Connecticut River
Minutes
February 27, 2008
I. Chairman Phil
Miller called the meeting to order at 12:12 PM in the CRERPA conference space
at 455 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook..
II. Minutes
Chairman
Miller asked that the minutes of the November 2007 meeting be approved. Rich Cabral moved that they be
approved as circulated. The motion was seconded by Dick Smith and unanimously
approved. Chairman Miller asked that the
tour of Middletown facilities in January be acknowledged as a meeting. A motion
to acknowledge the meeting was made by Rich Cabral, seconded by Mark Walter and
unanimously approved. .
III.
Business
The order of business was amended to allow the
Legislative Reports to precede the general discussion.
A.
Legislative
Report
1. Governor’s Office
Chairman
Miller recognized Jeff Nelson who spoke on behalf of Gov. Rell. Jeff announced
that the Governor’s budget includes no tax increases and provides for some
surplus. Emphasis is given to Public Safety and Responsible Growth.
Chairman Miller asked about the status of DOT’s
proposed reorganization. Hearings are being
scheduled.
Chairman Miller asked about OPM with emphasis
on STEAP grants. Applications are due this week, which is earlier than usual.
Chester and East Haddam are applying.
Dick Smith addressed the Ethics
bill. He noted that he is not opposed to ethical standards but is opposed to all
mandates.
Rich Cabral urged the reform of the ECS
formula. Funding for students with
special needs should be from the state and “travel” with the child from one
school system to another..
Jeff responded to Dick Smith’s complaint with
a page from the Governor’s Property Tax Reform Package. She proposes a statutory prohibition of new unfunded
mandates on cities and towns unless they are enacted by a 2/3 vote of the
legislature. She also proposes those
legal announcements may be placed on the town website in lieu of publication. A
separate proposal would relieve towns of the responsibility of removing and
storing the personal property of evicted tenants.
Dick Smith expressed frustration that
the CRVCEO talks about things but seldom takes any action. He moved that the
Council back those portions of the Governor’s Tax Reform Package that provide
relief from mandates. The motion was seconded by Tom Marsh and unanimously
approved. Chairman Miller instructed CRERPA
staff to send copies of a letter to the Governor and to all legislators
representing any of the seventeen towns supporting the Governor’s policies on
mandates.
Rich
Cabral asked that a copy of the letter and the mailing list be sent to each
member of the CRVCEO and that each CEO rephrases the letter in his own style
and send a personal appeal to the same list of people.
Tony Bondi
suggested that the local town committees also be sent a copy of the letter to
alert them to the situation. It was agreed the individual selectmen may wish to
send such letters.
Tony Bondi asked
about roads and emergency services. He mentioned that East Haddam has
professional part time coverage for their ambulance. He is also concerned about
the advanced age of the firemen that are available during the day.
2. Representative
Courtney
Ellen
Paul handed out pamphlets from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
explaining how to prepare for the Digital Television Transition.
Ellen also
distributed packets explaining how to claim the 2007 Tax Rebate. People without
income must file a 1040A to receive the
rebate.
Congressman
Courtney was in Madison last week. He
will be at the Estuary Council of Seniors sometime in March. The House is now
in session. Ellen addressed the TV messages urging people to call Rep.
Courtney. She stressed that he was working in CT during the alleged vacation.
Rich
Cabral asked when the members of the House and Senate will adopt Medicare as
their own health care package. He also
asked when the rule on 40 quarters will be adjusted to allow educators who
worked 40 quarters in another job to collect Social Security.
Noel
Bishop asked for some clarification on the possibility of dredging money being
available.
IV.
Discussion:
What is the CRVCEO?
Chairman Miller introduced Linda Krause who spoke
in the absemceof W. David LeVasseur
due to illness.
.
Linda
gave the group a bit of her background. She was a representative to the South
Eastern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency and served as Chairman. She was
the Mayor of Groton during the conversion from SCRPA to the Southeastern
Council of Governments. She subsequently served as Chairman of SECOG. Linda has
been at CRERPA for twenty years. She
sees regional endeavors as performing functions that might not otherwise be done.
She used the Household Hazardous Waste Facility and the regional health
districts as examples.
Linda spoke on the history of regional
planning organizations. The CRVCEO is unique within the state. It was created
with the support of W. David LeVasseur who was persistent in submitting bills
to the state legislature to enable the creation of a multi-regional Council of
Elected Officials. It was felt that the
two regions could have a greater impact if they spoke with one voice.
Regional Planning Organizations are creatures
of the legislature. They
came into being after county government was abandoned in
Connecticut. RPOs exist in three forms.
Both Midstate nd CRERPA are Regional Planning
Agencies. Each board of directors consists of two delegates from each member
town. One member is appointed by the planning agency and one by the legislative
body of each municipality. The work program
of RPAs varies. Midstate Director Geoff Colegrove
serves directly as planner for 3 or 4 Midstate towns. Midstate contracts with Capitol Region for
services such as transportation.
Councils
of Elected Officials are generally like the Lower Connecticut Valley Selectmen’s
Association, only formal. They usually exist in tandem with a Regional Planning
Commission.
A
Council of Governments consists of Chief Elected officials who are responsible
for running the entire program. Linda noted
that the Southeast region converted from an RPA to a COG when the region was
threatened with the potential closure of the sub base. There was need for the
elected officials to work closely together.
A COG can easily become politicized, and are more likely to be partisan
than an RPA.
The regional planning organizations were recently studied
by the Legislative Program Investigations and Review Committee. The report was
just released, together with a legislative proposal for implementation. She
distributed copies of the executive summary.
Linda explained that as Under Secretary of
Inter-Governmental Affairs at OPM, Dave LeVasseur is in charge of all regional
planning organizations. The Directors of the fifteen regions meet every other
month. The RPO are used as a means of communication with the towns.
Linda pointed out that the current interest in RPOs may
mean more unfunded mandates for regional projects.
Linda noted that she was appointed to write a reply to
the Legislature on behalf of the fifteen regions. In her reply she agreed that the regions
serve well from the top down, as a conduit for state programs. However, the
report does not adequately recognize the generation of issues and solutions
from the bottom up. The problems and solutions vary greatly from region to
region.
Linda reported that one of provisions of the proposed
legislation requires each RPA to establish a mechanism for the CEOs of the
region to meet at least quarterly. In
the Estuary region, the LCVSLA met even before the region existed. Midstate has no such tradition. Linda asked if the CRVCEO can meet the legal
requirements for both Midstate and the Estuary. It does.
Another provision is the review of Projects of Regional
Significance. This prompted some discussion of the right of one town to comment
on the business of a neighbor.
Linda reported that last year there were $8 ½ million dollars
available through the regional planning organizations for projects of a
regional nature. Eleven of the fifteen
regions applied. Neither Midstate nor the Estuary was among them.
Linda cited several
reasons for her reluctance to advocate for an application. One town was
refusing to pay its fees to HHW. The ETD was in turmoil. There was limited
acceptance of the health district. It was important to stabilize existing
regional efforts.
It was agreed that the greatest advantage is being able
to speak with one voice.
Chairman Miller asked if the Council wants Under
Secretary LeVasseur to come to the March meeting. It was agreed by acclamation to ask him to
attend the March meeting in Haddam.
Linda noted that this was one of the last regions to be
formed. Haddam and East Haddam were initially intended to be part of CRERPA.
Because the other towns were so slow to accept the idea of forming a region,
Haddam and East Haddam opted to become part of Mid-State. All regions adhere to a no-raid policy of not
annexing towns from one another.
Function of the CEO
Chairman Miller mentioned that the LCVSA votes on
specific things. The CRVCEO works best as a forum on specific topics. Tony Bondi asked where the CRVCEO organization
is to go.
Dick Smith urged that the impact of the group be used to
influence CCM. Three CCM board members belong to CRVCEO.
Tom Marsh stressed that towns have to be strong enough to
refuse the money -- as Chester and Old Saybrook have done in protest of DOT
requirements. He urged that a member be appointed to serve as liaison to the
legislators. Rich Cabral suggested that it be a committee of two or three. Tony
Bondi noted that it must be bi-partisan.
V.
New Business
The meeting
was adjourned at 1:54 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Wini Olson, CRERPA Staff