5 million by relocating agencies from state office buildings on Capitol Avenue and Sigourney Street to new offices in downtown Hartford. Some proposals will certainly have an impact on those citizens with the least amount of wiggle room in their own budgets. For example, the state Office of Policy and Management, the Governor’s budget office, has proposed reducing a property tax relief fund for low-income elderly homeowners by $4.7 million and cutting a property tax relief for low-income elderly renters by $4 million — cuts that could certainly fall hard on local governments. Additional fees for state services also made the list. For example, a new $10 vehicle registration fee imposed every two years would go to support state parks. The fee would generate just under $30 million. The proposal includes elimination of current admission and parking fees to state parks, creating a net gain of $14.3 million for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Out-of-state visitors, however, would still pay for parking. DEEP would also sever relationships with a number of regional commissions, such as the New England Interstate Water Pollution Commission, Interstate Environmental Commission, and the Connecticut River Valley Flood Commission, saving about $100,000 in annual dues.

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O’Connor Named To Head CCM’s Advocacy Efforts At State Capitol

rian O’Connor of Portland, the chief policy director for the Connecticut House Democrats, has been named as CCM’s Director of Public Policy and Advocacy. As Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, O’Connor will oversee — working closely with CCM’s Deputy Director and Executive Director — the planning and execution of CCM’s public policy, advocacy, and lobbying services at the State Capitol and will also play a leading role in CCM’s relationships and interactions with other organizations and individuals in state government. For the past four years, he has served as the Director of Policy and Research for the Connecticut House Democratic Caucus. He worked very closely with Brendan Sharkey, Speaker of the House of Representatives, to turn his priorities into clear, actionable legislative proposals in each of the last four challenging General Assembly sessions. “We look forward to Brian’s leadership of our advocacy team, working closely with me and CCM Deputy

Director Ron Thomas,” said Joe DeLong, Executive Director. “His intimate knowledge of the state legislative issues that are key to towns and cities will have a major impact on CCM’s efforts and successes in the next General Assembly session and beyond.” O’Connor also served for ten years as State Representative for the 35th House District, representing the towns of Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook, Essex, and Old Saybrook. As a legislator, he collaborated with leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in advancing ideas and legislation to improve the quality of life in that district and across the state. He served as House Chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee; Deputy Speaker; and Co-Chairman of the Speaker of the House’s Healthy Kids Committee, which resulted in the passage of legislation that expanded access to health insurance for young people. He also worked closely with the insurance industry through the Insurance and

Financial Service Cluster to cultivate and maintain a competitive business environment in Connecticut. Prior to that service, he worked for 14 years as staff director for the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, the largest free-standing chamber in the state.

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CCM: Municipal Spending Cap Must Be Repealed

CM-member mayors and first selectmen are calling for the repeal of the municipal spending cap that was passed by the state legislature to restrict town spending. Under the cap’s law, municipalities that exceed a 2.5 percent increase in their annual budget would lose additional revenue-sharing state aid. The cap was approved in 2015 by the state legislature as part of a package deal to award millions of additional dollars in state aid to municipalities. Towns never agreed to the spending cap. CCM and local leaders are now trying to block the cap before it takes effect on July 1, 2017. Here are some of the primary municipal grievances regarding the spending cap: •

The statute is ambiguous and does not provide clear direction for implementing the spending cap. As a result, the state Office of Policy and Management (OPM) has yet to issue guidance on how towns and cities should determine the cap.

•

The statute incentivizes municipalities to borrow by exempting debt service from the cap.

•

The statute promotes hefty arbitration awards by exempting arbitration awards from the cap.

•

The spending cap language does not account for any additional costs placed on towns and cities

from new unfunded or underfunded state or federal mandates. •

There is no opportunity for a municipality or its citizens to override the cap without receiving a financial penalty.

•

It ties the hands of municipal officials and citizens and does not account for unforeseen circumstances in a particular community, which could impact budgets.

•

While the statute does account for the impact of an increase in population, it does not account for nonresidential growth in a community, which could also impact municipal budgets.

•

The stated purpose of the cap was to ensure that municipalities would use new revenue-sharing funds for property tax relief and not for additional spending. Unfortunately, the state has already significantly reduced the funding promised to towns and cities. And the OPM Secretary is threatening further reductions for FY18. Given the state’s fiscal situation, there is no certainty that the revenue-sharing funds will be available in future years, yet the cap would remain.

•

The legislation creating the cap was not vetted properly and was buried in a last-minute implementer bill, with no substantive discussion of its merits.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 7

Susan Bransfield Of Portland Elected CCM President For 2017 Slate of new officers, directors elected for new year

CM elected its Officers and Board of Directors for 2017 at CCM’s Annual Statewide Convention in mid-November at the Foxwoods Resort. Three new officers were elected, three new directors were elected, and 16 directors were re-elected for another year. Positions take effect on January 11. Here are CCM’s officers for 2017: •

Susan Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland, was elected CCM President. She had previously been CCM 1st Vice President. Before becoming First Selectwoman in 2003, Bransfield worked with the Connecticut State Department of Education as an education service specialist for the Child Nutrition Programs. Bransfield serves as chairperson of CCM’s Legislative Subcommittee on Public Safety, Crime Prevention, and Code Enforcement and is also a past president of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns. She has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut.

•

Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury, was elected CCM 1st Vice President

•

John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry, was elected CCM 2nd Vice President

Susan Bransfield will assume the position of CCM President in January.

Newly elected to the Board of Directors are: •

Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford

•

Jayme A. Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien

•

Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain

•

Leo Paul, First Selectman of Litchfield

•

Lisa Pellegrini, First Selectman of Somers

•

Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester

•

Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia

Luke A. Bronin, Mayor of Hartford

•

Steven R. Werbner, Town Manager of Tolland

•

Robert M. Congdon, First Selectman of Preston

•

Michael Freda, First Selectman of North Haven

Past Presidents continue to serve on the CCM Board. They are:

•

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

There are two honorary members of the CCM Board:

•

Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden

•

Elizabeth Paterson, Former Mayor of Mansfield

•

W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour

•

Stephen T. Cassano, Selectman of Manchester

•

Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield

16 municipal leaders were re-elected to the CCM Board. They are: •

8 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

•

Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of Danbury

•

Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager of South Windsor

•

Herbert C. Rosenthal, Former First Selectman of Newtown

Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury, was elected CCM 1st Vice President

Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford

John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry, was elected CCM 2nd Vice President

Jayme A. Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien

Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 9

PreK-12 Public Education

Education funding report sets the stage for debate in 2017 session

“P

reK-12 Public Education: How Massive Underfunding Threatens Connecticut’s Social and Economic Future,” the final report of CCM’s “Election Campaign 2016” series, covers the full range of education issues that will be focused on by state leaders during the upcoming 2017 General Assembly session that begins in the first week of January. The report concludes that Connecticut remains one of the most reliant states in the nation on the property tax for funding preK-12 public education, a finding supported by the recent landmark CCJEF v. Rell court decision which calls for a major overhaul in how the state funds local public education. This CCM report focuses on the major issues in the state-local partnership that are advancing — and hindering — the adequate financing of local public education across the 169 towns and cities. Among the significant findings: •

The cost for public education in our state is now greater than $11.5 billion (up from $10.6 million in 2013) and property taxpayers pay for almost $6 billion of that amount (up from $5.5 billion in 2013).

•

Property taxes fund about 60 percent of Connecticut’s nearly $2 billion in special education costs.

•

Despite those crushing burdens, the Education Cost Sharing grant (ECS) is currently underfunded by more than $600 million.

•

If fully funded in FY15, the ECS grant would total over $2.6 billion. The actual ECS grant for FY15 was about $2.0 billion.

•

Municipalities funded 50.6 percent of the cost of public education in 2015 while the state contributed an estimated 43.9 percent and the federal government 4.9 percent.

•

The federal share of special education funding is about 10 percent and falls far short of the 40 percent commitment that originally came with this federal mandate.

•

2016

A third of children entering kindergarten in the state’s poorest communities have no preschool experience. In the state’s wealthiest communities, more than 95 percent of children attend preschool.

The report identifies the following measures to correct state underfunding of regular and special education programs, including: •

Increase the ECS foundation level to reflect the real cost of adequately educating students tied to a statutorily identified cost index.

•

A State takeover of special education delivery. Short of that, decrease the Excess Cost grant

10 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

PreK-12 Public Education:

How Massive Underfunding Threatens Connecticut’s Social and Economic Future

threshold to (at most) 2.5 times the district’s average per-pupil expenditure. •

Shift the burden of proof for special education services to the plaintiff in due process hearings.

The report also recommends eliminating the Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR) for local education spending to provide relief to property taxpayers, and meeting the statewide need for school construction and renovation by maintaining the state’s unparalleled funding commitment to renovate or replace aging schools to meet enrollment needs and higher technology and quality standards. “First-rate systems of education and education finance are vital to Connecticut’s prosperity and quality of life,” said Ron Thomas, CCM Deputy Director. “Property taxes cannot continue to shoulder the lion’s share of preK-12 public education costs.” Thomas noted that former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke of education disparities earlier this year and singled out over-reliance on the property tax for local public education as a major culprit. “In order for Connecticut to compete economically with its neighbors and the world, the State must increase and sustain its financial commitment to preK-12 public education,” Thomas said. “For more than 40 years, courts have ordered the state to do so in order to meet state constitutional requirements.”

Do No Harm

Plan to consolidate health districts is a solution in search of a problem

move toward regionalism in many cases can be advantageous for municipalities by combining resources, leveraging purchasing power, and creating efficiencies. But the state’s latest proposal to regionalize health districts prompted a quick reaction from CCM and its member towns: Not so fast!

significantly reallocate resources and affect services at the local level. There is concern that towns would also cede control over who is hired and fired. If the legislation proceeds, each town would have representation on a regional health board but the public health commissioner would have control of hiring directors.

The possibility of another unfunded mandate — municipalities would be required to allocate 1.5 percent of their budgets to the regional districts — looms large among the objections. CCM voiced its opposition to the proposal in a letter to state Department of Public Health Commissioner Raul Pino.

The proposed 1.5 percent funding mandate could significantly stress town budgets, local leaders fear. For example, Manchester has budgeted about $850,000 for its Health Department this year. But the regionalization mandate could cause Manchester to increase spending on health services to nearly $3 million, based on its current budget of $184 million.

“There should be a process wherein groups with a significant vested interest are afforded the opportunity to develop a policy. Proposed policy changes that make significant changes to the current landscape without all parties involved unnecessarily creates an adversarial environment which is not conducive to sound, workable laws,” CCM wrote. Department of Public Health (DPH) officials have said that while there have been discussions with local health directors, any changes are in a “very preliminary stage.” The Department has noted that it is exploring many options heading into the 2017 legislative session that would ultimately improve quality of health services and remedy health disparities in a cost-effective manner. Municipal officials are wary that the potential consolidation of 73 health districts into eight or nine would

In addition, the change would even affect health spending for towns that already consolidate health services. The Eastern Highlands Health District, made up of 10 towns, could see municipal contributions increase more than 200 percent for some member towns, according to District Health Director Robert Miller. CCM supports the concept of consolidation for fiscal and operations effectiveness. Regionalization occurs on a daily basis among towns and cities and councils of government and sound consolidation should be encouraged. However, the DPH proposal represents a costly unfunded state mandate that would create yet another set of regional boundaries, remove local control, and could shift state public health duties to the local level.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 11

Since 1966

CCM celebrates 50 years of service and support to municipalities

CM’s 2016 Annual Convention featured a number of firsts. It was the first time the Annual Convention was conducted as a two-day event, it was the first time it was held at a resort destination, and it was the first time the event was also celebrating a one-of-a-kind moment in CCM’s history — our 50th birthday. CCM was founded in October 1966, after the municipal CEOs of 16 communities — led by then New Haven Mayor Richard C. Lee — met at Yale University and formally established the Connecticut Council of Municipalities. The other 15 local leaders at the meeting were from Ansonia, Bridgeport, East Hartford, Fairfield, Hamden, Hartford, Meriden, Milford, New Britain, New London, Norwalk, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury, and West Haven.

12 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

Since the original “Sweet Sixteen,” CCM membership has steadily grown and now includes 162 of Connecticut’s 169 towns and cities, our highest membership level ever. CCM has evolved in other ways as well. “As CCM celebrates 50 years of municipal excellence, we continue to grow in so many ways with strong advocacy, new programs, and exceptional, cutting-edge research and training,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “Local leaders rely on CCM as the best resource to provide the big picture on important municipal issues, knowing that even the smallest details will never be left behind.” As part of CCM’s Annual Convention on November 14 and 15 at Foxwoods Resort, numerous special events and celebrations marked CCM’s momentous year.

Special events in honor of CCM’s 50th anniversary on the evening of Monday, November 14 included: •

Remarks by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman.

•

A gala anniversary reception and dinner that included the CCM Annual Meeting Address by Joe DeLong which highlighted major accomplishments from the last year and discussed future initiatives for CCM.

•

The first-time presentation to a municipal leader of the Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award, in honor of CCM’s first Executive Director, who led CCM for more than 40 years. The winner was the late Richard Smith, long-time first selectman of Deep River. (See related article, pg. 15.) The first-time presentation to a municipal leader of the Richard C. Lee Innovators Award, in honor of the founder of CCM and former long-time mayor of New Haven. The winner was Thomas Roy, director of public works for Simsbury. (See related article, pg. 14.)

Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman

Special events on Tuesday, November 15 included: •

An inspirational and motivational keynote address by three-time cancer survivor Matt Jones who went from re-learning to walk to completing seven marathons on seven continents.

•

The first-time presentation of the Municipal Excellence Awards for town governments which recognized innovative projects that have significantly improved the quality of life for citizens, built community support, and established partnerships. (See related article for winners on pg. 16.)

One of the most special parts of the two-day celebration was represented by the people who joined in the opportunity to celebrate the past and focus on the future of CCM — nearly 1,000 local government and business leaders from all corners of Connecticut. Now that’s a birthday party!

CCM Executive Director Joe DeLong

Keynote speaker Matt Jones gave a speech that got attendees on their feet and motivated.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 13

Richard C. Lee Innovators Award

Thomas J. Roy, Simsbury’s Director of Public Works honored

n nominating Roy, Simsbury officials noted that the job of public works director “has expanded beyond the core functions of construction, maintenance, and facility management to include communications, public safety, economic development, community building, regional cost sharing and coordination, and exploring changing technology for core functions and energy efficiency.” The town lauded Mr. Roy for exemplifying what it means to be an outstanding public works director in today’s municipal world. Some examples of his leadership and innovations include: •

Mr. Roy developed a paving management system for the Town of Simsbury which serves as a model for Connecticut’s Farmington Valley and beyond. The system prioritizes road work with the goal of extending the life of the street and reducing the need for total reconstruction of roads which is the most expensive repair a town can make.

•

Tom has taken a leadership role in creating a bicycle-friendly community. Working with the First Selectwoman’s office, the police department, the Department of Culture, Parks, and Recreation, and volunteers, he helped Simsbury gain recognition as the first “Silver Bicycle Friendly” town in the State of Connecticut. He initiated the idea that Simsbury should offer free bicycles to residents and visitors and worked with volunteers to set up a nonprofit to accomplish this goal.

•

Tom initiated a third party bill pay system for all of the town’s utility bills to better ensure accuracy in pricing, taxes, and tariffs and to evaluate trends to better understand energy usage over time. He has initiated energy savings programs throughout the town, including the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, the purchase and re-lamping of street lights which will realize $100,000 in savings per year, energy upgrades to town buildings, and the management of Simsbury Solarize, one of the most successful Solarize projects in Connecticut.

•

Tom has created policies for residents to reference so they may better understand how the town does business and to increase transparency and fairness. Examples of policies he has developed and posted online include: tree policy, mailbox policy, usage guidelines for facilities, and a curbing policy.

The Richard C. Lee Innovators Award is named for the former mayor of New Haven and founder of CCM.

14 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award CCM recognized the late Richard Smith, First Selectman of Deep River

t the CCM Annual Convention last month, CCM made the inaugural presentation of the Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award to the late Richard Smith, former first selectman of Deep River. Dick Smith (“Smitty”) held the office of Deep River First Selectman from November 1989 until March 2016 for a total of 26 years, 4 months, and 22 days.

At the time, Deep River’s retail sector had managed to weather the competition of shopping malls and big box stores, but its downtown had become lackluster. A committee of residents designed the streetscape including real brick, decorative street lamps, benches, and other amenities, and the effort began with a two-block area utilizing the first STEAP grant.

To residents new to Deep River and to an entire generation of native-born citizens, Dick Smith was as much a fixture in the community as the venerable 1893 flatiron Town Hall he occupied for so long. His words and deeds shaped the town and set its direction for more than a quarter of a century and his vision is evident across the landscape of the quaint village he loved.

Ten years and four STEAP grants later, Deep River’s Main Street Streetscape spanned the entire one-mile stretch of the commercial district.

In nominating Smith for the Cogen award, Deep River officials titled the application “The Renaissance of Deep River, or Smitty’s Vision Realized.” Local officials say his approach to achieving that vision was “that of a maestro, but whose orchestra consisted not of musicians, but of engineers and architects, builders and pavers.” Deep River’s Main Street Streetscape is one of the town’s signature achievements, a 10-year undertaking beginning with an idea conceived in 2005 and realized with the help of five separate STEAP grants.

During his extraordinary tenure, Dick Smith directed dozens of projects, mostly funded through grants he applied for and administered including: •

an addition to the public library

•

new space for youth and family services

•

major enhancements to recreational facilities

•

upgrades to existing athletic fields in town

•

a new ball field, basketball court, and skateboard park at a local town park

•

Connecticut’s first municipally owned and operated business incubator building — a program so successful that it was expanded to include a second, larger building creating a total of 18,000 square feet of incubator space.

His friends and colleagues remember Dick Smith as a “managerial genius” and a master of coordination and balance: streetscape here, road rehabilitation there, sewer expansion here, fitness trail there. By the end of his journey, Dick Smith had brought a true renaissance to Deep River, the marks of its architect evident in new and revitalized spaces and places all across town. The Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award is in honor of CCM’s first Executive Director who led CCM for more than 40 years.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 15

And The Winners Are...

Municipal Excellence Awards showcase members’ best efforts

urning ideas into action to improve services, efficiencies, and the day-to-day quality of life for citizens is at the heart of CCM’s annual Municipal Excellence Awards — generously sponsored for this inaugural year by ECG Engineering — and this year there was no shortage of ideas.

N I C I PA L U M

The robust competition included 86 submissions from 60 municipalities, a show of enthusiasm and community pride. Judging was based on: •

How the project or program was organized, administered, and explained

•

How well it achieved its goals

•

How well resources, such as grants, budgets, and staff, were used

•

Whether the project could serve as a template for other communities

The four municipalities honored at CCM’s Annual Convention last month — Hartford, Manchester, Rocky Hill, and Coventry — reflected a cross-section of our state. From one of the largest communities to the smallest, each project recognized the importance of being innovative, collaborative, and committed to improving the lives of those who live and work in the community.

Hartford – Energy Programs The capital city was honored for its creative programs in sustainability. The city’s comprehensive energy strategy produced several new programs in 2016 that fea-

excellence AWARDS

tured a microgrid and an energy improvement district. The programs are aimed at resiliency, reducing greenhouse gases, saving taxpayer money, and improving air quality for better health outcomes. The city leveraged a partnership that included CT DEEP for a microgrid grant; UConn law students who drafted renewable energy zoning code provisions pro bono; CT Green Bank, a private solar company; the Environmental Defense Fund; and community volunteers. The microgrid will keep several neighborhoods powered in the event of damaging storms. It cost $1.3 million, plus $2 million in a grant from the 2013 State First-in-the-Nation Microgrid Pilot Program. Savings from the microgrid and energy improvement districts are passed down to taxpayers. Property owners benefit from streamlined zoning codes for renewable resources and subsidized solar energy.

GOAL 1: Build a Microgrid The site plan shows community services that will be “online” during a grid outage, with the microgrid saving the City money in the meantime.

The health center is adjacent to the school.

POWERING HARTFORD UP | Submission for the CCM Municipal Awards | 7 A page from Hartford’s winning submission for theirSustainability “Power Up2016 Hartford” program

16 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

CCM Executive Director Joe DeLong and Kendra McQuilton of ECG Engineering, P.C. presented the staff of Better Manchester Magazine with their award on November 15th at the CCM Annual Convention.

Manchester – Communications Read all about it! That’s what the town of Manchester had envisioned when it created “Better Manchester Magazine.” It began in 2013 as a way to deliver news of local resources and programs from both the town and public schools. Today it is published three times a year and packaged with the seasonal catalog of the Department of Leisure, Family and Recreations. Recent issues have featured: •

Restructuring of three town divisions into a single new department

•

Capital investments in parks and schools

•

National, state, and local responses to unenrolled and unemployed youth

•

Early childhood community plan

•

Results of the public schools’ development assets survey

The magazine is published online and in print and direct-mailed to some 28,000 households in Manchester. There are efficiencies built in as the town uses existing resources and community partnerships. All content is researched, written, edited, and designed in-house. The town maintains a small $600 freelance budget for local photographers and artists. It also leverages

an agreement with artists whose work is displayed at the town’s annual art series that they will license three pieces of work at no cost for one-time use in the magazine. The town has a printing partnership with the local newspaper that prints the magazine and catalog at no cost to the town. Annual direct mail costs have been reduced from $12,000 to $4,500 because of the town’s partnership with the public schools that splits the cost of mailing.

Rocky Hill – Special Needs Activities The town of Rocky Hill is all inclusive when it comes to recreational sports, particularly in providing opportunities for children with special needs. This year’s award recognized the recreational programs the town has created over the years to ensure that all children can get out and play all year long. The popular programs are run by volunteers and overseen by a Recreation Department supervisor. All are offered for children from kindergarten through 12th grade. They include: •

Sidekicks Soccer – A fall program that partners participants with members of the high school soccer team. In 2015, there were about 25 participants.

continues on page 18

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 17

continued from page 17

Rocky Hill’s Sea Cubs Swim Club

•

Sea Cubs Swim Club – A winter program that pairs participants with members of the high school swim team. In 2015, there were 19 participants.

•

Challenger Sports – A spring program that offers structured baseball activities while providing flexibility for the participants. About 22 youngsters participate.

•

Summer Knights – A summer program that incorporates sports, parachute play, music, and movement. It averages between 15 and 20 participants.

•

Miracle Field – Created by the Parks and Recreation Department, the ADA-compliant field is one of two alternative playing fields in the state. The town paid for the $800,000 project with a state grant.

Coventry – Redevelopment The little town that bills itself as the “Gateway to the Quiet Corner” has undergone a rebirth over the past several years and CCM judges took notice. The award-winning project is “The Renaissance of Coventry Village,” the result of enhancements to civic amenities, recreation facilities, utilities, storm water management, parking, public safety, and roads. Those improvements are helping to spur economic development that will ease the local tax burden. Residents will also have more hometown goods and services and patronize those local businesses. Business improvements and constructions were achieved by co-investments through grant administration. There has also been a focus on brownfield redevelopment, environmental remediation, and adaptive re-use of assets to return derelict properties back to active tax rolls. Pedestrian and vehicle safety have been enhanced with infrastructure improvements. There has been focused attention on improving recreation while protecting the environment. The town has created hiking and biking trails in the Mill Brook Greenway, preserved open space, and reconstructed the Lake Gate Outlet. Fueled by civic pride and a community-supported plan for 26 years, the “Renaissance” reflects the unique aspects of the historic mill village. It has leveraged grants funding, municipal investments, private investments, and community engagement. Visit http://www.ccm-ct.org/municipal-excellence-awards for more info.

18 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

Recognizing Our Own

CCM senior staffer celebrates 30 years of service to towns and cities CCM recognizes Kevin Maloney, Director of Communications and Member Relations, for his 30 years of service to member towns and cities. “This senior member of CCM’s executive staff represents, along with other key veteran staffers, the heart and soul of CCM for the past three decades,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “He cares deeply about and has a compelling loyalty to the mission of CCM and the service needs of our member towns and cities.” “Municipal leaders look forward to his continued key role in CCM’s efforts on behalf of towns and cities as we face ongoing challenges in municipal government and its relationship with the state and federal governments,” said Susan Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland and incoming CCM President for 2017. Kevin Maloney speaking on behalf of CCM for a recent Fox61 news story focused on shared services.

MUNICIPAL CONSULTING SERVICE Because experience & integrity count.

MCS services are provided by highly qualified consultants with a variety of experience working with and for local governments and school districts.

MCS assists CCM members, their school districts and local public agencies with a full complement of essential services, including:

Grant writing and researching • RFP drafting • Project management Operational reviews • Change implementation • Organizational studies Strategic planning • Finance and budgeting • Purchasing Facilities management • Temporary staffing Contact Andy Merola: 203 498-3056, or amerola@ccm-ct.org for additional information.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 19

MUNICIPAL ETHICS DILEMMA

Now Included In Core CCM Membership

ind education and a wide range of other grants for local governments by signing up for CCM’s GrantFinder Program today — now free for CCM members! Here’s just one example of the great grant information you can expect to receive. Schools and nonprofits can apply for 2017 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grants beginning in December. From December 18, 2016 through February 9, 2017, public agencies where Lowe’s operates stores and distribution centers may apply for Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grants program. Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation support public education by funding improvements at public schools throughout the United States. The program focuses on K-12 public and charter education. Project applications for the Toolbox for Education grants program should fall into one of the following categories: •

Technology upgrades

•

Tools for STEM programs

•

Facility renovations

•

Safety improvements

Grant requests may range from $2,000 to $100,000, but most large projects awarded range from $10,000 to $25,000. Critical need projects of more than $25,000 are considered on a case-by-case basis. To sign up for GrantFinder, contact Andy Merola at amerola@ccm-ct.org, with the name, title, email address, and phone number of the designated subscriber for your municipality. Visit http://www.ccm-ct.org/grantfinder-tool for more info.

20 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

red is a town employee working at the town hall. As the town budget referendum nears, Fred brings a petition to work opposing a controversial ballot proposition. On break times and at lunch, Fred asks his co-workers to sign the petition, arguing that town workers could lose their jobs if the measure passes. Has Fred committed an ethics violation?

Response: Fred’s actions are definitely in violation of Mansfield’s Code of Ethics. Under Chapter 25 - 7, Section M in Mansfield’s Code of Ethics it is written that “no public official or public employee may engage in any political activities while on duty for the Town or with the use of town funds, supplies, vehicles, or facilities’ ... and is prohibited from “taking an active role in connection with a question such as a referendum or approval of a municipal ordinance...” These sections of the Code make it clear that Fred is in violation. Betsy Paterson Ex-Officio Member Mansfield Downtown Partnership Board

HERE’S A NEW DILEMMA!

obert works in his town’s purchasing department and he takes care of the billings for various office supplies. He thinks the town is paying an unreasonable amount for paper, so he makes copies of the bills for his wife who works for a paper company. After her review, he offers to have his wife’s company provide superior products to the town at a lower cost. Is this a violation?

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DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 21

Point / Counterpoint

Issue: Two-year or four-year terms for municipal CEOs? Two-year terms encourage focus By Michael Freda, First Selectman of North Haven

The concept of a two-year term versus a four-year term is one that has always had conflicting points of view.

company’s outside legal firms, and was in charge of the company’s banking relationships. This was all in addition to overseeing seven Executive Vice Presidents.

I see both sides of the issue in terms of how much of an advantage it may be to achieve goals and objectives in a four-year term, but in my case here in North Haven, I am very comfortable in keeping a two-year term status.

The role of a Chief Elected Official is much the same as to what I was responsible for back then regarding the complexity of what we do and all that we are responsible for. In many cases, life lessons are such that we have a choice on how we view a situation and that choice and mindset can be the reason why we are successful or why we fail.

I have chosen to view the issue from the standpoint of being a competitor and accepting a two-year term as motivation to get things accomplished, being relentless on multi-tasking, remaining focused on the short term to move our municipality forward, and to understand that by staying focused like a laser beam to achieve short term success, that could lead to successful campaigns in the hopes of being re-elected. In my corporate business career as President/CEO of my companies, I dealt with a Board of Directors that was focused on both short-term and long-term results. I had to perform in the short term and I had to multi-task to the level where I was managing the top-to-top relationship with our clients, was involved directly with the customers, headed up our mergers and acquisition team, sat on our clients’ corporate advisory boards, managed the 22 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

I know that a four-year term offers added time to achieve objectives, but I also realize that to encourage charter change while I am in office may appear to be self-serving to the public. I like the competitive challenge of a two-year term because it reminds me of the environment that I described in my business career and requires an all-out competitive effort to succeed knowing that someone is looking to take your job every two years. The competitive aspect of a campaign every two years is invigorating for me; it represents a competitive challenge that I thrive on. In those campaigns that I ran unopposed, I was actually disappointed. These are some of the many reasons why I have embraced a two-year term status.

We are proud to present a continuing series of opposing views — in a pointcounterpoint format — on major public policy issues facing Connecticut. We hope you find it stimulating and informative. If you have any suggestions for future topics, please contact Kevin Maloney at kmaloney@ccm-ct.org.

Four-year terms foster consistency By Michael Finkelstein, Mayor of Ledyard

Since moving to a “Strong Mayor” system of government in 1971, the town of Ledyard’s mayor has served a term of four years and the community has been extremely happy with the results. Currently, I am just short of one year into my term. I believe one of the greatest benefits of serving a four-year term, as opposed to a two-year term, is the inherent “learning curve” that exists in municipal government. As a full time CEO of a community, the responsibilities and requirements are enormous. At my one-year mark I feel as though I am finally at the point of being completely comfortable with the many requirements of this job. Now I have three years to operate at full speed, so to speak. If I were serving just a two-year term, I would be winding down when in fact I should be ramping up. The four-year term also allows me the ability to implement desired programs while minimizing the threat that a change in mayor could change what was implemented, based upon the time it takes some municipal actions to be codified.

occurs at the top of an organization, change is inevitable. A term of four years allows the leader an ability to lay out staff expectations and have those expectations cemented during their term. This is extremely valuable to maintaining a happy and effective municipal work force. Additionally, in municipalities where the mayor/ first selectman appoint certain department heads, four-year terms benefit the town by allowing greater consistency with crucial job functions. In the case of my town, appointing new town clerks, finance directors, director of administrative services, and director of public works every two years creates gaps in leadership which trickles down to the work force, ultimately affecting both the quality of work performed and the morale of employees. In closing, I am fortunate that the town of Ledyard has a four-year term of office for its elected mayor and would certainly recommend the change to any community considering it.

Another benefit of the four-year term is the ability to apply more consistent leadership. Every time a change DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 23

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 7 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

CCM Offices FOIA: Boards, Commissions, Committees

Thursday, December 15 Check Yourself – How is Calendar your Town doing CCM Municipal Training 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Economic Development

West Haven City Hall Shelton City Hall

JANUARY 2017 Saturday, January 7 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

2017 Municipal Budgets

Southington Police Department

Tuesday, January 10 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

FOIA: Boards, Commissions, Committees

Naugatuck Town Hall

Tuesday, January 24 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Whistleblower Claims – One Chance to Get It Right

Fairfield Town Hall

Thursday, February 2 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

How to Run Legal and Effective Meetings

Ledyard HS Auditorium

Thursday, February 9 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Creative Ways to Communicate with Residents

Milford City Hall

Thursday, February 16 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Customer Service for Municipal Personnel

TBD

Thursday, February 23 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Social Security: Programs and Benefits You Can Use NOW!

Monroe Library

Wednesday, March 8 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Customer Service for Municipal Personnel

Woodbridge Town Hall

Thursday, March 23 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Ethics, Accountability, and Conflicts of Interest

Vernon Town Hall

FEBRUARY 2017

MARCH 2017

CCM Job Bank

Listings: ForCurrent more information, to register for any training, or if your municipality is interested in hosting a session, contact CCM Training at 203-498-3037 or Library Director ccmtraining@ccm-ct.org EAST HAMPTON, CT

Property Appraiser WALLINGFORD, CT

Town Administrator PUTNAM, CT

“A little bird told me about a job you might be interested in.”

Town Manager ROCKY HILL, CT

Highway Superintendent MADISON, CT

Jobs posted to CCM’s Job Bank can also be found on twitter @CCM_ForCT

To place or view an ad, please visit the CCM Municipal Job Bank at

http://ccm-ct.org 24 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

CIRMA

What’s New At CIRMA Mike Wampold named Assistant Vice President, Workers’ Compensation Claims CIRMA is pleased to announce that Mike Wampold has been promoted to the position of Assistant Vice President, Workers’ Compensation Claims Unit. In his new role, Wampold will be responsible for the direction and management of CIRMA’s Workers’ Compensation Claims operations, the strategic planning and supervision of Workers’ Compensation Claims staff, and management of its service providers. Wampold has over 27 years of experience in the insurance industry and 19 years of experience in management. Since his start at CIRMA in 1997, Wampold has provided exceptional service to CIRMA’s membership. Most recently, he successfully directed the development of CIRMA’s Managed Care Program, including the performance management of its managed care partners.

Mike Wampold, Assistance Vice President, Workers’ Compensation Claims Unit

Albert Anacta, Statutory Accountant III

New CIRMA Staff Albert Anacta joins CIRMA’s Finance Department as a Statutory Accountant III, working with Debra Cusimano, CIRMA’s Chief Financial Officer. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from De La Salle University and has over 20 years of insurance-related accounting experience. He most recently worked for the Pepsico Corporation as an Associate Manager for Captive Insurance & HQ Entity Accounting. Anacta is a resident of New Fairfield.

The Blizzard of 2013 dumped as much as 40 inches of snow on parts of Connecticut.

Cold Weather Property Awareness Initiative Weather forecasters are predicting a colder than usual winter for Connecticut this year, increasing the risk of severe damage to municipal and school facilities. CIRMA is adding to its Cold Weather Property Risk Management Training & Education programs two new webinars: Frozen Pipes (December 14 at 10:00 AM) and Snow Loading (December 21 at 10:00 A.M.). The webinars are presented in partnership with the Hartford Steam Boiler and Inspection Company. For more information and to register for these free webinars, visit CIRMATraining.org.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 25

CIRMA Rapid Response, Expert Guidance

CIRMA’s Employment Practices Liability Helpline program delivers value to CIRMA LAP Members Within just a few weeks of its launch in October CIRMA’s Employment Practice (EPL) Helpline has proven to be of tremendous value to CIRMA LAP members. Municipal and school leaders from around the state have used the EPL Helpline program to get fast, expert advice on a range of employment practices questions. The program is provided in partnership with FordHarrison, the nation’s leading experts in employment practices law.

direct cost, and right when they need it.” CIRMA LAP municipal and school leaders who need more in-depth assistance or who plan significant changes to their employment practices or employee handbooks, can obtain services through the program at a discounted rate.

“Response time for the EPL Helpline is rapid: questions called or emailed to the attorneys are typically answered within an hour, often within a half hour.”

Most questions called or emailed to the EPL Helpline are answered in less than an hour, providing CIRMA members a fast, convenient way to help them respond to rapidly changing employment issues. David Demchak, President and CEO, CIRMA, said, “CIRMA Employment Practices Liability Helpline was developed to provide CIRMA members with immediate expert resources to help members manage and reduce their exposures. It provides a convenient source of expertise—at no

Another benefit of the EPL Helpline program is the News & Alerts service. This program helps municipal and school leaders and HR staff keep abreast of relevant changes in Connecticut’s employment practices law. Subscribers also receive invitations to free webinars on current topics.

To subscribe to the EPL News & Alerts, please contact cfield@ccmct.org. EPL articles are archives on the CIRMA website, LAP Program, EPL page. For more information, please visit the CIRMA website, www. CIRMA.org.

January 2017 Is CIRMA’s “Preventing Slips And Falls Awareness” Month

Add it all up and the costs of slip and fall accidents to CIRMA members and their communities is huge. Last year slip and fall accidents accounted for almost $10 million in direct Workers’ Compensation claims costs and for nearly $2 million in liability claims. The personal cost to those injured or disabled is higher still. Slip and fall-related injuries can be catastrophic when they result in a head injury or broken bones. Older workers and the elderly are at particular risk. Because every CIRMA-member employee and every municipal operation is at risk, from teachers to police officers, town halls to senior centers, CIRMA is making January its “Preventing Slip and Fall Awareness” month. January’s cold weather, snowy and icy surfaces,

and short daylight hours increase the risk of slip and fall accidents by almost 58% over the yearly average. David Demchak, CIRMA President and CEO said, “CIRMA’s Awareness Month is a unique program that provides municipal and school leaders a wide range of training and communications resources to help them prevent slip and fall accidents.” The program is designed to help educate every employee and members of the community about the few simple precautions they can take to help prevent these types of injuries. It also provides facilities and maintenance staff a range of professional-level resources to help them create effective

26 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

slip and fall prevention programs in their entities. CIRMA encourages all its members to visit the CIRMA website’s Preventing Slip and Fall Awareness Month page to download new prevention posters, employee handouts, and other resources. Posters and reminders can be posted on your town or school’s website or Facebook pages to help broadcast this important message. CIRMA plans a number of communications to members and their employees during January to promote this safety initiative, and help prevent the most common and costly of accidents. Look for more information in the weeks ahead.

Save the Date!

Lunch will be served!

“

CIRMA is a collaborative organization. Our Annual Meeting is a great opportunity to meet other municipal leaders and to take part in guiding CIRMA’s direction.eiii

“

CIRMA

at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel, Rocky Hill

CIVIC AMENITIES

The Times They Are A Changing And so are local libraries

ibraries have always been places to find the best information, from biographies to best-sellers to best practices and everything in between. Historically, public libraries have served as gateways to information outside one’s own community — a role that is more important than ever during these times of rapid technological change. Once centered around bookshelves and study carrels, libraries now offer exhibit spaces, gathering places, and access to Internet connectivity.

has authorized grant funds for 90 public libraries for high-speed fiber connections to the CEN and has been awarding grants in various funding rounds since 2015. The grants cover all costs of installing the fiber connection to the library. It is anticipated that the connections will be completed in the first half of 2017. The most recent 15 public libraries to receive grants are: •

Bethel Public Library

•

Case Memorial Library (Orange)

In keeping with their historic mission of providing free access to the best and most recent information and portals of knowledge, local libraries across the state are on the leading edge of providing every kind of information in every format, furthering their role as a public provider of services and programming by keeping pace with all of the advances of the Information Age.

•

Derby Public Library

•

Easton Public Library

•

Guilford Free Library

•

James Blackstone Memorial Library (Branford)

•

Kent Library Association (Kent)

As community providers of knowledge and access to knowledge, public libraries are now being relied upon to provide broadband telecommunications services for their communities. Accordingly, universal high-speed connectivity in libraries across the state has become essential. Libraries also play an important role in helping to close the digital divide by providing people without home computers free access to the Internet.

•

Bill Library (Ledyard)

•

Oliver Wolcott Library (Litchfield)

•

Richmond Memorial Library (Marlborough)

•

Sherman Library

•

Sterling Public Library

•

Terryville Public Library

State government has supported this effort with grants to help public libraries connect to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN). In total, the state

•

Killingly Public Library

•

Willington Public Library

28 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

All Aboard!

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In Danbury, the future of TODs is now

anbury is doubling down on development near its train station with the hope of attracting new residents and businesses to the transportation hub and giving the Hat City’s economy a boost. Transit-oriented developments (TOD) are in planning or development stages in many Connecticut communities as increasing numbers of people want to walk or bike from their homes or jobs to public transportation. The city vibe is attracting young people to urban centers, bringing energy and “feet on the street,” and that means more restaurants, shopping, and entertainment — and more dollars pumped into local coffers. Danbury is definitely ready to drive that train. With the help of a state grant, the city is studying TOD possibilities in the immediate area of the downtown train station. TOD districts typically allow for more housing and commercial density near transportation centers, making them appealing to municipalities for many reasons, not the least of which includes getting the highest and best use from the strategic properties located near mass transit. The TOD study will focus on the boundaries of the TOD zone and how to further enhance development within it. “It will look at a variety of things, including zoning

regulations, additional infrastructure or marketing, that will help entice people to develop the area,” said city planner Sharon Calitro. “Urban areas throughout the country are looking to develop higher-density downtown development around modes of transit, particularly as populations shift back into the cities and people want to use more mass transit.” National studies have confirmed that nearly three in four Americans would support zoning changes to encourage transit-oriented development in their own communities. In addition, nearly 75 percent of millennials and 60 percent of Generation X residents would be willing to pay higher housing costs in order to get to work without driving. But rather than the wave of the future, the future of TODs is now, believes CCM President and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. Boughton said Danbury already has many of the components in place to create a successful transit-oriented district in the train station area. “We believe downtown Danbury can be a transportation hub for the surrounding region and the foundation is already in place,” the mayor said. The Danbury TOD study is expected to take about a year to complete.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 29

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Assessed For Success

Windsor Locks is first to establish tax increment financing district under new state law

fter residents approved the measure at a referendum last month, Windsor Locks became the first town in the state to create a downtown tax increment financing (TIF) district. A 2015 state law designed to help municipalities revitalize their downtown areas included a provision that permits TIFs. The law helps municipalities reinvigorate blighted or depressed commercial areas without a cost to taxpayers because investments in the district are paid for by revenues generated by growth in the TIF district. Windsor Locks First Selectman Chris Kervick said the goal “is to allow us to leverage new revenue from early improvements in the district to help stimulate and support continued investment in the district — it is a way to build on momentum — and it works best when there are one or two big projects up front to get things moving in the right direction.” TIF districts work by determining the current tax assessment on each property within the district and the revenue produced by that assessment at the time the district is created. Any increase in taxes that results from a rise in the assessment in subsequent years is known as the “increment.” While the town’s general fund continues to receive the same amount of taxes it was receiving at the time the district was created, the increment is deposited into a separate municipal account. Expenditures from this account may be used on improvements within the district, on incentives to developers, or to pay for infrastructure improvements, schools, or other needs that result from development within the TIF. The general fund continues to receive the revenue it had been receiving; only the revenues that come from the new value created

in the district are separated and reinvested. “It’s a creative way to stimulate revitalization of downtown at no expense to the taxpayer because it relies only on new money coming in,” said Kervick. The new TIF district will pay immediate dividends. The developer of a $64 million conversion of an

30 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

abandoned mill on Main Street into 164 upscale one- and two-bedroom apartments cited the TIF district as one of the “keys” in the company’s decision to invest in the project. “Not only will the TIF district not burden taxpayers but it will increase revenue as new investment in the district continues and assessments continue to rise,” Kervick said. “Success breeds success.”

EDUCATION

“We explained that information is shared with a larger audience now and learned how you respond respectfully and safely.”

Whiz Kids

Darien students embracing digital classroom concept

ather than just present a report to the Darien school board on the progress of using new technology in her classroom, fifth-grade teacher Amanda Thomas went one better. She had her students run a recent school board meeting using the new digital technology. “I love it,” Thomas explained. “I’m impressed by how fluently they’re moving into a digital workplace. They’re naturals. They aren’t afraid to try something out.” The students have been taking part in the district’s technology initiative and demonstrated their expertise using Google Classroom and Chromebook. Google Classroom is a free web-based platform that is able to integrate multiple functions, such as email, calendars, and documents. It is designed to help teachers organize assignments. It gives teachers the ability to know who has completed the work and allows them to provide direct feedback to students. The students opened the school board meeting by

demonstrating how they use Google Classroom on their devices to retrieve homework. They also can work on writing assignments and get announcements from their teachers. They can create their own math problems and have their classmates solve them. If they have a reading assignment, they are able to highlight key passages. Before the class could begin using the devices they had to complete a week-long “digital citizenship” course, Thomas said. “We learned what it meant to operate digitally,” she said. “We explained that information is shared with a larger audience now and learned how you respond respectfully and safely.” The school district began a pilot program in January, assembling a group of nine teachers in grades four through seven. In the spring, the library staff began offering courses in “digital citizenship” that highlight responsible and appropriate use of the devices.

DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 31

ENVIRONMENT Tweet Dreams

New Canaan adds bird sanctuary and nature preserve to open space inventory

ew Canaan is adding to its open space inventory by acquiring a 6.5 acre parcel that local officials say is strategically important in town because it is adjacent to an already preserved parcel of 41 acres, it preserves a natural area in town that could otherwise be lost, and it will conserve an important bird sanctuary.

Audubon Sanctuary and provides an entry point to the area for residents of the nearby Silvermine neighborhood.

The Silvermine-Fowler Preserve, sponsored by the New Canaan Land Trust, contains a wide variety of wildlife habitats including meadows, woodlands, wetlands, and a pond which could be used for catch-and-release fishing.

The New Canaan Land Trust partnered with Trust for Public Land to raise funds for the acquisition and the state chipped in with an open space grant.

The purchase will forever protect the Still Pond which hosts abundant wildlife, including important birds such as the Eastern Wood Peewee, Red-eyed Vireo, and Northern Flicker. The acquisition also protects a migratory bird route. In addition, the parcel secures an important link to the abutting 41-acre Hicks Meadows – Kelley Uplands

32 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

A house on the property will be removed and the driveway will serve as public access with linkages to existing trails. The land will be a significant addition to the Land Trust’s adjoining 41 acres.

Capital Campaign committee member Chris Schipper said, “The preservation of the Fowler land and Still Pond is a success for all of us to enjoy. It is a bargain purchase, conserving an important bird sanctuary and providing a great recreational resource to the Silvermine District.” The New Canaan Land Trust currently stewards 379 acres of diverse woodlands, wetlands, and ponds throughout the town.

GOVERNANCE Financing The Future

When the housing ship comes in, Groton wants to be ready

ith one of its biggest employers aggressively hiring, Groton is looking to take advantage of the potential demand for housing and business by setting up special taxing districts. Submarine maker Electric Boat continues to secure government contracts for at least two subs a year and needs the workforce to meet the demand. The company has about 14,000 employees in Connecticut and Rhode Island and is adding 4,000 more jobs. That growth is getting attention from private developers and the timing is perfect to create more housing choices. A recent market analysis of the town recommended the use of tax increment financing (TIF) districts that allow communities to kick-start development. The tax increment financing provides help at the beginning of a project rather than after it is built, which is when tax abatement generally is provided.

Special district TIF financing is based on what a municipality expects in tax revenue from a proposed development. The municipality and developer strike an agreement that the developer would receive a percentMech-Jacobson Ad:Layout 1 3/3/14 8:13 AM Page 1 age of the new revenue over a certain period of time

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after the project is completed. With that formal agreement in hand, the developer would be able to apply for bank loans to help get the project off the ground. Other states have been using this approach. Maine, for example, has more than 350 special tax districts and uses them to help developers secure pre-construction financing. In Connecticut, Windsor Locks recently became the first municipality to establish a TIF district (see related story on page 30). The possibility of this arrangement already has the town and one developer focusing on a prime piece of commercial property for a large mixed-use project at the busy intersection of routes 184 and 117. Mario DiLoreto, an Old Lyme-based developer, has proposed a project that would have nearly 400 apartments, 25 townhouses, and 85,000 square feet of retail and office space. The project would be poised to take advantage of the dynamic hiring at Electric Boat. “If we don’t create these environments, we’re not really doing our best to tell our companies, ‘We welcome you, we want to create a place that you can hire people that want to come here,’” DiLoreto said.

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DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 33

GOVERNANCE Government, 21st Century Style Naugatuck uses technology to better serve taxpayers

he Naugatuck Board of Education is leveraging the power of the Internet to radically improve the governance process while saving time, taxpayer dollars, and the environment, officials said in a news release. This new initiative will replace the old and costly method of compiling, printing, binding, and distributing paper agenda packets by hand with the online program BoardDocs. The program, used by school districts throughout the country, makes meeting agendas and supporting documents available on the Internet. The Board of Education is now able to distribute documents associated with board meetings quickly and in real time to people who are unable to physically attend the monthly meetings but can follow along online, officials said. This process will also allow interested parties to review information prior to board meetings. After the meeting, individuals can review the agenda items and see action details, complete with voting results. All documents associated with the meeting are automatically archived and can be accessed by meeting date or the system’s comprehensive search feature.

The Board of Education will also use the BoardDocs technology to publish its policies and procedures online for the public to easily view, which will provide access to the most current and historical meeting information immediately and drastically reduce the expense of distributing policies and procedures. The Board introduced the new program at the September meeting. The agenda and all item details are available at www.naugatuck.k12.ct.us.

7 - 4 = $60,000,000

Norwich schools restructuring to enhance education, spur development

schools restructuring proposal in the city of Norwich that is aimed at improving educational quality through efficiencies and better allocation of resources would be in line for a nearly $60 million state reimbursement. The city’s School Facilities Review Committee has approved the plan that would consolidate seven elementary schools into four renovated buildings and close four schools. Two schools would house students from kindergarten through second grade. The other two would have grades three to six. The price tag is estimated at $145 million with a $57.6 million reimbursement from the state. The state reimburses at higher levels for projects that are deemed “renovate as new” rather than new construction. One of the schools that would be shuttered — Mahan School — has been identified as an important asset for economic development. The school is just off

34 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

Interstate 395 and could be turned over to the city for development opportunities. The remaining buildings could also be resold or re-purposed for uses such as administrative offices, child care, or teen centers. Established by the City Council, the review committee membership includes council, school board, city government, and school officials. The City Council is also appointing teachers who currently work in the system to the review committee. “Some teachers have attended the meetings and showed an interest in the process,” Superintendent of Schools Abby Dolliver said. “As members, they’ll have input along the way.” The City Council will review the committee’s report before presenting it to the state Board of Education for funding reimbursement consideration in time for the upcoming legislative session. The measure is expected to go before city voters in a referendum in November 2017.

HEALTH Food For Thought

New Britain expanding nutrition outreach

artnering with schools, businesses, and nonprofits, the city of New Britain is helping to make sure that healthy food reaches those who need it the most and is putting a particular focus on children.

hygiene and a lack of clothing, might not go to school because they feel embarrassed,” School District Attendance Director Joe Vaverchak said. “To keep it simple, being hungry has an impact on our students.”

The dire combination of poverty and homelessness jeopardizes the health of families, officials say. About 23 percent of the city’s population — some 16,400 people — live below the poverty line. More than 300 students in New Britain are homeless and about 65 percent of the district’s 10,000 pupils are on food stamps. Lack of food security affects a student’s performance and leads to more incidence of obesity and other social problems.

In many cases that impact is felt despite the free breakfasts and lunches the district has been offering the past two years to all students. There are still families with young children who still have needs, officials say.

“A kid with poor nutrition and who is not eating right at home, has poor

Leveraging its community stakeholders, the city now offers dinner programs at five schools. The meals are open to any child from any school. When school is out for the summer, free breakfasts and lunches are served at several sites throughout the city, including New Britain

High School, the local Boys & Girls Club, the New Britain Human Resources Agency, the Police Athletic League (PAL), and Stanley Park. The city has also teamed with a private culinary group, which operates a food truck and provides free food deliveries to areas of the city with the neediest residents. Vaverchak explained that each school also has weekly attendance meetings where staff offers “positive intervention” to students who miss school often and might not be eating nutritiously at home. “We are not waiting for problems to build where students miss too much school,” Vaverchak said. “We could go to the house and contact the parent at home in a positive way to see what we can do to help.”

Livable City

New Haven getting the lead out

ne of the cornerstones of New Haven’s “Livable City Initiative” is promoting safer, healthier neighborhoods, but older housing stock presents some challenges — lead paint chief among them. Thanks to federal funds, some high-tech tools, and a commitment to significantly decreasing young children’s exposure to lead paint, the city is steadily chipping away at the problem. Environmental Health Program Director Paul Kowalski said lead poisoning in children is “a lifelong disease and it’s incurable.” It can cause irreversible damage that leads to developmental delays, hyperactivity, and lower IQs. Glenda Wolfe, a city lead poisoning inspector, is among those on the front lines helping to ferret out the trouble spots. Her tools include a high-tech sensor that records pin-point measurements of the lead level. Her job takes her inside many homes that were built more than 100 years ago. During one recent stop at a home built in the 1800s, the meter topped out at 9.9 — the highest it could go. “A child could easily put chipping and flaking paint in his mouth. The thing about lead paint is that it’s sweet, so if they happen to eat it they may like it because it’s sweet,” Wolfe explained. To help property owners with the cost of lead abate-

ment, the city makes low- to no-interest loans available to eligible applicants. The city received $3.2 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that, some $1.8 million is earmarked over the next three years for lead abatement programs. So far, more than 1,300 abatements have been completed in the city at no cost to the homeowners. Eligible property owners can get a five-year forgivable loan of up to $10,000 per unit and up to $2,000 for common/exterior areas for lead hazard control. Loans are zero percent interest for a five-year term and forgiven at the rate of 20 percent per year through the term of the loan. Property owners are responsible for any costs of abatement in excess of the loan amount. In 2015, the number of children with elevated lead levels in their blood was 75, down from 108 in 2014. In 1995, the number of children with elevated levels was 400. Officials know their efforts are paying off but recognize there is more work to do. “We’ve had a dramatic decline in the number of lead-poisoned kids,” Kowalski said. “Full abatement is what works in New Haven. I want to continue this program because it floors me when people say lead poisoning is a thing of the past. Lead is still an issue. It hasn’t gone away.” DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 35

PUBLIC SAFETY Put To The Test

Avon firefighters invite public to try firefighting training course

t was part community relations and part recruitment effort when Avon firefighters invited the public to join them in participating in a unique “obstacle course” a few weeks ago — a specially-designed course of firefighting tasks that have to be accomplished in the critical early minutes of every fire scene. The physical performance qualification (PPQ) course has 10 stations on the training course which mimic the work that must be performed in the first 15 minutes of a fire. Resident Laura Ward was among the participants who put on the gear in order to challenge a firefighter training course that requires equal parts strength and endurance. “It’s definitely a lot harder than it looks,” she said. “The ladder was the most difficult. It’s heavy, it’s awkward, it’s taller than you, and it’s wobbling all over the place.” Despite the chilly late-autumn temperatures, completing the course was no walk in the park even for the firefighters.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, I feel like it’s in the middle of July, I’m sweating really hard,” said volunteer firefighter Frank Lupis who said the course demonstrated the skills he needs to polish before his next trip down the fire pole. “I’ve got a lot more practice to do and somebody’s life is on the line,” he said. The department offered the course to the whole community, both as a recruitment effort and to give people a better appreciation of what it requires to fight fires. “It’s to really expose the firefighters as occupational athletes,” said volunteer fire captain and ER doctor Adam Corrado. The community participants said the course gave them a better understanding of what it takes to be one of the department’s 70 volunteers. “It takes a special kind of individual who’s ready to step up and face the challenge and be an everyday hero,” Ward said.

Room To Grow

Middletown expanding busy South District firehouse

or almost 50 years, firefighters from Middletown’s South District station have been answering the call for help. Their building, constructed in 1969 for an all-volunteer service, now houses a professional staff that answers nearly 3,000 emergency calls a year. The mission has not changed, but the building soon will. The city is expanding the firehouse to address the growing needs of the 35 sworn firefighters and three administrative staff members. Renovations include a larger dormitory, adding a women’s locker room, renovating the men’s locker room, modernizing the mechanicals, and building out more office and training space. The project will also provide for a larger community room because the station is used as a polling place and by community groups for meetings. “We want to make sure we’re looking at this project and what works today, but also what’s going to be sustainable for the organization at least 30 years out,” Fire Chief Robert Ross said. “It really was never designed to house the working operation we’ve evolved into.” Adding Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) to its call area has had an impact as well. Since 2011 when it began covering the CVH campus, call volume to the station has increased some 28 percent.

36 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

The city is using a $1 million state grant for the project and more state funding will be sought in the future to add an exercise room, expand the kitchen, and provide more storage areas. “I’m really excited that this building is going to get the renovations it really, truly needs,” South Fire Commissioner Bill Gregorio, Sr. said. “We have such a large senior community here we can’t take on a project of this magnitude and put that burden on taxpayers.”

PUBLIC SAFETY On The Front Lines

Madison firefighters prepared to do battle with opioid abuse

he state continues to add more soldiers in the war against opioid abuse as firefighters from Madison recently became one of the latest groups of first responders trained in saving lives. The Madison firefighters have been trained in administering naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. New state laws regarding who can administer naloxone have been expanded to include first responders. In the past year the use of naloxone, which is commercially known as Narcan, has been credited with saving hundreds of lives in Connecticut. Opioid use is on the rise across the state, including along the shoreline,

and Madison officials wanted to ensure they were prepared. Because of their training this past fall, Madison firefighters are now able to carry Narcan on response vehicles from both volunteer fire departments. All emergency medical technicians and emergency medical responders underwent thorough training, fire officials said. “We ran a total of three sessions to get everybody trained,” North Madison Volunteer Fire Company Deputy Chief David Cone said. “It is a one-hour training. It was developed by the state so essentially every EMT and EMR in the state is getting the same training so everyone is taking the same approach to this.”

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Responders say administering the reversal drug is fairly simple. The training sessions allowed them to practice with training devices that used water. Firefighters were faced with a real life and death situation prior to completing the training earlier this fall. EMS Coordinator Jon Wolff said they were called for a heroin overdose. “Madison EMS arrived only a few minutes after we did and the patient did fine, but we could have given the Narcan ourselves had it been available,” he said. “We’re now fully prepared for the next overdose call, thanks to this new initiative.”

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PUBLIC SAFETY Enhanced Response

Milford initiative provides more ambulance service

partnership with a private ambulance company will help the city of Milford to enhance its public safety efforts with quicker response times and improved patient care. The initiative also provides a new stream of non-taxpayer revenue to help fund the operation. “Over the past few years, we’ve worked diligently and extensively to develop a better response system for residents,” Mayor Ben Blake said. “We’ve advocated for state legislative changes and then petitioned the Department of Health to secure these important advancements which will benefit patients and taxpayers.” The fire department has had first responder status for many years and has provided advance life sup-

port (ALS). Recently, however, the state Department of Public Health assigned Milford the transport designation for basic life support (BLS) ambulance service. This now allows the fire department to transport patients to area hospitals and bill insurance companies for each level of service. This will help create a sufficient revenue stream to return to the general fund while helping to offset tax increases. The partnership with Nelson Ambulance Service is part of the city’s enhanced Emergency Medical Services Plan. The fire department’s emergency medical services (EMS) division and Milford Hospital will now provide uniform medical oversight and control to consistently monitor and manage the quality of EMS in the city. It provides greater accountability and it will give the

city the right to dictate the standards of service and choice of a provider that will live up to these standards. The city currently has 113 firefighters. Of those, 112 are emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and 27 are licensed paramedics. The first responders operate out of paramedic engine companies and three licensed city ambulances strategically positioned across Milford to ensure time-critical response for the 5,000 medical calls they answer each year. “We meet and exceed the high response time standards established by the National Fire Protection Association, and these impressive response times have produced life-saving results,” Fire Chief Douglas Edo said.

Such Great Heights

Oxford firefighters team with energy developer to practice rescue skills

he Oxford Volunteer Fire Department recently went to great lengths to practice a unique high-angle rescue drill, a life-saving technique used to rescue injured or otherwise incapacitated persons at high-degree slopes. High angle is the variety of technical rope rescue techniques used to rescue incapacitated persons on terrain at slopes of 60 degrees or greater. It involves the need to hoist victims from one level to another with ropes, pulleys, harnesses, belay devices, and various hauling implements. Rescuers may also be required to build on-site rigging systems designed either to raise or lower accident victims to the optimum elevation for safe extraction. Skyscrapers, mountains, and other steep elevation locations are prime suspects for these extraction efforts. The developer of a natural gas energy facility in town hosted the training at the development site and made available a crane to perform two of the exercises which enabled the simulation of realistic rescue scenarios.

38 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2016

The fire department conducted three practice rescues, two which utilized the on-site crane and one using the department’s ladder truck. The scenario involved rescuing an injured worker from the steam turbine table top of the energy facility, which is approximately 40 feet off the ground. Oxford firefighters expressed thanks to the developer, CPV Towantic Energy, for hosting the training. “This was a very productive exercise not only for our department, but for the strong relationship we’ve built with the CPV Towantic Energy Center project team,” said Scott J. Pelletier, Fire Chief of the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department. “This kind of on-site training is invaluable for ensuring our staff is properly trained to ensure safety in any potential situation.” Currently under construction, the CPV Towantic Energy Center in Oxford will use clean natural gas to create electricity to power more than 750,000 Connecticut homes. It will be one of the cleanest and environmentally-friendly electric generating projects in the world when it comes online in 2018.

Training For Success

PUBLIC SAFETY

North Branford firefighters dedicate new training facility

echnology is changing the way we perform nearly every public safety function, and that includes firefighting. To be prepared for whatever comes next requires modern training methods and modern training equipment and facilities. Thanks to a recently-christened new training facility, the North Branford Fire Department has all those pieces in place. The new training facility is a state-of-the-art, pre-engineered, steel-constructed two-and-a-half-story burn building that is attached to a three-story training tower. The town bonded the cost of the $370,000 training facility and the fire department stayed within budget because staff acted as the general contractor, purchased the building materials, bid the assembly, and maintained a constant presence during the facility’s construction. With a growing scarcity of state funds for regional firefighting schools, municipalities are sometimes going it on their own. Farmington and Killingworth have also undertaken similar firefighting training projects in recent years. Farmington’s facility cost about $1.4 million for a prefabricated building and a water recapture facility. Referring to the state funding issue, North Branford Fire Chief William Seward III said towns are now “devising cost-effective training concepts” on their own. By providing the department’s 129-member professional volunteer firefighters with a place to train, the chief said the department expects to “improve the morale of its membership, diversify its training program, share its resources with its mutual aid partnerships, and elevate the level of competence within the agency.” “We are an all-hazards fire department, delivering rapid

and effective services to our community. We support our neighbors and they continue to support us; mutual aid cooperation is necessary based upon the state and federal laws, regulations and standards by which the fire service must operate today,” Seward said. Last year, the North Branford Fire Department responded to 1,958 alarms.

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SENIORS Team Players

Town and nonprofit partner to provide new adult day care program

eace of mind is foremost in the minds of those who care for elderly relatives, and adult day care services are part of the continuum of care that many families need when providing for aging parents or other loved ones. A geographic gap in adult day care coverage currently exists in the lower Naugatuck Valley area, requiring some Valley families to travel as far away as Stratford and Hamden to access adult day care, nearly 15 miles away. That’s 30 miles round-trip and it represents a long haul and a hardship for many families. But help is on the horizon. The town of Seymour is collaborating with a local nonprofit on an effort to establish an adult day care program by renovating space on the top floor of the Seymour Community Center. The nonprofit TEAM, Inc., which already provides area seniors with Meals on Wheels, transportation for medical appointments, and homemaking services, will provide the new adult day care service. The program will combine social and medical services so qualified caregivers will be on site to administer medications — and that’s where the peace of mind comes in. Unlike senior centers which offer socialization and

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entertainment, adult day care is more appropriate for people who are less independent and either can’t be left alone, or those responsible for their care don’t want them left alone. Having medical management and socialization in the same place is the best of both worlds and it costs less than other options like long-term care. Officials say adult day care programs can help senior citizens bridge the gap between remaining independent in the community with their families and, when the time comes, that long-term care is appropriate.

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VOLUNTEERS A Slam Dunk

Bridgeport reopens gym as a safe haven for youth

he city of Bridgeport teamed up with Housatonic Community College to help breathe new life into an old gym. The real winners are the youngsters of the Trumbull Gardens Housing Development.

students during a recent open house.

The newly reopened gym and community center provide a safe haven for kids outside of school. The Housatonic faculty holds classes at the gym three days a week to tutor first-graders through high-schoolers.

“I am here every day,” said Karen Bracey, head of Trumbull Gardens’ residents association. “Monday it’s closed, but I’m in here sweeping the floor and cleaning the bathrooms. I need the center open for my children.”

“Our goal is to get you to the next grade and, if you’re in high school, to make sure you have all the tools to leave high school to go on to college,” Earl Graham, Housatonic’s director of admissions, told a group of

The heart and soul of the facility are the residents of Trumbull Gardens who volunteer to organize activities in order to keep the doors open for the kids.

While basketball is the biggest draw, Bracey and others say the gym offers much more than sports. There are classrooms for computer

work and tutoring. She also has plans to hold a pottery class and even musical theater. “I want to expose my children to other things,” Bracey said. The volunteers also want the children to learn about responsibility and manners. A sign on the wall reminds everyone of the tenets of the gym: “No swearing. No fighting. No pants sagging. Respect everyone. Have manners.” For 11-year-old Jayden Ruiz, the Trumbull Gardens gym is his happy place and for a very simple reason. “I didn’t have somewhere safe,” he said.

New Program Shows Its Heart ‘Derby Cares’ offers help with home repairs

nti-blight ordinances often employ the carrotand-stick approach, but in Derby one of the sticks is at the end of a broom manned by a volunteer from Derby Cares, a new program that offers help to elderly or disabled citizens with physical or financial limitations that prevent them from performing maintenance or repairs on their homes.

ident of the Board of Aldermen, who used a backhoe borrowed from the next door neighbor as part of the clean-up effort. “We may be a small city but we’re very big at heart. Derby Cares comes to the aid of people in need,” said Dicenso, who is chairman of Derby’s three-member Blight Committee appointed by the mayor.

On a recent Saturday morning a team of volunteers Derby Cares shows the small city’s tender side, but the arrived at the home of a 73-year-old disabled resident effort to combat blight also has whose cluttered and overgrown teeth. yard put his home in violation of city’s anti-blight ordinance the city’s anti-blight ordinance “We may be a small city but The targets properties that have fallen and put him in danger of receivinto disrepair through inadequate ing a citation. we’re very big at heart.” maintenance, neglect through Instead, volunteers from Derby abandonment, or that display -Alderman Carmen Dicenso Cares arrived to rake leaves, unsanitary conditions or safety trim hedges, sweep the porch, concerns that are dangerous to and haul away old lawn chairs, life or property. broken tools, stacks of newspapers, plastic bottles, and bins with years of accumulated The city can fine residents $99 per day until the blighted property is no longer a danger or eyesore. Derby’s belongings. Clean and Lien program targets property owners who One of the volunteers was Derby Alderman Art Gerignore letters from the Blight Committee. If the necesckens, who said he established Derby Cares because sary work is not performed, the city can send public maintenance of properties can be a challenge for works crews to remediate the property and then bill seniors and disabled citizens with diminished physical the homeowner for the cost. If the property owner abilities or limited finances. Derby Cares is an independoesn’t pay that bill, the city can place a lien on the dent rather than a city initiative. property and receive remittance when the homeowner Also among the volunteers was Carmen Dicenso, pressells the property. DECEMBER 2016 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 41

AROUND TOWN

tamford recently received a perfect 100 in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2016 Municipal Equality Index. Stamford was one of 60 cities nationally to receive a perfect score, and received the highest score of any Connecticut city. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) releases this yearly index for 506 municipalities across the United States to show residents how their city supports LGBTQ people who live and work there. The Naugatuck Board of Education has created a special committee to examine the possibility of starting school later for middle and high school students. Proponents say benefits of a later start time include: increased total amount of sleep; increased attendance; decreased tardiness; increased graduation rates; improved grades and test scores; fewer suspensions and reduced discipline; increased attention in class; better cognitive functioning; decreased rates of car accidents; less substance abuse; and fewer signs of depression. The Torrington Fire Department is trying to make sure that everyone

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in the city of Torrington who wants a working smoke detector will have one. Their goal is “Prevention Before Intervention.” The fire department, in cooperation with Home Depot, is offering any homeowner who needs a smoke detector the opportunity to have one installed in their home for free because early notification saves lives. The Milford Police Department recently worked with the Milford Prevention Council and the Drug Enforcement Administration to accept unwanted prescription drugs from the public as part of a nationwide prescription drug take-back program. The drug take-back event

allowed a total of 313 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs to be collected. The Old Mystic Fire Department recently won the 2016 National Recruitment and Retention Award, presented by Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services in partnership with the International Fire Chiefs Association. The department has increased its ranks by 25 percent over the past five years. At a time when volunteerism is down on a national level, the 40-member Old Mystic Fire Department was able to increase its ranks by 11 members while retaining the members it already had.

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