Your Time To Shine
Municipal Excellence Award recipients shine at Convention
E
ach year at our convention, we celebrate all of our municipal members, but we’d be lying if we didn’t think that some went above and beyond their calling to do extraordinary things. That is what inspired us to create the Municipal Excellence Awards, which awards four municipalities in three population categories as well as a special topic and two individuals for the Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award and Richard C. Lee Innovators award. Read on for brief introductions to our winners and their projects:
Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award There is perhaps no one more deserving of a lifetime achievement award from CCM than John Elsesser, who has recently retired from his position as the Town Manager of Coventry after 35 years. Prior to that he also worked in Manchester, Wethersfield and Avon. When he was nominated, it was said that there was not enough space to describe all of his achievements in just 600 words – that he was a leader, a steward of his town, an active part of his community, a “forward thinker,” and so much more. He embodies the spirit of public service, and are proud to give him this award.
6 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | WINTER 2024
Richard C. Lee Innovators Award A theme of this year’s convention is remembering forgotten communities, and Cathy Palazzi has worked hard to advocate for seniors in Andover. Many times, Seniors are a forgotten part of our communities, but Palazzi worked hard to connect seniors who could not commute on their own with services that were being provided. Thanks to her advocacy and hard work, Andover’s Senior Transportation Program has expanded to four drivers and vehicles. In her nomination, it concludes by saying “Without dedicated and caring volunteers like Cathy, Andover wouldn’t be able to offer these services.”
