Connecticut Town & City - December 2019

December 2019

Ver y

A Serious Problem

That Needs Resolution Im me d iate

Holding back essential grants risks critical infrastructure repairs and jeopardizes public safety.

LEAD WITH INTEGRITY

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TRACKS AVAILABLE IN: — Nonprofit Management — Public Healthcare Management — State & Local Government

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS President, Michael Freda First Selectman of North Haven 1st Vice President, Luke A. Bronin Mayor of Hartford 2nd Vice President, Jayme J. Stevenson First Selectman of Darien DIRECTORS Elinor Carbone, Mayor of Torrington Thomas Dunn, Mayor of Wolcott

Inside this issue...

Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham Joseph P. Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport Barbara M. Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury Matthew Hoey, First Selectman of Guilford Laura Hoydick, Mayor of Stratford Catherine Iino, First Selectwoman of Killingworth Matthew S. Knickerbocker, First Selectman of Bethel Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield

Property Tax Relief Commission

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Brandon Robertson, Town Manager of Avon

Pensions Crisis

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John Salomone, Town Manager of Norwich

Tree Troubles

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Homelessness Prevention Task Force

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TAR & LoCIP Grants – Push To Release Funds

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Michael Passero, Mayor of New London

Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester Erin E. Stewart, Mayor of New Britain Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia PAST PRESIDENTS Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury Susan S. Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of Danbury Herbert C. Rosenthal, Former First Selectman of Newtown

CCM Elects New President & Officers

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CCM Convention & Awards Coverage

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CIRMA News

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Town News

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HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Leo Paul, Former First Selectman of Litchfield CCM STAFF Executive Director, Joe DeLong Deputy Director, Ron Thomas Managing Editor, Kevin Maloney Layout & Design, Matthew Ford Writer, Christopher Gilson

Connecticut Town & City © 2019 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 3

Bringing Property Tax Relief To The People CCM forms commission to reduce property tax with grassroots strategy

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ver the coming weeks and months, CCM is embarking on a comprehensive project that will offer solutions that are on the leading edge, groundbreaking, and forward thinking as well as the backbone and core of everything we do. CCM has formed a new Commision on Property Tax Reformfacilitated by experts that will present property tax relief recommendations that will be targeted directly to 2020 voters.

“Mayors and first selectmen know of the challenges managing a community during these tough economic times,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director.

“One of these challenges is operating in a state where you have to contend with the third highest property tax rate in the country. Looking for ways to examine solutions for Connecticut’s property taxpayers is the intention of CCM’s new Commission on Property Tax Reform.”

The commission is working on a timeline of six to nine months with the goal of developing our recommendations, completing the project, and promoting the findings across the state to coincide with the General Assembly election campaigns next fall and the longer five-month General Assembly session in the first half of 2021.

This decision to take the expert analysis and suggestions directly to the public during the elections is to ensure that meaningful property tax reform is a major part of the 2020 General Assembly election campaign.

A well informed public will be able to hold their elected officials to account, before, during, and after the Session.

“The goal is not to simply go to the General Assembly and present something to them as we have in the past, because we know how that works out,” DeLong said to the CTMirror, adding, “we believe that the General Assembly reacts to the desires of its constituency base.”

GOAL:

Reduce property taxes in CT by 25% (Almost $3 billion in savings to taxpayers.)

reform the regressive tax once and for all.

Property tax is a quagmire in Connecticut — we rely more heavily on this regressive tax than any other state. The per capita property tax burden is $2,927, almost twice the national average of $1,556. It is responsible for paying for the majority of public services, including public education and safety, roads and infrastructure, elderly and youth services, social services, recreation, wastewater treatment, and more.

Among the three groups, they have amassed awards and special recognitions, including: the best in the nation for Public Finance and Budgeting and Local Government Management, provided a comprehensive set of services to over 160 towns and over 80 projects a year, and two participants in a forum on creative public pension solutions at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, let alone countless books written, years of public service, and countless hours spent working on these very issues.

The commission is being guided by experts from Georgia State University’s Center for State and Local Finance, The Edward Collins Center for Public Management at UMASS – Boston’s McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, and Pro Bono Public Pensions, who bring with them diverse backgrounds that will tackle the symptoms and causes of our property tax issue one by one with a goal to

In addition to these three consultant groups, CCM is joined by a slate of local officials and others who are better equipped to identify the issues than just about anybody else in the state. With the cooperation between our local officials and our consultant experts, we will be prepared to let every Connecticut resident know that something meaningful can be done about the property tax if we are willing.

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CT Pensions In Crisis

Connecticut pension plans worse than you think

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f the many aspects our Property Tax Relief Task Force will cover, the pension crisis that has plagued Connecticut for years is one of the most problematic. Gordon Hamlin, President of Pro Bono Public Pensions is an expert on the subject, and seeks to assist state and local governments transition to fair, secure, and sustainable solutions for their pension plans. In a presentation offered to local leaders, he begins with the question: Is the retirement crisis in Connecticut really as bad as everyone says? The facts presented speak for themselves.

Right off the bat, he surprised the collected group with a shockingly large number: $124,952,268,277. That is the sum total of Connecticut’s state and local unfunded pensions and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) as of June of 2018.

Those numbers break down to $82.225 billion in unfunded state pensions and $14.297 billion in unfunded Local pensions, with the remaining nearly $30 billion in State and Local OPEB and Pension obligation bonds.

more for pensions per public employee and has a higher percentage of state revenue devoted to bonds, pensions, healthcare, and defined contribution payments.

Those numbers are shocking. The numbers raise two additional questions: how did we get here and where are we going?

As many already know, the pension crisis did not happen overnight. In fact, it has taken nearly a century to get us to this point. Many plans were pay-as-yougo for years and years. Add to this poorly planned out decisions such as failing to make the full Annual Required Contribution (ARC), keeping much of the portfolios in cash resulting in low returns, not funding enhanced benefits, and deliberate decisions to push off the amortization date such as the State Employee Retirement System and Teacher’s Retirement System. It’s a perfect storm.

This leads us to unenviable questions: Is it fair to reduce pensions for current retirees?

Expect current employees to boost their contributions?

Expect current taxpayers to pay for the unfunded liabilities?

Hamlin sought to present a comprehensive picture of retirement debt in Connecticut. The large state plans, using either 6.9% or 7% for discount rates, state a net pension liability of $39,053,677,567. He adjusted that data to reflect the average AA Corporate Bond yield for the six months ending June 30, 2018, to get a new net pension liability of $73,868,433,768 for the large state plans. Hamlin further noted that if you use the average AA Corporate Bond yield for the five years ending June 30, 2018, then the new liability becomes $82,225,208,159.

That’s the difference between 3.28% and 2.6% as the discount rate. The other post-employment benefits (OPEB) local liability has gone up by about half a billion dollars since the last OPM summary. Instead of being 5.6% funded, it›s now up to 7.4% funded, so some municipalities have been adding to their trust funds. Although the proper discount rate is a subject of vigorous debate between actuaries and economists, it’s worth noting that the Federal Reserve makes its calculations by using a AAA corporate bond index, which normally would be lower than the AA corporate bond index Hamlin used.

According to Hamlin, as of 2016, Connecticut had the fifth worst ratio of assets to unfunded pension liabilities, per the Federal Reserve. Only Illinois contributes

How easy will it be to fix?

There are no rose-tinted glasses in the answer.

Bonds are currently paying out at a fraction of what they were ten, twenty, and thirty years ago.

The stock market, though performing well, has shown a trend towards lower real returns. This has caused Vanguard, the retirement plan company, to forecast an underperforming stock market.

As a former hedge fund risk manager noted in a Bloomberg article, if we look at portfolios like pension funds typically hold, but over a much longer 50-year time horizon, those portfolios have averaged a return of 7% on only two occasions over the past 100 years.

Combine with that the real chance that there will be a recession in the near future, and the situation looks bleak.

This leads us to unenviable questions: Is it fair to reduce pensions for current retirees? Expect current employees to boost their contributions? Expect current taxpayers to pay for the unfunded liabilities?

Or do you do nothing?

Pensions are a problem that have plagued Connecticut for decades. Hamlin’s presentation laid out the numbers. Yes, the retirement crisis in Connecticut is really as bad as everyone says. And the solution will not be met without taking a hard look at the facts, no matter how bleak.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 5

Our Branchless Ashes

Dual infestations threaten Connecticut forests, raise management costs

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ur terrain defines us. Connecticut is not as flat as a pancake like Kansas, nor as arid as an Arizona desert. We have a great river that divides east and west, parts of the Appalachian Mountains peak into the northwestern corner, and our coast provides us with rocky beaches. But nothing may define us more than our vast stretches of forest. Standing at East Rock or Sleeping Giant or Castle Craig, there is a 360 degree sprawl of trees. But right now we are facing a fallout of diseased trees that will alter our landscape for a generation.

Towns across Connecticut are being overwhelmed by the dual crisis created by the emerald ash borer beetles and gypsy moths that are killing our trees en masse. These invasive species prey on our indigenous forests with the latter feeding on over 300 species of trees, and the former being a pest exclusively to the ash tree.

The threat of this bug invasion is not only to directly alter our landscape, but the great costs associated with attempts at limiting the spread of infection as well as handling the trees that have died. Dead trees are of great risk to residents and infrastructure.

Larger windstorms and heavy snows pose risks to fragile limbs of diseased or dead trees that can bring down power lines or close roads. Worse, there have been confirmed deaths from falling trees and limbs as a result of the infestation.

Removal of trees is among the only resources that municipalities have in dealing with this crisis.

But that comes at a great cost. In outreach CCM has done on this issue we found out that municipalities are doubling or tripling their tree removal costs. Middlebury has allocated over $230,000 attempting to cut and remove dead trees, with the same amount required to remove the backlog of dead or dying trees. Litchfield has well over

1000 ash trees alone that need to be cleared from the public right of way. Towns and cities all over the state are dealing with this crisis in one way or another, and it’s guaranteed to come at a great expense.

As municipalities and those responsible for containing this crisis scramble to manage their tree work while dealing with increased costs and a strained workforce, CCM has put a call to Governor Ned Lamont and the General Assembly to address the problem and help towns and cities.

CCM has recommended that the Governor convenes a meeting and form a work group consisting of state agency commissioners, municipal leaders, and utility representatives to collaborate on a comprehensive and sustainable plan to address the problem of tree infestation. In addition we urge that there be financial resources made available to communities negatively impacted by tree infestation, expand eligibility for certain existing

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grants, and reducing the red tape that towns are encountering when obtaining state permits to burn tree debris.

CCM is and will continue working with the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and other key state officials to understand the breadth of towns affected and the amount they’re expending, in order to see what kind of relief to affected communities would be most helpful.

All told, without management, Connecticut could see one of the greatest losses of its forest. A common refrain is that all of our ash trees will be gone in a decade, and with the gypsy moth feeding on over 300 species, there’s no telling the extent of the damage they could do in the same time. One thing is for sure, that without its dense forests, Connecticut loses a little bit of what makes it Connecticut.

Making Homelessness A Thing Of The Past Task force highlights the work done and to be done to end homelessness

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t last count, there were over 3,000 individuals dealing with homelessness in Connecticut, a grave problem as winter approaches. It’s important to get that number to zero. That is why we have formed a Homelessness Prevention Task Force to develop best practices at the municipal level to combat and end homelessness across Connecticut.

A partnership with the CT Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH), this initiative relies heavily on the experience and expertise of local municipal officials and CEOs. Under the co-chairs of Mayor Benjamin Blake of Milford and Mayor Erin Stewart of New Britain, the task force is working to develop the best practices and coordinated actions municipalities can take to combat homelessness.

The chief collaborator is CCEH. The task force is working on a model municipal resolution to be created with input from the task force members, with Executive Director Richard Cho and Madeline Ravich, Development Advisor and Director of the BE HOMEFUL Project, addressing the task force at the most recent meeting in November.

Mayor Benjamin Blake of Milford and CCEH Executive Director Richard Cho

they’ve had and what initiatives they are currently pursuing.

Once the model resolution is approved by the task force, the work will begin on reaching out to all towns and cities in Connecticut to encourage them to adopt the resolution.

That is in large part because Connecticut towns and cities are already taking action on homelessness and have been extremely successful. In one recent episode of The Municipal Voice, Mayor Stewart noted that New Britain has maintained a rate of zero in chronic homelessness.

In addition to this, the task force is working to finalize and approve a list of recommended actions municipalities can take to address homelessness. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the action-based program was modeled after the extremely popular and effective Sustainable CT program.

One other key find from the survey is that there have been a number of successful partnerships put in place between municipal staff and local non-profits, organizations and community groups, but localized barriers to providing services and a lack of resources were primary difficulties in addressing homelessness.

Actions will be based on feedback CCM received from a survey issued to our entire membership, as well as Social and Youth Services directors. The survey asked municipalities to highlight what successes

So one facet of the initiative will be to focus on increased coordination of resources and efforts to overcome localized and fiscal barriers.

Another will be to identify those non-profits and organizations that

have implemented successful tactics in combating homelessness in their communities.

As reported in the most recent Point-in-Time Count by the CCEH, there are 3,033 people who were homeless in shelters, sleeping outside or other places not meant for human habitation on a single night in Connecticut. The coalition reports a reduction in homelessness based on this one-night census measure since 2007 (the year of the first count).

The Homelessness Prevention Task Force was created with the vision that municipalities have been on the forefront of this issue and hold the ideas that could be the key to helping solve this crisis once and for all. Towns’ and cities’ focus and quality initiatives should be acknowledged and rewarded. But there is still work to be done, and the road map created by this Task Force will be the first step of many.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 7

A Crucial Problem That Needs Resolution Holding back essential grants risks critical infrastructure repairs

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ne of the most curious stories to come out of Connecticut in 2019 is that state policy leaders have been extoling the virtues of a comprehensive transportation and infrastructure plan that will rejuvenate our trains, fix our bridges, and make our roads less congested, and, at the same time, holding back essential grants from municipalities that go towards maintaining and repairing the roads that Connecticut residents rely on. CCM has called on the state legislature and the Governor to release the essential Town Aid Road (TAR), Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP), and Grants for Municipal Projects.

TAR, LoCIP, and Grants for Municipal Projects represent the biggest annual grants for infrastructure repair and capital improvements at $60 million, $30 million, and $60 million respectively. Because these grants are part of the bonding package, they must come from the Bond Commission, which has infrequently met since the Governor took office this past year.

CCM currently does not anticipate changes to the funding amounts, but crucial deadlines have been missed as we move into winter. Municipalities have already missed the first of the two TAR grant installments, one of which arrives traditionally in July and the second in January. Because of this, towns and cities are being forced to expend their own funds for repaving and other transportation projects. These crucial funds are time sensitive because they are used 8 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

to complete projects that require warmer weather, such as repaving, or the buildup of supplies needed for winter weather.

The challenge to maintain this critical infrastructure has increased given these funding difficulties. The delay in releasing the TAR, LoCIP, and Grants for Municipal Projects funding compromises the safety of existing roads and bridges and limits the opportunities to expand and improve our infrastructure network. This is in direct contrast to the Governor’s stated goals.

According to a CNBC poll, Connecticut ranked 49th out of 50 in transportation and infrastructure quality. The increased use of the state and local road and bridge network has accelerated the decline of Connecticut’s local transportation infrastructure.

Towns and cities rely on the State to release the allocated funds in a timely manner not only because of the crucial projects that need to be finished or winter supplies that need to be bought, but because they are on budgets that have included these funds. Towns and cities should be able to rely on the State to keep them on solid ground.

Each day that passes without these funds being released is another crack in the dam that is Connecticut’s local transportation infrastructure. The public safety risks to our residents increase every day funding is postponed.

Welcome To CCM, CEOs!

CCM looks forward to working with all newly elected municipal CEOs

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ith the November elections over, there have been more than a few new municipal leaders in small towns and large cities. Just around a quarter of Connecticut’s municipalities will have new leadership to start the coming decade. On behalf of our member towns and cities, CCM would like to congratulate those elected as the town’s chief elected official, and take this opportunity to invite you all to utilize all of the services we offer your municipality.

CCM’s services are unparalleled — from our top-flight, effective advocacy and invaluable research and information services, to our free training, and array of money-saving programs, such as energy savings, executive recruitment, pavement management systems, IT consulting, discount prescription cards, and much more.

Unequaled state legislative advocacy and information, extensive municipal research, training and education workshops, and municipal labor relations data are just some of the offerings that CCM provides at no extra cost.

Our quarterly magazine, Connecticut Town & City, The Municipal Voice podcast, and the many essential reports that we issue — from This Report Is Different to the upcoming Commission on Property Tax Reform report we have just begun work on — are invaluable resources for innovative ideas in local government.

These services have been vetted and are geared towards municipal needs, which are far different than what you might encounter in a business setting. Our Executive Search program is a great example.

With our extensive knowledge in local government, you can count on us to ensure that only the best candidates become a part of Connecticut’s local governments.

The actual value of CCM to your

WORKSHOP Saturday, January 11, 2020 • Courtyard by Marriott, Cromwell

town — whether one measures it by the value of direct benefits to the town or by the costs the town would otherwise would have to pay for such services — is far greater than the dues any member pays to CCM. Our membership, whether you come from a small town or a large city, in the Northern corner or the coast, works together. That’s because in today’s economy, it is more important than ever that we stick together to advance the common interests of municipal government.

From the Board of Directors and employees of CCM, congratulations!

We are excited to see the great things you will do in your town.

Here are the newly elected mayors and first selectmen: Ralph H. Fletcher, First Selectman, Ashford; Gerard F. Smith, First Selectman, Beacon Falls; Carl Zorn, First Selectman, Bozrah; Robert Bessel, First Selectman, Canton; Mary Bylone, First Selectman, Colchester; Rob Smith, First Selectman, East Haddam; Joseph A. Carfora, Mayor, East Haven; Jason Bowsza, First Selectman, East Windsor; David Bindelglass, First Selectman, Easton; Brenda Kupchick, First Selectman, Fairfield; Fred Camillo, First Select-

man, Greenwich; Robert McGarry, First Selectman, Haddam; Jean C. Speck, First Selectman, Kent; Kevin T. Cwikla, First Selectman, Lebanon; Denise L. Raap, First Selectman, Litchfield; Peggy Lyons, First Selectman, Madison; Gregory J. Lowrey, First Selectman, Marlborough; Benjamin D. Florsheim, Mayor, Middletown; Justin M. Elicker, Mayor, New Haven; Beth Kinsey DelBuono, Mayor, Newington; Timothy C. Griswold, First Selectman, Old Lyme; Kevin M. Cunningham, First Selectman, Plainfield; Sandra L. Allyn-Gauthier, First Selectman, Preston; Lisa Marotta, Mayor, Rocky Hill; Gary Greenberg, First Selectman, Scotland; Cheryl Allen Blanchard, First Selectman, Sprague; Danielle Chesebrough, First Selectman, Stonington; Amy St. Onge, First Selectman, Thompson; Timothy J. Angevine, First Selectman, Warren; Jim Brinton, First Selectman, Washington; Rob Brule, First Selectman, Waterford; John V. Swan, Jr, First Selectman, Woodstock.

For the complete menu of services available to you, check out this link for even more information on our website — https://www.ccm-ct.org/ — under the tabs for “Save Money” and “Be Inspired/Get Trained.”

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 9

Local Leader Rises To President Of CCM First Selectman Michael Freda of North Haven elected CCM president

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ichael Freda, long-time First Selectman of North Haven, has been elected President of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) for 2020.

His election took place at the 2019 statewide convention of CCM on December 4 at Foxwoods Resort; and he will begin his year-long tenure as CCM President beginning January 1.

Freda served as CCM 1st Vice President in 2019. Advancing the state-local partnership, Freda has been a leader in the South Central region of Connecticut in promoting community building, bringing new businesses into North Haven and helping to improve the overall quality of life in Connecticut. He also has been a leading player for CCM members in helping to push state legislative action on cost containment efforts through mandates relief, and greater regional service sharing among towns.

“2020 will represent another important year in the collaborative relationship between Connecticut local governments and its state leaders,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “CCM is very fortunate to have such an experienced first selectman to lead our 169 member communities in 2020. He is well-respected on both sides of the political aisle at both the state and local levels and will play a key role in forging consensus on important state-local issues during the 2020 General Assembly session.

“We look forward to First Selectman Freda leading CCM as we work closely with Governor Lamont and the General Assembly to enact the key state-local legislation needed for property tax paying residents and businesses across Connecticut,” DeLong noted

• Catherine Iino, First Selectwoman of Killingworth • Matthew S. Knickerbocker, First Selectman of Bethel • Marcia A. Leclerc, Mayor of East Hartford

Here are CCM’s other officers for 2020:

• Curt Leng, Mayor of Hamden

• 1st Vice President — Luke A. Bronin, Mayor of Hartford

• W. Kurt Miller, First Selectman of Seymour

• 2nd Vice President — Jayme J. Stevenson, First Selectman of Darien

• Rudolph P. Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield

Newly elected members of the CCM board are: • Elinor Carbone, Mayor of Torrington • Thomas Dunn, Mayor of Wolcott • Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven • Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham • Matthew Hoey, First Selectman of Guilford • Laura Hoydick, Mayor of Stratford • Michael Passero, Mayor of New London Municipal leaders who were re-elected to the board are:

• Brandon Robertson, Town Manager of Avon • John Salomone, Town Manager of Norwich • Scott Shanley, General Manager of Manchester • Erin E. Stewart, Mayor of New Britain • Mark B. Walter, Town Administrator of Columbia Past Presidents • Neil O’Leary, Mayor of Waterbury • Susan S. Bransfield, First Selectwoman of Portland • Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of Danbury

• John A. Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry

• Herbert C. Rosenthal, Former First Selectman of Newtown

• Joseph P. Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport

Honorary Member

• Barbara M. Henry, First Selectman of Roxbury

• Leo Paul, Former First Selectman of Litchfield

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New CCM Member Councils

Small and Large Communities Councils to enhance municipal voices

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CM is always looking to improve our popular services. That requires input from our members, who come in all shapes and sizes. But it’s important to remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to Connecticut’s towns and cities.

That’s why we are pleased to announce the formation of the Small Communities Council and Large Communities Council in order to provide an enhanced level of service delivery to municipal CEOs, boards of selectmen, and town/city council members.

The first meetings of both councils were held November. The Small Communities Council is chaired by First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield of Portland. The Large Communities Council is chaired by Mayor Neil O’Leary of Waterbury. Both were presidents of CCM, First Selectwoman Bransfield in 2017, and Mayor O’Leary in 2018 and 2019.

The Large Communities Council allows municipal officials to share ideas and successful strategies to solve challenges affecting larger towns and cities. By participating in the Large Communities Council, you become part of a network of local leaders who work on important issues of employment, education, income, affordable housing, health disparities and others in your community. The access provided through the Council is intended to support new and ongoing efforts that will allow you to better serve your residents.

At the inaugural meeting, attending mayors, town managers, and council members shared ideas and successful strategies to solve challenges affecting larger towns and cities. They heard from representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOT) Traffic Commission on transportation projects. Also discussed were topics for future consideration which will include local support for the Census and Opportunity Zones.

The Small Communities Council will afford members an opportunity to develop and offer workshops and training directed towards smaller communities.

Programming may include, but shall not be limited to such topics as getting the most out of local departments through the sharing of best practices; identifying opportunities to regionalize and share services; learning about and securing available state grant and loan programs; and increasing community participation on local volunteer boards and commissions.

In attendance for the Small Communities Council inaugural meeting was Martin Heft, Acting Under Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs for the Office for Policy and Management (OPM). He was there to discuss strengthening working relations with OPM and the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP).

Mr. Heft said that almost $18 million in STEAP grants had been approved but have not been spent, at which

First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield of Portland and Mayor Neil O’Leary of Waterbury

time members took advantage to discuss why some of these approved projects had been delayed. Numerous instances of “red tape” were identified and solutions were discussed to improve the efficiency and expedite the completion of local projects.

The Large and Small Communities Councils are open to CCM-member municipal CEOs and boards of selectmen and town/city councils. Participants will share ideas and creative solutions to challenges affecting your respective town or city. Participation in the Councils ensures that the interests of your community, regardless of size, are reflected in CCM’s focus and efforts. You can join one or both of the Councils.

The goal of our Small Communities Council and Large Communities Council is to make sure that we are doing everything we can to meet your needs. Whether you have a population over 100,000 or under 10,000, CCM is there for you.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 11

Legislators Of The Year

Sen. Cassano and Rep. Zawistowski win for their municipal advocacy throughout the years

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he Municipal Excellence Awards are primarily handed out to municipal officials with one exception: The Legislator of the Year award. The award acknowledges that we cannot do this work alone, and we thank those legislators that have stuck up for municipalities when the going got tough. This year’s recipients are Senator Stephen Cassano and Representative Tami Zawistowski.

Senator Cassano and Representative Zawistowski were honored and presented with their awards at CCM’s Annual Convention on December 3 at Foxwoods Resort.

Senator Cassano represents the residents of the 4th State Senate District towns of Andover, Bolton, Glastonbury, and Manchester. He was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and was re-elected in 2012, 2014, and 2016.

“Connecticut would not be the great state it is without healthy cities and towns. CCM has been a great partner and advocate for communities throughout Connecticut for many years,” said Senator Cassano.

“Senator Cassano has been a dynamic leader over four decades who exemplifies the strongest commitment to community involvement and the needs of Connecticut towns and cities – regionally, statewide and nationally,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “He always plays a major role in promoting proposed legislation that is beneficial to towns and cities and property taxpayers.”

Steve is Co-Chairman of the Planning & Development Committee, a Vice Chair of the Public Safety & Security and Transportation Committees, and a member of the Insurance & Real Estate, Public Safety & Security, and Transportation Committees.

Steve was first elected to public office as the deputy mayor of Manchester in 1977, serving as mayor from 1991 to 2005 at a time that included the development of Buckland Hills, the redevelopment of Main Street, and a major expansion of new industrial parks. He taught Sociology at Manchester Community College for 28 years, and he and his wife Holly operate The Children’s Place, an 8,000 square-foot day care center in Manchester.

He is a past president of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the National Association of Regional Councils, and is the former chairman of the Capitol Region Council of Governments. Steve has served on multiple national and statewide task forces and boards that have addressed critical, everyday issues such as transportation, energy, education, homeland security and the environment.

Representative Zawistowski represents the 61st General Assembly District serving Suffield, East Granby, and 12 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

Windsor. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, and was re-elected in the 2014, 2016, and 2018 general elections.

“Representative Zawistowski has a deep commitment to her constituents and shows a significant understanding of local government in her district as well as across the state,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “Her work on key committees is critical to municipal interests and she always assesses the local government impact on all legislation that comes before her.”

She serves as the Ranking Member on the legislature’s Planning & Development Committee, while also serving on the Appropriations and Transportation Committees. She is a small business owner and a former bank executive vice president who also holds professional experience in real estate finance and property valuation.

Tami first sought a seat in the legislature over concern for Connecticut’s financial future, particularly a state budget that tests the boundaries of the Constitutional Spending Cap and includes levels of borrowing that will burden future generations. Tami is an advocate for efforts to create a more favorable tax and regulatory environment in order to improve our state’s ability to compete with other states, encouraging both entrepreneurship and the expansion of existing companies.

Both legislators have served admirably for their districts, and have certainly earned the respect of the municipal leaders for their assistance throughout the years.

Models Of Excellence In Local Government Municipal leaders from Wolcott and East Haddam honored

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CM isn’t just an organization. It is the First Selectmen and Mayors, the Directors of IT and the Public Works crew, the Town Clerks, the Registrars, and the municipal officials in of all of our municipalities. That is why we created the Richard C. Lee Innovators Award and the Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement award, to identify and celebrate the truly special individuals among us.

Karen Mowad, the 2019 recipient of the Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement award,

Cynthia Varricchio, Finance Director for the Town of East Haddam, is the recipient of this year’s Innovators Award, and Karen Mowad, Town Clerk for the Town of Wolcott, is the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Both of these individuals exemplify municipal excellence.

Cynthia Varricchio is the kind of innovator that all towns and cities need. As the Finance Director for the Town of East Haddam, she has brought a keen eye to the fiscal situation that all of CCM’s members are facing. Since 2012, she has achieved substantial financial savings for East Haddam by consistently striving for excellence and always seeking for ways to improve the town.

Examples of this tenacity include moving to a shared services model and converting the Board of Education to the MUNIS financial system for both payroll and human resource to include implementing the Unified Chart of Accounts (UCOA). East Haddam was the first community in the state to implement the UCOA in a combined system for both the town and Board of Education under Cynthia’s leadership.

What many people will find most impressive is that she assisted in the restructuring of the Towns’ debt by refinancing a 2008 bond. This move saved the town over $600,000 and maintained the town’s excellent credit rating.

Most recently, she has collaborated with the First Selectman’s committee to establish a Capital Improvement Program Policy, which improves long range planning and helps the community reach its desired goals. This policy the Town of East Haddam believes is a model for other municipalities.

Karen Mowad is a true blue municipal official, and her service to the Town of Wolcott transcends governmental duties. Karen began early, founding a Community Service club at her high school, of which she was president. She volunteered at the Animal Rescue Foundation. She is a certified Girl Scout Leader. She is a Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO). The list goes on.

She currently serves as the Town Clerk and the Registrar of Vital Statistics for Wolcott after serving as the Assistant Town Clerk and Assistant Registrar of Vital Statistics for 12 and 16 years respectively. She has been instrumental in building a Little Free Library in town, and is currently pursuing a grant to help restore the

historic Wolcott Grange, which is sponsoring a special needs Boy Scout group who need handicap access.

At the Wolcott Grange, where she is treasurer, she has been recognized nationally for her fundraising efforts.

She also started and works in the community garden which helps provide fresh produce to the senior center.

At home, she is a foster mother and a cancer survivor who helps children and other cancer survivors through outreach programs, with support and encouragement.

The call to municipal work is a special one. It takes a special kind of person to be the Director of Finance or the Town Clerk. It means that you want to give back to your community, you want to help, you want to improve everyday life for the residents of your town.

Cynthia Varricchio and Karen Mowad are the exemplars of that call. CCM is happy to share these stories with everyone, and is glad to award them with the Richard C. Lee Innovators Award and Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Joel Cogen Lifetime Achievement Award is named after CCM’s first and long-time Executive Director, and is awarded to those who have shown a lifetime of dedicated service.

The Richard C. Lee Innovators Award is presented by CCM to recognize municipal leaders that have developed unique and creative projects and programs to increase the effectiveness of local government. Innovators are individuals in any area of government who address problems common to municipalities throughout Connecticut in new ways. Mr. Lee was a former New Haven mayor and instrumental in the formation of CCM.

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Scenes From The 2019 CCM Convention The snow didn’t stop this from being one of our most successful yet!

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Thanks To Our Convention Sponsors:

CONNECTICUT INTERLOCAL RISK MANAGEMENT AGENCY

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See the rest of our Convention photos at: https://www.facebook.com/ccm.forct/

CCM Thanks Our MBAs For Their Continuing Support!

To see a list of our Municipal Business Associate members visit

http://ccm-ct.org /business DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 17

2019 MEA Winners

Towns awarded for exemplary work that can be modeled around state

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very day CCM acknowledges the work of municipal officials, that’s why CCM does the work it does. But once a year, we like to highlight and reward the outstanding work that officials are doing in our communities. The Municipal Excellence Awards, sponsored by Halloran Sage, recognize innovative projects and individuals that have significantly improved the quality of life for citizens, established partnerships, and built community support.

“CCM acknowledges the work of municipal officials, that’s why CCM does the work it does,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director. “But once a year, we like to highlight and reward the outstanding work that officials are doing in our communities.”

Prizes are handed out in four categories: Municipalities with populations under 20,000, populations between 20,001 and 40,000, and over 40,001; as well as an award for a topical entry, Innovation in Security and Public Safety. To be eligible, the subject of each entry must be a municipal-funded or municipal-administered project or program.

Population Category 2: Town of Westport for The Westport Center for Senior Activities Enhancement Project In 2016, The Town of Westport was told that its senior population was set to grow by 37% by 2020. This increased the town’s demand for places where the senior population could remain active and socialize.

This past January, the town opened the new Westport Center for Senior Activities that included a fitness center double the original size, an additional art room, two flexible activity rooms, an emergency shelter and space and facilities for first responders, a Grab N’ Go Café, increased parking, and building enhancements.

This project saw collaboration from nearly every department in Westport, and has improved the quality of life for everyone that uses it, from the seniors to the volunteers participating in the numerous intergenerational programs.

Population Category 3: City of Hartford for Providing Access to Rich Historical Public Documents

Hartford, like Brookfield, recognized the importance of history. The City embarked on an ambitious project to transfer its early records to the Hartford History Center in the Hartford Public Library, in order to more safely store them and to make them more accessible than ever.

These records have the effect of enrichAWARDS ing the history and showing sweeping The entries were judged by an indechanges. One example that illuminated pendent panel on: this history is Holdridge Primus, an African American • How the project or program was organized, adminisman whose home value was assessed at $2,000 in 1872. tered, and explained; This information was found out by cross-referencing census data against city data and would not have been • How well it achieved its goals; possible without this project. It is a model of collabora• How well resources, such as grants, budgets, and tion between the library and city clerk’s office, and by staff were used; and working together they have shown us the real value of connecting the past to the present.

• Whether the project could serve as a template for other communities.

Innovation in Security and Public Safety: Fairfield Fire A first place prize was awarded to the winner in each General Entry Award category, as well as one first place winner in the topical category, each winning $1,000 towards the continued implementation and success of their project.

U N I C I PA L Mexcellence

Population Category 1: Town of Brookfield for Re-Invisioning Our Downtown

Department for House of Worship Emergency and Fire Safety Planning

Many of our towns and cities want to rejuvenate their downtowns without losing the charm that has been built up over decades, or even centuries. Brookfield developed a revitalization plan that addressed the need for downtown development while preserving history. It included retail; one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments; and a complete streetscape project.

This became the cornerstone of the Brookfield Plan of Conservation and Development, and through zoning regulations they have added roadway modifications, sidewalks, bike paths, public parking, and other amenities completely revitalizing their downtown. This plan shows that you don’t have to sacrifice charm to revitalize your downtown centers.

It was unfortunate events that took place in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and at Notre Dame in France that prompted the creation of the House of Worship Emergency and Fire Safety Planning (HOW), but the Fairfield Fire Department took that important step to learn and find ways to reduce the likelihood of emergencies in their houses of worship. They instituted planning sessions for senior leadership, pre-fire planning at those facilities, delivered CPR, AED, and Stop the Bleed programs for staff and volunteers, and a salvage plan to recover and preserve the important artifacts and relics at these houses of worship. The Fairfield Fire Department has taken these plans and shared them with Fire Chiefs and departments across the state to help others jumpstart their own HOW programs.

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That’s A Rap On LoCoolGov

Winners take home scholarships for local gov essay and video

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ou might not hear this in many places, but we think local government is pretty cool, and we want to make sure the next generation of kids knows that too. The #LoCoolGov scholarship contest asks middle school and high school students from around the state to think about the role of local government in the lives of residents.

The contest, which is sponsored by Post University, is open to all students attending a Connecticut public middle (grades 6-8) or high (grades 9-12) school. Participants must create their own original work themselves, but may get help from teachers, parents, or friends in the form of ideas. They may collaborate with peers and submit group projects of no more than three people (the scholarship would be split equally among each group member).

The CCM awards committee selected the two winning entries based on originality, creativity, and closeness to the theme. They were given $1,000 scholarships at the 2019 CCM Convention Dinner held on December 3.

The middle school winner is Conor Forrest from Stafford Middle School who wrote an essay about Main Street, his favorite part of town. One event he highlighted is Trick or Treat on Main Street when the town closes down the road on the Saturday before Halloween letting kids walk up and down getting candy, hot chocolate, and ice cream. Little wonder why he thinks this is so cool.

The high school award goes to a group from Joseph

Conor Forrest was the middle school LoCoolGov winner.

A. Foran High School in Milford, Maguire Casey, Barry Held, and Kyle Pokornowski for their video LoCoolGov Rap #2. They green-screened themselves in front of key locations and rhapsodized about the “super-duper” cool things they get to do in Milford, 365 days a year.

“These are the kids that are going to have to fix all the things that Boomers and Gen X-ers have messed up over the years,” CCM’s Executive Director Joe DeLong said for a laugh. “They’re the ones that are going to move us forward in this sustainable future.”

“We want to get these kids thinking about local government now,” DeLong continued, “so we can reap the benefits of their talents in the future.”

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 19

Green Towns Receive Prestigious Certification Thirty-two communities achieve Sustainable CT certification

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hirty-two more municipalities can now say that they are on a path to becoming more efficient, resilient, and inclusive after achieving certification in Sustainable CT, a program that empowers towns and cities to create high collective impact for current and future residents. The certifications were presented during lunch at this year’s CCM convention.

Towns obtain certification by racking up action points, which have been designed with flexibility to meet the varying needs of all municipalities. All thirty-two 2019 certified communities demonstrated significant achievements in nine sustainability impact areas, ranging from community building, thriving local economies and vibrant arts and culture to clean transportation and diverse housing. In addition, all certified communities addressed diversity, inclusion, and equity when implementing sustainability actions. The certification submissions were rigorously evaluated by independent experts and Sustainable CT partners.

Certification lasts for three years, bringing the total amount of Sustainable CT certified communities to 47, more than a quarter of the state’s communities.

This year’s municipalities are: Coventry, Guilford, Mansfield, Middletown, New Haven, Simsbury, South Windsor, Vernon and Windham, who have achieved Silver Certification, the highest honor in the program.

And Ashford, Bethany, Bloomfield, Brookfield, Burlington, Cornwall, Darien, East Hartford, East Lyme, Essex, Groton, Manchester, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Saybrook, Portland, Scotland, Waterford, West Haven, Weston, Wilton and Woodbury, who were awarded with Bronze certification.

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“We are thrilled to recognize a growing number of communities who are deeply committed to sustainability,” said Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham and co-chair of the Sustainable CT Board of Directors.

“These towns have shown great leadership in completing many actions that increase sustainability while also saving money, promoting health, and increasing residents’ connection and sense of place.”

“Sustainable CT Certified communities are models for all forward-looking local governments,” said Joe DeLong, Executive Director of CCM. “They are doing the important work of ensuring more resilient, equitable communities and more vibrant economies.”

There are an additional 42 municipalities who are on track to receive certification in the near future, meaning just over half of all municipalities in the state are participants in Sustainable CT. “We are so inspired by this year’s certified Sustainable CT communities,” said Lynn Stoddard, Executive Director of the program. “From empowering teens to lead environmental projects to offering reduced-cost produce grown on municipal property to low-income community residents, we’re seeing such thoughtful and innovative local action.”

Sustainable CT is a joint partnership between CCM and the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, and is funded by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the Common Sense Fund, and the Smart Seed Fund.

For more information on Sustainable CT, visit https:// www.ccm-ct.org/SustainableCT.

CCMO Graduating Class Goes Supersize Over 60 individuals were part of the 2019 graduating CCMO class

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hen CCM created the Certified Connecticut Municipal Official (CCMO) program, it was with the idea that a vast amount of knowledge was out there that would help municipal leaders run their towns or cities that they might not have otherwise had access to. Little did we know that the program in its second year would see the number of graduates bloom from 10 individuals to a total of 66 municipal officials who are part of the 2019 graduating class.

1 or July 1, and you must complete at least two classes from each of the three developmental categories: Personal Development, Organizational Development, and Community Development.

The CCMO program was created under the advisement and direction from the experienced staff at Trinity College with the intention to teach you how to work collaboratively, solve problems, build partnerships, and work across political and organizational boundaries. To be a successful municipal leader you need these skills and competencies in a vast array of specialties that most people do not share.

All officials who graduate from the program are able to maintain their certification by completing 9 hours of continuing education courses throughout the year. Attendance at CCM’s Annual Convention and Emergency Management Symposium account for three hours per event.

Requirements for the certification are that you must complete 36 hours of study within two years of your start date, now either January

For those interested in signing up for the cycle, January 1 is the deadline, and as for newly elected officials, January 11 is Newly Elected Day, which is part of the larger Newly Elected Month, and will earn you three hours toward certification.

The 66 certificates were handed out during lunch on the first day of convention to the following recipients: David Atwater, Andrew Baklik, Noelle Bates, Susan Bransfield, Stephen Buccitti, Mary Bylone, Gary Canapinno, Ray Carpentino, John

Carrington, Mary Churchill, Alexander DeSorbo, Dee Diamond, David Eaton, Maryellen Edwards, Shaun Gately, Anthony Genovese, Matt Grimes, Beth Hamel, Brad Heering, Deborah Heim, Matthew Hoey, Ronald Ing, Joshua Kelly, Lyne Landry, Felicia LaPlante, Dawn Leger, Dawn Lewis, Leslie McDonough, Gary McKeone, James McLoughlin, William Meier, Karen Mowad, Sylvie Napoli, Maureen Nicholson, Michael Ninteau, Michele Nuhn, Aimee Pardee, Becky Petro, Lisa Plumb, Michael Purcaro, Tiffany Quinn, Tammy Reardon, Todd Rolland, Nancy Rossi, Lori Rotella, Robert Ruzzo, Bonnie Ryan, Jessica Lee Salas, Alice Smith, David Smith, Shawn Soljour, Stanley Staron, Katherine Stauffer, Lauren Stuck, Joyce Sun, Denise Talbot, Elizabeth Thornton, Andrew Tierney, Cherie Trahan, Kurt Treiber, David Tripp, Hayley Wagner, Steven Waznia, Diane Wheelock, Sarah Wirtes, and Michele Wyatt.

For more information about how you can be a CCMO graduate in 2020 visit ccm-ct.org/ccmo or email ccmtraining@ccm-ct.org.

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.

Contact: Abby Heinemeyer, Education and Events Coordinator Phone: 203.498.3037 Email: ccmtraining@ccm-ct.org DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 21

Strengthening The Federal-Local Partnership NLC’s Congressional City Conference is a chance to strengthen local communities

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onnecticut is unlike many other states in that it does not have county governments. This means that municipal officials are truly on the frontline when it comes to advocating for local issues. The National League of Cities (NLC) holds its Congressional City Conference held in Washington D.C. on March 8 – 11, with the understanding that it is important for local leaders to speak directly to policymakers and advocate for local issues.

The conference holds approximately the same format each year, and is divided into workshops, general sessions, seminars, and Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. There are over 3,000 conference delegates, 15 conference workshops, 16 professional development seminars, federal agency support programs, and over 100 meetings with congressional members and staff with members of all 49 state municipal leagues.

For those interested in a more hands-on approach to learning, there will be NLC University Seminars. Those are three to six hour trainings on “navigating the duties as a public official.” While the full schedule is still being hammered out, they say that topics of discussion usually “range from finance and budgeting, to community development and preservation.”

But many will say that the most important day is Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. It is an opportunity for local elected officials to meet with members of Congress to advocate and discuss municipal priorities. The discussions and advocacy done on this day helps “make a difference for towns and cities everywhere.”

Hear directly from policymakers and thought leaders about the important issues to cities.

Workshops are primarily presentations, panels and discussions focused on common issues towns and cities face — spanning from economic and community development, to access to broadband and workforce development. The general sessions are fairly similar, but are centered on one-on-one interviews and motivational stories from well-known national leaders. Last year, they included Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor of Gary, Indiana and the current president of NLC; Dr. Benjamin Carson, the current Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; as well as current Representatives and Senators.

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This will also be a key event for finding out about new and unexplored federal funding avenues that could bring serious investment into Connecticut. Our state continually receives the lowest amount of federal funding from the government, receiving only 74 cents for every dollar we pay in federal taxes. It is important that local officials know about all possible funding available to them.

As NLC says: Becoming informed about policies that affect local government will make you a better leader and speaking up together will allow you to achieve more for communities. The Congressional City Conference is one of those events that pay back dividends: for you, for the state, and for towns and cities across Connecticut.

CIRMA

CIRMA

CIRMA And HSB Help Connecticut Public Entities Get Techy

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onnecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency (CIRMA), launched an innovative smart-sensor program through its partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), the leading equipment breakdown and technology insurer. The program leverages proprietary HSB next-generation sensors and software that protect Connecticut public entities by connecting equipment, facilities and building personnel through the Internet of Things.

Sensor Systems by HSB is an early-warning system hardware and software package that helps monitor conditions 24/7, analyze critical data and push alerts to key building personnel when environmental changes suggest trouble. This can include water presence, freeze risk, refrigeration failure, mold and air quality and power outages. The sensors are delivered in a simple kit and use proprietary algorithms to help prevent losses and improve performance.

Leading up to the launch of the program this past October, HSB and CIRMA worked closely to analyze key loss data to identify CIRMA members who would benefit most from the program, which just happens to be Connecticut’s public schools.

“Water damage is a leading cause of property losses.

Every year, millions of dollars are lost as a result of public schools, municipalities and local public agencies experiencing damage and disruption from waterrelated incidents, including frozen pipes. Today, smart technology is helping CIRMA members, specifically Connecticut schools, manage these risks so that they can focus on providing an uninterrupted and safe environment for children to learn,” said David Demchak, CIRMA President and Chief Executive Officer.

HSB’s algorithms analyze data on temperature, water accumulation, power outages and humidity to identify and report on potential risks. This data is shared with the member so that damages can be mitigated. The result? Improved operations and minimized downtime issues.

“An undetected issue, such as a frozen pipe, could result in costly damage to our members’ property, a disruption in site performance, and many hours spent recovering and restoring their building and operations, said Demchak. This program gives our members peace of mind, knowing that their school and municipal buildings are being monitored 24/7, when they are not on site.”

CIRMA

Stay alert. Speak up.

If you suspect workers’ compensation fraud, contact CIRMA’s Special Investigation Unit Hotline: 203.946.3797 | Email: cirmasiu@ccm-ct.org All information will be kept confidential.

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CIRMA

New CFO On Board At CIRMA Connecticut’s No. 1 provider of municipal risk management services welcomes new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to its pool of top talent

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llen Dion, CPA, has joined the CIRMA team as CFO. A respected professional with deep property and casualty insurance industry expertise spanning over 25 years, Dion will oversee budget preparation and administration, financial planning and operations, financial analysis and reporting, investment management, and internal controls.

Ellen previously held the position of Senior Vice President and Group Treasurer for The Navigators Group, Inc. She has a

Master of Business Administration and a Master of Financial Risk Management.

“Ellen brings with her a strong financial background from national and international positions, diverse leadership experience and extensive knowledge of risk management products and services—all competencies that match perfectly with the CIRMA CFO position,” said David Demchak, CIRMA President and Chief Executive Officer.

Ellen Dion

CIRMA SEE YOU IN HARTFORD

ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

SAVE THE DATE: January 31, 2020 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM | Hartford Marriott Downtown, 200 Columbus Boulevard Hartford, CT CIRMA.org

DECEMBER 2019 TOWN && CITY DECEMBER 2019| CONNECTICUT | CONNECTICUT TOWN CITY| |25 3

CIVIC ACHIEVEMENT Being The Change You Want To See Milford celebrates the International Day of Peace

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ost anyone could hope for is to live a peaceful life, and for many, Connecticut is the vision of tranquility — sleepy coastal towns, picturesque farms, culture filled cities. But the world still needs to hear calls for peace; one could simply read the daily news to be reminded of that. The City of Milford’s Public Library in partnership with Milford Speaks Out held an International Day of Peace event as a reminder of the better angels of our nature.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution, which “provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.”

Every year on September 21, towns, cities, states, provinces, and countries hold events and programs that correspond to the year’s events. This year, the theme was “Climate Action for Peace,” which seeks to highlight the issues surrounding climate change.

“This is the battle of our lives, and a race against time,” Secretary General Anonio Guterres said of the theme. The UN says that natural disasters displace three times as many people as conflicts. But also, that “every human is part of the solution – from turning off the lights to taking public transport,” small

Serving CT Municipalities

changes add up.

Milford invited representatives from various religious groups, other community groups, as well as the Milford Poet Laureate Mick Theebs, Mayor Ben Blake and others to participate in the day’s events as well as spreading the message of the day.

There was a rededication of a peace pole, with participants of all ages encouraged to paint rocks with inspirational messages of peace and hope to be laced at the base, according to a press release.

There is a worldwide moment of silence dedicated to peace that was also followed in Milford’s Peace Day event.

While this year’s International Day of Peace events have passed, there is always next year to think about. Each year, the United Nations begins to plan and organize for that year’s International Day of Peace by commemorating a 100-day countdown. On June 13, 2020, they will announce next year’s theme for all to plan for and celebrate.

Milford and the rest of Connecticut’s towns and cities may enjoy a peaceful New England life, but we can all follow Milford’s lead in participating in small actions for global peace. The International Day of Peace is a powerful way to look at the many accomplishments we have made and to plan for the work to come.

reduce your costs.

Schooley Mitchell offers CCM members telecom expense management.

Paul Nelson | 860-926-4260 paul.nelson@schooleymitchell.com

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A MIN L R

NEW HAVEN TERMINAL, INC.

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

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORPORATE

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Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

New Britain’s data center project represents a massive change

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s time goes on, the tools we need change, which is why Stanley Black & Decker, whose wares were once the foundation of the American toolbox, had a building sit dormant for years. New Britain filled that space with a project that spans two generations of Mayor, two Governors and a company that wants to bring 21st century tools into town.

Energy Innovation Park, LLC (EIP) has found the right location to bring not just one but two new uses to the old manufacturing building in New Britain. Not only will there be a Fuel Cell project, but there will be a high performance and computing and data center. In materials released by EIP last year, they call this project the transformation to The New Hardware City.

According to the Hartford Business Journal, these centers are “seen as powerful economic drivers that allow cities, regions and states to generate jobs and tax revenue.” In fact, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart has predicted that EIP is going to become one of the city’s largest taxpayers overnight.

The project’s development will include multiple phases starting with a 20 megawatt clean energy generator, and finishing with the Data Center that will consist entirely of new construction. Adding to the benefit of the project, the fuel cells will be built by Doosan, whose headquarters are in South Windsor.

The investment in New Britain and the state at large has been estimated at a billion dollars with 3,000 jobs. The tax revenue over the next 20 years equaled something like $200 million in state and $45 million, even despite $55 million in tax exemptions that helped bring the project here.

That meant it took “a lot of partners to come to the table,” people like the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and not one but two governors.

“It’s very rare that you find a project that lasts the span of two governors, and has the support,” Mayor Stewart said. “It speaks volumes to how great a project this is.”

Mayor Stewart knows how great this project is: when Governor Lamont was first elected, EIP was her very first phone call.

Matt Pilon in the Hartford Business Journal said that the project was able to overcome hurdles to net the kind of company that will attract attention, quoting UConn economist Fred Carstensen, saying that it could be “the basis of what could be a state marketing campaign.”

Names like Amazon and Microsoft were floated when imagining who could be pitched on the New Britain data center because of the location and the size of the project.

These two names represent the sea change that has happened in the last 30 years. No longer do humans run machines, machines run machines, and no longer do we store information on paper, much of the collective human imagination is stored in the cloud. Just as Stanley was one of the most important companies of the last century, producing tools that everyone can use, Microsoft is to this young century. The EIP project represents that move forward as an investment in New Britain, and Connecticut, and the future.

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EDUCATION The Education section of CT&C is sponsored by Gateway Community College’s GREAT Center.

Learn more at: www.gatewayct.edu/Great-Center

Lessons From The Good Earth

Bristol students learn the value of getting their hands dirty

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arming, the act of planting seed and harvesting the crop, is essential to the American legend. The Pilgrims would not have survived their first winter without the assistance of Native American farming techniques. But farming is something we have increasingly lost touch with. That’s starting to change — community gardens are popping up and farmer’s markets are filled with local produce all summer. The City of Bristol Department of Public Works and Board of Education are bringing this essential skill back to school with “Bristol Gardens – A Work of Heart.”

The concept is easy, students should learn all the necessary skills to lead healthy lives and make good food choices, and those skills should start at school. “The mission of ‘Bristol Gardens – A Work of Heart’ is to encourage Bristol students to go outside and get their hands dirty by growing their very own garden each season.”

Of the project, Lindsey Rivers, Public Works Analyst for the City of Bristol, said “we want all Bristol students to have the opportunity to get their hands dirty and grow their own food.”

So far, students have planted things like lettuce, herbs, garlic, and fall vegetables in their gardens, all of which these students will have the opportunity to bring some of the produce home to eat with their family.

The gardens were built with help from many different groups according to the press release for the program: they were principally built by the Public Works Department at the Greene Hills School, Stafford School, and Ivy Drive School. They were given monetary assistance through a Lowe’s Home Improvement grant, which helped fund flexible outdoor seating, mindfulness tools, and garden supplies.

Additionally, Mizzy Construction, a local company donated materials and labor to pour the concrete pad that comprises the base of the outdoor learning classroom. ESPN volunteers came to Stafford School and painted sensory walk paths as well as transforming to court yards into gardens for pollinating and vegetables.

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The Stafford Elementary School Principal Kristin Irvine was very enthusiastic about the project: “We are excited and eager to start using our outdoor learning classroom this year. We will also be starting a student gardening club where, with the support of Bristol Public Works department, we will be teaching children the benefits of garden and composting, along with the delicious rewards when our vegetables and herbs mature!”

Projects like these emphasize and reinforce the skills needed to sustain, skills that are as crucial today as they were 400 years ago when the Pilgrims first learned how to sow the new land from the Native tribes. Michael Dietter, Assistant Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools, said it best, “with multiple entry points for learning and collaboration, these gardens will sustain our learners’ interests throughout the school year and beyond.”

EDUCATION UConn And Hartford Team Up

Merging libraries benefits City, College, Students and Residents

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lways looking to improve its facilities, UConn moved its West Hartford campus back to downtown Hartford in 2017, which left it with a conundrum of expanding into the limited space that is downtown. That’s why an ingenious plan saw the school collaborating with the Hartford Public Library in a project that aimed to benefit everyone affected by the move.

Geoffrey Fay, a Pullman & Comley attorney who helped structure the partnership, says one of the most important aspects of UConn’s move back downtown was bringing along the valuable resources contained in the West Hartford academic library. It was clear to everyone involved that a robust library — with access to journals, scholarly materials, and obscure resources that make the groundbreaking research and work done by UConn students possible — was essential to the success of the new campus.

The problem was that Hartford only has limited areas in which to expand in ways that will benefit both the students, the school, the city and the public. Fortunately, there was an elegant solution: merge the resources of the academic library with the main branch of the Hartford Public Library, which was already doing a great job of serving the City.

“Bringing the UConn community and the general public together in one combined library was intended to better serve the literary, cultural and educational aspirations of the residents of the City and the University’s staff and students,” Fay said.

They did so by bringing funds to the Hartford Public Library which went to repairs and improvements to the building, as well as upgrades intended for university use. Alone, UConn would have spent more money retrofitting or constructing a building to serve library purposes and the City might have put off much needed repairs. Together, they were able to serve the needs of both the University and City in one shining example of town-gown relations.

In total, the University will hold approximately 11,700 square feet for their own special use, per Fay’s figures.

The library will share more than 4,000 square feet for use of classrooms, study rooms, and a computer lab, and they will also share circulation space as well as other more obvious facilities like lobbies, lavatories, entrances, etc.

Partnerships like these are becoming more common, Fay said, with examples including the City of San Jose and San Jose State University in California, The Lone Star College and Harris County in Texas, The University of Houston-Sugar Land and Fort Bend County also in Texas, and the Tidewater Community College and the City of Virginia Beach in Virginia.

Fay asks, “In this age of budgetary constraints, should not other cash-strapped public libraries close to fouryear and community colleges consider similar synergistic and cost-saving arrangements?”

When a project like this benefits the University, the City, and most importantly the students and residents of Hartford, it doesn’t take a degree from UConn to figure out that this is a no-brainer.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 29

ENERGY One New School Equals Net-Zero Energy New Mansfield school offsets energy costs in new school building

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n the quest for a sustainable future, CT&C has often highlighted larger scale projects that will help offset carbon emissions, lower energy costs, and foster a greener future. Vast solar panel arrays and wind farms are the talk of the town, but they often neglect the impact that many smaller projects can have. In Mansfield, for instance, they aim to build a net-zero public school that will generate all, or nearly all of the energy it consumes.

The One New School Project, which recently saw approval on the ballot on a two-to-one vote, would be one of the first net-zero public schools in the state by the time it opens up in 2022.

From the project’s website, they say the project will employ many different tactics to getting toward that net-zero goal including “a large array of solar panels (photovoltaics), geothermal wells, and other design features and management techniques that would significantly reduce energy use.”

While many of these tactics have been utilized in other areas or retrofitted to older buildings, it is the fact that the town had combined all of these energy-saving measures to essentially wipe out the environmental impact of a single larger building.

The benefits of buildings like these go far beyond environmental impact. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, “energy consumption represents the second highest operational expense to schools, second only to salaries.”

Over the course of the first few years, the project is estimated to save Mansfield taxpayers an estimated $110,000 to $140,000 per year, with savings projected to increase in later years. According to the website, the state has expressed interest in the net-zero

The One New School Project would be one of the first net-zero public schools in the state by the time it opens up in 2022. project and will likely help pay for the initial net-zero work.

Importantly, it also improves the environment in the school, which they suggest is beneficial to student performance: “students do their best in a healthy, high-performance learning environment, and using no oil or gas boiler also improves air quality and health for the town. Maximizing use of natural light creates a more inviting environment for children than traditional lighting does.”

Overall, the impact of the One New

30 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

School Project in Mansfield will be as trendsetter. Net-zero projects may not be new, even in the municipal construction field, but it will start a conversation: can we do this in our school? Will our new school have both solar panels and geothermal energy? What are the other possibilities to make this building more efficient and will those make it more conducive to learning?

And one school in Mansfield becomes many schools in many municipalities across the state. And that is value that adds up.

ENERGY

Chargin’ Up My Batteries

Vernon installs new electric vehicle charging station

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hile much of the talk around Connecticut’s infrastructure is aimed at fixing things, mainly bridges and roads, there is also the need to create a new infrastructure for emerging technologies. The primary force necessitating this change is the electric vehicle, which needs a charging infrastructure.

In October of this year, Vernon installed their first public charging station.

Towns like Vernon are part of that wave that are embracing these changes, setting it up for a brighter, cleaner, greener tomorrow.

There has been a slow transition from primarily fuel driven cars. The Prius was the first major step into electric vehicles 20 years ago, which used a battery in a hybrid model. As that battery grew more efficient, many car manufacturers realized the possibility of entirely electric vehicles, and the market grew almost instantly.

oped by CCM, municipal officials, and the Institute of Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University.

But another benefit of a charging station like this is that electric vehicle owners typically seek out locations that have these charging stations. This means that they will have time while their car is charging to find something to eat or enjoy the town’s offerings.

The only issue would be if the charging station becomes full, as like with parking spaces, only so many people can use the charger at the same time. According to InsideEVs.com, which looks at electric vehicle sales, there were about 107,000 electric vehicle sales in the first half of 2019, compared to 64,000 in the same time period in 2018.

Electric vehicles are clearly the wave of the future when it comes to personal vehicles. They’re even becoming an integral part of fleet vehicles like police cars and public transit like buses. Towns like Vernon are part of that wave that are embracing these changes, setting it up for a brighter, cleaner, greener tomorrow.

Your

NOT JUST ANY LAW FIRM. LAW FIRM.

The biggest change came with vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model 3, two of the most affordable options for electric vehicles on the market right now, allowing more people than ever to purchase this new technology. With the impending environmental changes, and pollution due to vehicles skyrocketing, this technology became more important than ever.

The 2010s have seen a rise in these vehicles, and many places are doing their part to create that infrastructure to charge vehicles, which helps them extend their range. The Town of Vernon is installing one of these charging stations at the Senior Center on Bolton Road.

The station cost the town $4,000, with $1,500 from an Eversource Energy grant, according to the Journal Enquirer.

Vernon hopes that this provide many benefits for the town. Among them, they are submitting this project as part of their certification efforts for Sustainable CT, devel-

BRIDGEPORT 203.368.0211

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DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 31

ENVIRONMENT The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepare Hamden uses POCD to build a sustainable future for town and residents

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ncertainty is a problem for municipalities.

Whether as immediate as delays in receiving TAR grant money or as long term as global warming, this not knowing can throw a wrench in the works of budgeting, planning, development, and conservation. And yet, municipalities are expected to prepare a Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) every ten years. For Hamden, that meant planning for uncertainty.

These POCD documents are required by state law, with repercussions if they are not completed. As part of Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended by Public Act 15-95, any municipality that does not adopt a POCD at least once every ten years shall be ineligible for discretionary state funding unless such prohibition is expressly waived by the OPM Secretary. But they are also opportunities to let residents know just where a town wants to go.

For the next ten years, Hamden has chosen to guide its development and growth along the overall theme of sustainability. According to the POCD, “Hamden wants to be a sustainable community that maintains the things that people love about the community, addresses aspects that people don’t love about Hamden, and ensures the long-term stability of this place we call home.”

Many, when hearing the word “sustainable,” immediately think of environmental sustainability. According to a survey done by Planimetrics, the company that prepared the POCD, nearly 90% of Hamden residents felt that Hamden should do more to be a leader in terms of promoting energy efficiency and water conservation, while 66% believe that climate change is becoming an issue which is affecting Hamden.

Residents will undoubtedly remember many severe storms and weather related disasters such as the tornado that swept through the area. Over the next ten years, the town will be reviewing and improving approaches to respond to events like these in order to protect the residents and mitigate fallout.

Combining the two efforts is their emphasis on protecting natural resources. The tornado did damage not only to private property, but to public property and parks such as Sleeping Giant State Park that is one of the most popular attractions in the area. On Town owned property, they say that “trees are an important part of the character and infrastructure of Hamden.”

Most notably, the document plans for a 20 inch sea level rise by 2050.

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View from the Sleeping Giant’s chin in Hamden.

“People may not think of Hamden as a coastal community, but there are areas along the Quinnipiac River and Mill River in the southern part of Hamden which are considered ‘coastal embayments’ and ‘tidal marshes,’” according to the POCD. Not only will the town be planning for the protection of valuable grounds, but add to them by creating access for kayaks, canoes, and similar craft.

These POCD documents, while required by the state, help a town or city plan by playing the soothsayer.

Asking yourself, what do we think is going to happen in the next decade, then taking a stab at answering that question. While it may be impossible to truly tell the future, it’s a good idea to plan for whatever may come.

GOVERNANCE One Man’s Recycling Is Another’s Treasure Farmington adopts pink bag textile recycling to lessen tipping fees

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019 might be the single biggest year of change in the recycling industry since it was mandated in the early 90s. That is due to the China Sword Policy, which CT&C has previously covered, driving up tipping fees associated with recycling. The market for recyclables may never be the same, forcing municipalities to look for alternative means to reduce costs associated with waste. Farmington is one of those town looking to change the equation with a new program aimed at taking textiles out of the stream.

For those that need a brief recap, tipping fees are charged by waste collectors to municipalities to pick up the trash on a per ton fee.

With recycling, towns and cities were making that money back by selling the goods to recyclers that repurpose the waste into new raw materials. Now that that market has gone away, it becomes more important that municipalities reduce the tonnage that is needlessly being tossed. Some food can be composted, for instance, and textiles can be recycled in many different ways.

Farmington’s program revolves around new pink bags that are put out with the rest of the normal waste and recyclables, but those bags are filled exclusively with textiles. These are what Simple Recycling, the company running the program, calls “soft recyclable materials.” They include items like clothing, shoes, and blankets.

Surprisingly, according to Simple Recycling, 85% of textiles end up in the trash, amounting to 68 pounds of clothing for the average person a year. For just Connecticut residents over the age of 18, that represents nearly 100,000 tons of textiles.

The benefit of the pink bag program is that it is free to all municipalities, so those savings hold no hidden fees. Removing that kind of tonnage of waste directly from the stream is already a savings, even on the municipal level, but there are more benefits than just simple savings.

All of the materials that are collected are sorted and graded based on the quality and condition. The top graded materials make it to thrift stores in your area, while mid-grade goods are sent to international

markets. Most importantly, even the “unusable” items are processed for raw materials. There’s no limit to how much you can put out, as long as it conforms to your municipality’s list of acceptable goods.

A broad list of acceptable items includes: Men’s, Women’s, and Children’s clothing; coats and jackets; jewelry; shoes; purses; hats; toys; blankets; drapes/curtains; pillows; sleeping bags; tools; silverware; dishes; pots/pans; and backpacks, but each municipality sets their own rules.

The program is growing in popularity due to the need to look for alternative ways to bring waste costs down. Other communities in Connecticut that are utilizing the pink bag include: Berlin, Bristol, East Hartford, Granby, Hamden, Harwinton, Manchester, Middletown, Milford, New Britain, Newington, Orange, Plainville, Rocky Hill, South Windsor, Stamford, Stratford, Thomaston, Torrington, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 33

GOVERNANCE Redevelopment Is Easy Like A-B-C

West Haven finds developers to buy two former school buildings

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CM often likes to highlight the building of new schools and the rejuvenation of brownfields.

They are some of the key signals that a municipality is invested in their future. But sometimes there is a nexus between the two issues, as new schools are built some old schools go out of use. They aren’t quite brownfields, but finding new uses for decommissioned schools can be as tricky. West Haven had two vacant schools, Stiles and Thompson, that needed new uses, and they knew exactly who to market them to: groups that would transform them into apartments.

While the thought of living in an old school might seem strange, it’s actually part of a trend that is going on nationally. The National Apartment Association wrote a short article on the subject noting projects in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Rotterdam, New York that have seen old schools turned into apartment communities, senior living communities, and lofts.

They noted that redevelopments like these “help preserve beloved buildings, classic architecture, character and history in the communities.”

The Stiles and Thompson schools had been vacant for some time, until they were sold to the Park Lane Group, LLC, according to reporting from the New Haven Register, after an earlier bid fell through. The plan is to “create a total of 102 one bedroom units for tenants

55 and older,” as well as some retail space in the two vacant schools as well as the Blake Building, which would house just 27 of the units.

In their plan, 20% of the units would be affordable housing.

One of the most important aspects of the sale was bringing money and growth back into the city, but also that the building was going to be brought back into good condition without city funds. A request for proposals that went out in 2017 for the Stiles School noted that the building was in much need of repair, citing water damage and known hazardous materials due to the age of the building.

A similar project in East Haven was costing the town $240,000 per year before developers came up with a plan to renovate the former East Haven High School.

That project is estimated to cost $22 million and be completed by November 2020, according to the Register.

While plans for the actual apartments and construction is forthcoming — and will need to be approved by the planning and zoning commission — the basic idea is there. The project is a rare win-win-win. It takes buildings that needed to be redeveloped, gets new residents in, and gets them off town books. It’s as easy as A-B-C or 1-2-3.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi leads development officials on a pre-construction site tour of the former Edgar C. Stiles Elementary School.

34 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

PUBLIC SAFETY The Public Safety section of CT&C is sponsored by Emergency Resource Management.

Learn more at: http://ermanagement.com

Vaping Kills

Ridgefield addresses problems before they begin

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s of the end of October, there have been over 1,600 people who have experienced some kind of illness and more than 30 people who have died as a result of vaping. It is a nationwide problem that has seen much of the headway in smoking cessation amongst teenagers lost to this newest fad that combines electronics and smoking in harmful ways. Ridgefield understands the devastating effects of vaping and has been at the forefront of stemming the issue.

According to the center on addiction, a proper definition of vaping is the “act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device.” These devices range from cigarette-styled mouthpieces to the popular USBstyled JUUL, both of which have many flavors and often contain nicotine, but sometimes contain other chemicals like THC or illicit and dangerous synthetic drugs like flakka.

Because of their style, they are easily concealable items, and don’t present the same way that traditional cigarette smoke does. This has made them especially popular in schools. One initiative that Ridgefield has taken was to install specialized electronic vaping detectors at Ridgefield High School in February of this year. Just over 20 students were caught with the devices in the previous year, according to administrators quoted in the Ridgefield Press.

For the administrators, they hope

to instill the dangers of vaping in students before the habit even starts. It is mandated that ninth and twelfth grade health classes include information about the dangers of vaping and ninth grade and eleventh grade students must attend lectures by anti-drug guest speakers who touch on the dangers of vaping.

This crisis has hit a tipping point with the increase in illness and death associated with vaping, which has sparked calls by CCM to the state legislature to address vaping, while certain lawmakers have approached the idea to look at an outright ban. Part of the problem is that many illnesses are directly related to products that have come from the black market.

The Washington Post said that black market operators are using more thickening agents to dilute THC oil — which is already an illegal substance — while other manufacturers might be adding things that were never supposed to be smoked in the first place.

Traditional cigarette smoking amongst teens is at an all-time low, and CT laws that have raised the age to buy tobacco products to 21 will likely help lower that rate further. But vaping has taken up some of that gained ground by appealing to younger teens with popular flavors and cool devices. Ridgefield is doing its part by taking up the longstanding practice of stopping the problem before everything goes up in smoke.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 35

PUBLIC SAFETY Walking The Walk

Wallingford, Madison, and Windham are getting pedestrians home safe

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ne of the most incomprehensible trends of the late 2010s is the sudden rise in pedestrian accidents. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, over 6,000 people were killed in traffic in 2019, a full third higher than it was just a decade earlier. While the onus should be on the driver to be cautious by driving no higher than the speed limit and being mindful of the road, several municipalities are adding measures to keep their pedestrians safe.

A simple measure to increase pedestrian safety is the addition of stop signs at key intersections throughout towns or cities such as Wallingford had done. From a press release, Lt. Anthony DeMaio said that these stop signs “have been initiated in the interest of public safety and to facilitate improved traffic flow at these locations.”

While studies have shown that stop signs are not necessarily effective at curbing a car’s speed, in heavily trafficked intersections they at least force a situation in which cars must cede right of way. That should help pedestrians recognize a safe time to cross the street.

Other effective measures for traffic calming include crosswalk signage and physical barriers such as bumps or curb extensions that make driving actively more difficult, forcing drivers to pay closer attention.

The town of Madison is beginning a large scale project that aims to extend walkways in the area around the Madison Train Station. This project is funded by a state Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) grant of $200,000 and includes widening measures to be ADA compliant as well as crosswalks. It is important that sidewalks be able to accommodate those in wheelchairs as the only alternative would be to travel in the street, which is not a safe place for pedestrians.

And for the most vulnerable among us, the Windham

Board of Education has initiated a new policy whereby parents or guardians of a child in kindergarten, or first or second grade, must be present at the home or bus stop where the child is dropped off. While some felt that this policy would be difficult to monitor, children at that age are vulnerable primarily because those in cars, especially SUVs, cannot see them.

SUVs, according to analysis done by Gizmodo, are more likely to be involved in accidents that resulted in a pedestrian being killed, where “SUVs had a roughly 50% rise in pedestrian fatalities since 2013 compared with a 30% rise for other cars during the same period.”

As more and more people take to the streets and find walking to be an acceptable way of getting around, the need for pedestrian safety will increase. Whether you are installing traffic calming measures, investing in sidewalk infrastructure, or making sure that kids are getting home safe, at least something is being done to reverse the trend of pedestrian accidents.

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

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

36 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

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DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 37

SOCIAL WELFARE Rising Up To The Challenge

Municipalities receive grants to make difference at home

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unning a town or city can often be described in one word: Challenge. There are so many ins and outs of managing a town like how to budget and develop the town while adding in the extra level of scrutiny that many in the business industry don’t have to face. But when companies understand those challenges, and offer to help, it can be a game changer, as is the case with the Working Cities Challenge that is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

This year, the bank awarded Danbury, East Hartford, Hartford, Middletown and Waterbury grants of $450,000 each to follow through on proposals created as part of the Working Cities Challenge, “a program designed to lead communities through a rigorous process that builds cross-sector collaboration and works toward solving issues impacting the lives of lower-income residents.”

These five towns have exemplary projects that will now have the funding required to do great works in their community to ease some of the challenge of managing their towns, and doing some good along the way.

Danbury Through their DanburyWORKS initiative, the Danbury Working Cities Challenge team will aim to reduce the number of immigrants and people of color who are in poverty by 30 percent in the next 10 years. The effort will evolve through two phases. Phase one will focus on building trust among the diverse cultures in Danbury by creating a system of language acquisition programs and increasing access to affordable, quality childcare. Reducing these barriers will help pave the way for phase two, which will move residents who have acquired appropriate childcare and language proficiency into job and educational training programs to improve economic self-sufficiency.

East Hartford East Hartford’s Working Cities Challenge initiative, East Hartford CONNects, will improve the quality of life in the Silver Lane neighborhood through improving access to workforce development and educational resources and by increasing resident engagement and participation in decision making. It has been developed through a cross-sector partnership of public, nonprofit, and private organizations along with residents, all of whom are committed to collaborative leadership, which has been shown by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to be essential to economic growth. Median household income is substantially lower in this neighborhood than the town as a whole, reflecting underemployment. Residents face barriers to gaining 38 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

career-track employment, and workforce resources to assist them are often fragmented, difficult to access, and, therefore, underutilized. East Hartford’s initiative aims to bring together local employers, workforce intermediaries, and job seekers to better align resources and to create a career development culture that leads to family-sustaining employment. Silver Lane School, the main provider of resources and support for local families, will begin to offer workforce and other resources, including the assistance of a career specialist for residents working towards career advancement.

Hartford Hartford’s Working Cities (HWC) initiative, the South Hartford Young Adult Employment Zone (SHYAEZ) is a focused, concentrated and urgent effort that tackles two economic challenges facing Hartford – poverty and the need for an educated workforce to attract and retain employers to the City and the region. Using a place-based strategy focused on three contiguous Hartford neighborhoods, HWC’s approach emphasizes engaging employers, residents, and young adults (aged 16-29) and aligning and coordinating neighborhood-based employment services using sector-based and positive youth development strategies so that young adults have improved access to good jobs.

Employers in key sectors will have access to a qualified local labor pool, neighborhood households will be more financially secure, and neighborhoods will be more stable. By helping out-of-school, out-of-work and under-employed young adults realize their untapped potential, HWC will work to transform the prosperity and equity for residents of South Hartford, and improve the economic outlook of Hartford and the state.

Middletown The goal of Middletown Works is to reduce the percentage of Middletown single parent families living

SOCIAL WELFARE at or below the federal poverty level from 35 to 20 percent over the next 10 years. This will impact almost 1600 families in Middletown.

needs of single parent employees will have long-term positive impact for children and families, and the economic health of the entire city.

Middletown Works will develop a system to identify meaningful employment opportunities for single parents, and provide them with the training and resources to obtain a living wage and do career-sustaining work.

They will create a Middletown Works Committee to work with the City of Middletown’s Citizens Advisory Council. The committee will inform the decision-making process for allocating the $400,000(+/-) community development block grant funds the city receives annually. In addition, the committee will coordinate the currently diffused employment resources and hold Middletown Works office hours in central community locations, expand existing training and apprenticeship opportunities that result in actual jobs, and conduct outreach to engage the local business community.

Aligning the interests of local employers with the

Waterbury Waterbury’s RIBA ASPIRA will address the economic and racial/ethnic inequities that have devalued this once vibrant South End neighborhood by creating a strong, resident-driven, civic infrastructure, realigning and relocating job training services and revising child care decision-making policies to be more equitable, insuring adequate access for neighborhood residents, children and families. Focusing on one neighborhood provides an opportunity to advance changes in systems and policies and pilot a resident engagement model that can be replicated in other city neighborhoods.

Girl Scouts Highlight Language

South Windsor scouts give presentation on equality in language

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ust next year, the country will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which afforded women the right to vote in a presidential election for the first time. Despite this, language persisted that acknowledged the structures of old, that all men were created equal as our Declaration of Independence says, not that all people were created equal. It took none other than the Girl Scouts, working with the Town of South Windsor, to notice this language and work for change.

pronoun equivalents or substitute the person’s title for the pronoun,” as was their recommendation before the Town Council.

South Windsor, like many other towns and cities in Connecticut, has a charter that predate the 19th Amendment. In 1845, when the town was incorporated, there was no reason to refer to any person holding office or as a landowner as anything but a man. The Girl Scouts from Troop 10943 saw it was time to replace many of those gendered references with non-binary pronouns.

One example from their PowerPoint presentation on the subject was the section under “Qualifications.”

The line read: The Manager shall be chosen exclusively on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, character, education, training and experience.” One can infer, like the practice of voting, that naturally a man would assume this position because of the pronoun “his.”

Throughout the charter, the Troop found 67 references to he, him, his and himself that could easily be replaced with “their non-gendered

For the Troop, the “use of masculine pronouns throughout official documents is a dated concept, does not promote inclusiveness, and excludes women and non-binary people.” And they cite the United Nation’s guidelines on gender-inclusive language, which says that the “challenge for gender-inclusive communication in English is the use of the masculine form by default.”

In 2019, after women have held nearly every position in government — save for one glaring ex-

ception at the top of the Executive branch — there is no question that a Manager shall be chosen on the basis of “their executive and administrative qualifications.”

Charter changes are entirely up to the municipality, but the process is a bit like Pandora’s Box — once it is open, it’s open — so towns try to refrain from opening charters too often. But with the support of the Mayor and the Girl Scouts, a change like this might inspire Girl Scouts 100 years from now to look back at 2019 as a pivotal year for women in local government thanks to a Girl Scout troop with big ideas and a mind for equality.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 39

TECHNOLOGY The Technology section of CT&C is sponsored by Digital BackOffice.

Learn more at: www.digitalbackoffice.com

Meriden Public Schools Upgrades Cyberattack prevention requires state of the art tools

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eriden Public School Superintendent Mark Benigni was recently recognized by a national education consortium for enhancing student learning through technology. Superintendent Benigni over recent years has led a push in Meriden to embed more technology and digital content into the curriculum. Meriden is now considered a “one-to-one” district, meaning each student has their own computer device with which to access digital content.

With such a diverse and growing user digital community, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Operations, Michael Grove, was concerned about cybersecurity and the threats posed by ransomware attacks, phishing emails, computer viruses, and other data breaches.

The Meriden Public School district operates an enterprise network connecting 14 buildings with a highspeed (10 Gbps) fiber-optic network. Over 10,000 users access educational, business office applications and the internet from a variety of endpoint devices, including many wireless users on personal computers.

The district selected Palo Alto Networks and Digital BackOffice (DBO) to enhance perimeter security. DBO network ops center personnel pre-configured the firewall off-site and scheduled installation after hours to minimize network downtime. “DBO provides us with a single point of contact for all network problems, changes and trouble-shooting,” said Mr. Grove, “the school district network is dynamic with new devices and applications added with increasing frequency. We have experienced how each new device or application can expose others to cyberattacks and ransomware.

The powerful detection and response capabilities inherent in the Palo Alto platform prevent attacks from compromising the network or worse.”

“We believe that Palo Alto Networks in partnership with Digital BackOffice provides the Meriden school district with the capability to prevent security breaches and manage our network with achievable service level goals,” added Chris Sette, Manager of IT Services for the school district. “The Digital BackOffice network operations center has visibility into all the network intersections, network data traffic and perim-

40 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

eter security. The DBO team provides the district with experienced network engineering talent and is a trusted advisor that understands the unique K-12 education infrastructure needs.”

Managed security service providers offer a single point of contact, a local help desk, 24x7 monitoring and expertise in securing the network from cyber-attacks, malware, hacking and ransomware. User education is important, but prevention and frequent policy adjustments are the key to a robust cyber-security strategy.

Effective prevention requires next generation tools, experience, training, process controls and a security partner prepared to take responsibility for actively managing network security.

Setting the acceptable service level expectations, supporting employees with professional managed security services, and understanding the need to address cyber threats with policy adjustments will provide peace of mind to administrators and reliable network services to all.

TECHNOLOGY Hot Cybercrime Summer Has Simple Fixes New Milford IT department puts in small changes to make town safer

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t seems like every day, there is another news report about a town or city that got hit with a cyberattack.

While these attacks grow more and more sophisticated, a series of simple measures is enough to stem a majority of attacks. In the town of New Milford, the IT director is helping keep a tight ship.

This includes a simple backup and redundancy feature.

A backup is one of the most basic safety features, and most people who use a smartphone are familiar with the process. With a town, city, or even business, one key feature is keeping this backup off the town’s network.

The lead of a recent news story from the Danbury News-Times speaks to the urgency of this problem: “About 100 days ago, the town’s information technology system was considered vulnerable to attacks.”

“If the town were to be hacked now,” the News-Time article said, “the information can now be restored to what it was before the hack happened. They could then “patch the problem that caused the hack to happen in the first place.”

These attacks often come in the form of Ransomware attacks from Eastern Europe, Iran, and from within the United States according to the National Security Agency. Towns that have fallen victim to these attacks have had to pay thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to either pay the ransom or to rebuild their entire networks.

One of the most often cited cases is that of Atlanta, who chose the latter path, and spent $2.6 million on a $50,000 ransom. This explains why so many towns have chosen to just pay the ransom and why the New York Times called this the “summer of crippling ransomware attacks.”

While one municipality cannot make their IT departments like the Fort Knox of Cyberspace, there have been simple changes that the town of New Milford initiated that will greatly reduce the risk of one of these attacks happening to them.

And those annoying password requirements actually do have a good reason for making you include a period or exclamation point. They make it harder for brute force attacks where a hacker or program tries to guess passwords over and over until they get the right one.

(Password1! is still a bad password.)

Other areas include updating antivirus softwares, and having computers set to go to sleep after a short period.

As towns begin to increase their cyber footprint, bringing more and more features to their website, and making more and more documents digital, there is a growing need to keep these practices safe. While there are loads that are being done on the back end by IT departments in municipalities across the state, sometimes the best practices are some of the easiest, and that way computers will continue to be our assistants and not a possible threat.

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 41

TRANSPORTATION These Streets Are Made For Walking

New Britain offers assistance to property owners to repair sidewalks

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n towns and cities where property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks, you run the risk of errant property owners who either don’t know their responsibility or don’t want to pay for the replacement or repair. It may not be feasible for many municipalities to take on the entire cost of replacing sidewalks where there is a risk, but how do you get citizen involvement? If you’re the City of New Britain, you offer to help.

This past year, the City of New Britain began a new cost sharing sidewalk repair program for property owners. Like many other municipalities, there is a city ordinance that makes property owners responsible for the maintenance and repair of the sidewalk bordering their property. But under this program, they have taken some of that burden off the property owners.

Having safe sidewalks is especially important for a city like New Britain, who has actively been looking at making their downtown area more walkable. As part of the Complete Streets Master Plan, not only were bike lanes and safer parking important, but making the city more accessible for everyone regardless of ability is seen as key to New Britain’s future.

These types of programs are becoming popular around the country, especially in areas where the city cannot keep up with nearly every foot of sidewalk.

New Britain alone has 200 miles of sidewalks along its city streets, but this program has seen success in larger metro areas like Chicago, which offers a per-squarefoot fee that is lower than private contractors, but is limited to sidewalks in public right-of-ways.

New Britain residents who meet limitations and requirements can recoup up to 50 percent of the costs of sidewalk replacement for single family residential properties, 40 percent for two family properties, and 33 percent for three to six family properties.

In New Britain, the rules are that the property owner must enter an agreement with the City to be eligible for this program and sidewalk repair reimbursement funds, and $6,000 is the maximum value that a single property owner can receive reimbursement. In 2019, the city allocated $50,000 for the program.

“We recognize that repairing a sidewalk can be costly and in some cases simply unfeasible to budget for,” Mayor Erin Stewart said in a press release. “We hope that this program will be beneficial to property owners; these improvements will make for a safer, better connected community.”

It’s hard to imagine a city without sidewalks. In municipalities that share the responsibility with their property owners, it is of utmost importance that those travel ways are safe for everyone. While the costs may be burdensome for either party alone, sharing in those costs makes for a smart plan.

42 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019

TRANSPORTATION Walking On A Sunny Day Walkable towns and cities inject a little color to the landscape

W

alkable towns and cities might have seemed like a trend in the mid-00s, but the idea has been around for quite some time as a response to suburban sprawl. Since towns and cities have started to make walkability a more permanent feature, city planning aspects like zoning took a front seat, but truly the most important thing is pedestrian safety.

Cities have been putting in painted bike lanes and cross walks for years now, but recently the trend has been to say: why not have some fun with it?

In New Haven, the Safe Routes for All program got out paint buckets and started painting certain intersections with bright colors and polka dots. The idea is that the bright colors would make drivers more alert in certain sections that are heavily trafficked by pedestrians.

The Safe Routes For All took inspirations from locations across the country, including Jersey City, Miami, and New York according to a presentation stored on their website that was part of a workshop this past June. Locations were discussed for the painted areas with an emphasis on the community that needed them the most.

Walkability might as well be a synonym for community building, as proponents of the concept believe that seeing your neighbors out and about in a neighborhood helps foster a relationship and duty to the area that you live in. You take ownership of where you live and you support that community, so it’s no surprise that towns and cities are using colorful crosswalks to support minority communities.

In both Norwalk and Simsbury, the towns have installed rainbow crosswalks that are aimed at inclusivity for the LGBT community. The Rainbow Flag, designed by Gilbert

Baker, has been a beacon for LGBT rights, so these towns have found its display a way of evoking the spirit of equality and acceptance.

Simsbury had put up the colorful crosswalk as part of the Gay Pride month celebrations that take place in June. This crosswalk wasn’t permanent, but a temporary way to express inclusion until the town has a more permanent tribute in place. Norwalk’s are permanent, what they call the “first permanent artistic crosswalk” in Connecticut.

Crosswalks like these have the federal government asking if it’s really helpful, but a full-fledged study hasn’t been done yet. There has only been observations by locals who feel like these crosswalks are important.

From StreetsBlog, a Kentucky resident claimed that one artistic crosswalk reduced accidents from 10 to 0, while in Rochester, New York, a longtime resident claimed that people slowed down around a rainbow colored cross walk because it stood out. And in Medford, Massachusetts, they’ve taken standing out to the next level with a 3D crosswalk that looks like it’s floating over the street.

The best walkable towns and cities have a lot of people walking in them. These pedestrians are some of the most vulnerable people and need to be protected. Crosswalks and walk signals are obviously an integral part of this equation, but places like New Haven, Norwalk, and Simsbury are saying, why not have fun with it?

DECEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 43

NARCAN ® Nasal Spray Use: NARCAN® (naloxone hydrochloride) Nasal Spray is an opioid antagonist indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care. For more information on Narcan call 844-4NARCAN or visit narcannasalspray.com Contracted Products NDC #

Description

69547-035302

NARCAN Nasal Spray

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UOM / Package

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Adapt Pharma

4mg Nasal Spray

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Program & Pricing Eligibility: The $75.00 Public Interest Contract Price is being made available by Adapt Pharma in an effort to provide affordable access to Narcan for entities that serve the public interest with limited funding. Public Interest Pricing is available to U.S. Communities participating agencies that have signed participation documents for Premier’s Medical Surgical and Pharmaceutical Group Purchasing Program and by purchasing Narcan directly from Adapt Pharma. Purchasing direct from Adapt is subject to terms and conditions including but not limited to credit evaluation, product returns limitations and no recourse to 3rd party public or private insurance. No freight charge when purchasing a minimum of 48 units.

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

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