State Capitol Update for the week of June 6

June 10, 2022
Dear Friend,

This is my State Capitol update for the week of June 6th.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the play button to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.

 
We continue to balance the beauty and joy all around us, with more troubling and tragic events regionally and nationwide. 
 
The natural beauty of our region has been on display with the glorious weather we’ve been having. At our house, we started a family project a couple of years ago (most credit going to my husband and one of our daughters) of seeding a meadow with native species.

Anyone who has ever tried that knows that it’s a two-year process (at least), and this year the field is finally erupting with wildflowers of various kinds that bring joy to all of us. We also grew the meadow this year by participating in “No Mow May” to help out bees and other pollinators by letting the dandelions that dominate the lawn go wild. The combination of hard work (which included strewing seeds during a snowstorm this winter) with inaction of mowing less has had a really satisfying result. 
 
We are also watching the devastation of the spongy moth caterpillars who are eating their way through their priority list of deciduous trees and in some cases moving on to evergreens.  The brown spots on the hillside are already visible, and on some trees you can see the caterpillars on every leaf. Take a walk in the woods and you can hear them: what sounds like gentle raindrops on a sunny day is nothing of the kind. The prospect of what is happening to our trees is frightening. 
 
Some small forests have done large-scale spraying, and many of us are doing our best to protect individual trees. I’ve been asked why the state, or other nonprofit organizations, are not engaging in wide-spread spraying, and I’ve had conversations with a lot of experts as a result. Most do not support it. It is quite costly to treat large parcels but more importantly there are also serious downsides for our ecosystem. BT, which stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacteria in soils. This has been effective at controlling spongy moth, but the problem is that it also kills many other things, including ALL butterflies and moths, many of which our migratory birds depend on for food.
 
At this point, manually removing caterpillars from your ornamentals is the best way to protect those trees and shrubs most vulnerable. 
 
There are events of all kinds in the Northwest Corner, particularly with the good weather. In the last week I’ve been to two Pride Month events (in Torrington and Goshen), the Wamogo FFA awards, an Eagle Court of Honor in Norfolk (congratulations to Eagle Scout Ethan Perlman!), the opening concert for Music Mountain in Falls Village., and a ribbon cutting for a solar field in North Canaan. I even got to judge the Great Country Mutt Show (a benefit for the Little Guild Animal Shelter in West Cornwall) in the company of a true dog expert, Bill Berloni: congratulations to Fragle, a 13-year-old beagle owned by Perry Simmons, who won Best in Show.

Next week includes graduations at all of the regional high schools, more FFA Awards, another Eagle Court of Honor, the Kent Volunteer Fire Department Ball, and the dedication of the Battell Fountain in Norfolk, to name a few.
 
Other events are less celebratory, but necessary. Last night the January 6 Committee began its public hearing process with a damning presentation of the methodical incitement, planning, violence, and refusal to rein in, of the bloody and destructive insurrectionist attack on our nation’s capital on January 6, 2020. There will be more to come, and the news is grim, particularly when we focus on the continuing threat it presents to our democracy and rule of law. But it’s important to look squarely at this violence, including the apparent attempt on a Supreme Court justice we learned of this week, if we are going to make headway.
 
On Saturday, there will be a March for our Lives on the green in Salisbury at 10, honoring the lives lost to gun violence in Uvalde, Texas, and focusing on what we can do to limit the occurrence and lethality of gun violence in our country. I hope to see you there.
Here is a list of today's topics
  • COVID-19 Weekly Update
  • $7.5 million in state grants will preserve open space, renew green spaces
  • Saturday is Connecticut Open House Day
  • Nuvance Health appoints Christina McCulloch as President of Sharon Hospital
  • Connecticut receives national recognition for streamlining efforts & technology improvements
  • Office of Health Strategy Executive Director Victoria Veltri leaving state service
  • U.S. Census Bureau approves proposal for Connecticut’s planning regions to become county equivalents
  • Farm Markets in the Northwest Corner
  • Housatonic Youth Services Bureau Golf Tournament on June 27
  • Congratulations to the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce’s Celebration of Success winners this year!
COVID-19 weekly update
For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
$7.5 million in state grants will preserve open space, renew green spaces 

Governor Ned Lamont this week that his administration is releasing $7.29 million in state funds to purchase and protect 1,013 acres of open space in 17 Connecticut communities, and $276,200 to restore and renew of green spaces in 6 urban areas.
 
The funds are provided through the state’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program, which are both administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
  
The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program assists local governments, land trusts, and water companies in purchasing open space using funding from the Community Investment Act and state bond funds. This grant program requires a match by the grant recipient and requires the open space land be protected by a conservation and public recreation easement, ensuring that the property is forever protected for public use and enjoyment.
 
The Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program provides funding assistance to develop or enhance urban open spaces for public enjoyment and/or environmental education. Promotion of open space in an urban setting may include, but may not be limited to, the development of a community garden or reclaiming and enhancing existing open space for the public’s use. Grants are awarded to projects that demonstrate the highest ability to benefit urban communities in close proximity to population centers.
 
Section 23-8 of the Connecticut General Statutes establishes a goal of having 673,210 acres (approximately 21%) of the state’s land area preserved as open space. It calls for 352,634 acres (11%) to be acquired by DEEP’s partners – including municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies – and 320,576 acres (10%) to be held by DEEP as part of the state’s system of parks, forests, fisheries, and natural resource management areas.
 
As of the end of March 2022, DEEP estimates that its partners hold approximately 251,099 acres (71.2% of the goal set in state statutes) and that DEEP holds approximately 262,211 acres (81.79% of the goal). In total, 513,310 acres have been preserved (76.2% of the total goal), leaving an additional 159,900 acres remaining to meet the 21% goal.
 
DEEP’s 2022 grant rounds for both of these grant programs are now underway, with applications due by September 30. Updated applications for the 2022 grant round can be accessed by going to DEEP’s Open Space webpage at portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Open-Space/Open-Space.
 
The grants announced include:
 
Town: Salisbury
Project Name: Belter Wack Forest
Sponsor: The Salisbury Association, Inc.
Grant: $162,500
Total Area: 50 acres
Description: This 50-acre, forested property on Lime Rock Road lies in the center of a critical wildland corridor on the northern ridge of Red Mountain, capturing the ridgeline, summit, and riparian habitat supporting a wide variety of wildlife species. It is in an area of high resilience to climate change with core forest providing maximum carbon sequestration and storage. There are streams, steep slopes with bedrock exposures and boulders, 13.5 acres of statewide-important farmland soils, and two high gradient wooded tributary streams that drain to the Salmon Kill, a major tributary of the Housatonic River. A review determined that there is a sensitive state endangered species and five state-listed plant species within or near the area. The Salisbury Association will create a loop trail that connects to the adjacent town-owned, 55-acre Wack Forest Preserve, providing passive recreational opportunities for the public such as hiking, fishing, and birdwatching.
 
Town: Sharon
Project Name: Goldfrank Property
Sponsor: Sharon Land Trust, Inc.
Grant: $527,800
Total Area: 81 acres
Description: This forested mountainside property on Millerton Road (CT Route 361) has over a mile of shared boundary with Sharon Land Trust’s 168-acre Von Ahn Farm (another OSWA funded property) and Goodbody Preserve, filling in a protected forest block of more than 400 acres.  Rising to 1,200 feet on the western reach of Indian Mountain, the property is a scenic part of the gateway between Sharon and New York. The property features high-quality wildlife habitats, steep slopes with rocky outcrops and seeps. There is a 2.5-acre meadow/glade in the lower reach of the property, and 6 acres of U.S. Department of Agriculture Statewide Important farmland soils. It provides climate resilience and supports a wide diversity of plant and animal life. An endangered species and a species of special concern have been documented at or near the site. The Sharon Land Trust will create an attractive trail to the summit dome and ridgeline, rewarding hikers with an outstanding view of Indian Lake, the Taconics, and the Catskills.

Saturday is Connecticut Open House Day

Looking for something to do this weekend? This Saturday is Connecticut Open House Day!

Residents and families across the state can enjoy more than 200 museums, arts and cultural venues, historical sites, farms and restaurants, with free or discounted admission or special offers.

Please click here and scroll down to the Litchfield County section to see some of the participating venues.

Nuvance Health appoints Christina McCulloch as President of Sharon Hospital
 
Nuvance Health has appointed Christina McCulloch, MBA, BSN, RN, as President of Sharon Hospital. McCulloch has worked at Sharon Hospital for more than eight years, most recently serving as Chief Nursing Officer since 2018, and will begin her new role in the coming weeks. McCulloch will work closely with current President Dr. Mark Hirko, MD, FACS, who will remain part of the leadership team in an advisory role as he transitions his focus and expertise to serve as the full-time President of Putnam Hospital.
  
McCulloch has been a clinician for nearly 20 years and a leadership role at Sharon Hospital since 2014, serving as Director of Nursing, Director of Quality and Performance Improvement, and Chief Quality Officer. She previously worked at St. Mary’s Hospital and Griffin Hospital, where she began her career at the bedside as a staff nurse. She has a Master of Business Administration degree in Healthcare Management from Quinnipiac University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Western Connecticut State University, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from St. Vincent’s College.

Connecticut receives national recognition for streamlining efforts & technology improvements
 
The State of Connecticut recently received national recognition for its use of technology to streamline and improve state regulatory practices and provide better service to Connecticut residents.
 
Connecticut was recognized as a 2022 Tyler Public Sector Excellence award winner for combining Tyler’s state regulatory solution, CAVU eLicense, with state regulatory best practices to improve efficiency, citizen satisfaction, and return on investment.
 
Connecticut regulators also spearheaded the creation of a national user’s group to share ideas, best practices, and solutions to issues with regulators in other states.
 
DAS is the state agency that includes the Bureau of Information Technology (BITS), the state’s centralized information technology organization that was involved in this project. 
Regulators across several state agencies utilize Tyler’s technology for licensing, enforcement, disciplinary actions, and online services for regulated industries. Connecticut has been a leader in implementing one system and standardized processes across its agencies.
 
Since 2016, Connecticut has expanded its use of eLicense from four agencies to 12, and increased the number of self-service options for licensees. Now, 41 divisions and regulatory boards across the state utilize the same technology, breaking down agency silos, ensuring a consistent experience for consumers, licensees, and state employees, and aligning workflows with the legislative requirements of each regulated industry.
 
Connecticut now provides streamlined automated processes and online self-service for regulators and licensees across more than 815 credentials. Renewals, payments, and account updates are fast, easy and, in most cases, immediate. The technology is also used for Connecticut Department of Banking consumer complaints and the Department of Consumer Protection’s consumer complaint center, allowing the agencies to quickly respond to and resolve consumer complaints, as well as recognize and track complaint trends in the state.
 
Tyler’s Excellence Award submissions were evaluated by a panel of Tyler leadership and were judged on the following criteria:

  • Organizational efficiency and productivity
  • Organizational responsiveness to employees, vendors, or citizens
  • Business value
  • Innovation in using Tyler applications or services in unique ways
  • Relevance to other organizations using Tyler solutions
  • COVID-19 response in handling transitions, changes, and/or other effects from the pandemic

Tyler Excellence Award winners were honored during Tyler Connect in Indianapolis, Indiana, where they were recognized in front of more than 4,100 of their public sector peers.
 

Office of Health Strategy Executive Director Victoria Veltri leaving state service
 
The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy announced this week that Executive Director Victoria Veltri will be stepping down from her role in state government at the end of this month to pursue a new professional opportunity. Veltri has accepted a position as executive director of the Malta House of Care, a private, nonprofit medical clinic that provides high-quality, free primary healthcare to uninsured adults in Greater Hartford.
 
On a personal note, I have had the privilege of working with Veltri on a number of issues, including issues relating to Sharon Hospital, particularly various proposals its parent companies (formerly HealthQuest, now Nuvance Health) have submitted to her office.  She has impressed me with her intelligence, knowledge, responsiveness and overall commitment to high quality, accessible, affordable health care for everyone.  It has been a pleasure to work with her and I will miss working with her. 
 
Veltri has served as the head of the Office of Health Strategy since its creation in February 2018 and was reappointed to the role in January 2019 when Governor Lamont took office. The Office of Health Strategy is responsible for implementing data-driven strategies that promote equal access to healthcare, improve the value of healthcare, contain costs, and ensure better healthcare systems for Connecticut residents. It was established as part of a consolidation effort to bring several existing resources from various state agencies into one centralized location so that these efforts could function more cohesively and efficiently.
 
Under her leadership, the office:

  • Launched the first successful statewide health information exchange;
  • Modified the certificate of need process with a focus on equity, access, affordability, and community benefits;
  • Launched a community health worker advisory board;
  • Drove investments into community-led prevention activities;
  • Ensured more comprehensive community benefits reporting and actions;
  • Partnered with the Office of the State Comptroller and others to launch the Connecticut Healthcare Affordability Index;
  • Developed the bipartisan Covered Connecticut program; and
  • Recently became the first state in the country to codify a bipartisan executive order establishing Connecticut’s first cost growth benchmarks, primary care targets, and quality benchmarks.

Prior to her current role, Veltri served as chief health policy advisor for former Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman. She also served as Connecticut’s healthcare advocate in the Office of the Healthcare Advocate.
  
Veltri’s final day with the state will be on July 1. Governor Lamont is launching a search for a successor to fill the position
 
 
U.S. Census Bureau approves proposal for Connecticut’s planning regions to become county equivalents
 
The United States Census Bureau has approved a request from the State of Connecticut to adopt the state’s nine planning regions as county-equivalent geographic units to collect, tabulate, and disseminate census data.
 
Each planning region is represented by a council of government (COG), comprising the mayors and first selectmen of the member municipalities, which meet regularly to plan, coordinate, and act on matters of mutual interest. The Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) requested this change on behalf of the COGs in 2017.
 
Here in the Northwest Corner, the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) includes 21 towns in the region, including all of the 64th District.
  
The Census Bureau will implement this change internally in 2022, with public data and geospatial products reflecting the change beginning near the end of the year. By 2024, all Census Bureau operations and publications, both internal and external, will use the nine new planning region boundaries, names, and codes, except for 2020 decennial census data publications and other datasets referencing the eight legacy counties as published before June 1, 2022.
 
Connecticut’s nine planning regions include:

  • Capitol
  • Greater Bridgeport
  • Lower Connecticut River Valley
  • Naugatuck Valley
  • Northeastern Connecticut
  • Northwest Hills
  • South Central Connecticut
  • Southeastern Connecticut
  • Western Connecticut
Farm Markets in the Northwest Corner
 
The Northwest Corner is full of farms and farm markets, with most towns sponsoring one every weekend. 
Here’s a sampling of some of our regional markets:
  • Cornwall Co-op Farm Market: Saturdays, 9 am - 12:30 pm, Pine Street, Cornwall
  • Cornwall Farm Market: Saturday, 10 am - 1 pm, 413 Sharon Goshen Turnpike, West Cornwall
  • Kent Farm Market: Fridays, 3 pm - 6 pm, Kent Land Trust Field, 37 South Main St. (Route 7), Kent
  • Goshen Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 10 am – 1pm; 42 North Street, Goshen
  • Norfolk Farm Market:: Saturdays 10 am – 1 pm, the front lawn of the Norfolk Town Hall, 19 Maple Ave
  • Salisbury Farmers Market: Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm, Scoville Memorial Library Lawn 38 Main Street Salisbury
  • Washington Farm Market: Saturdays, 10 am to 1 pm, Judy Black Park, Washington
Housatonic Youth Services Bureau Golf Tournament on June 27

The Housatonic Youth Service Bureau is pleased to announce that their annual Golf Tournament is back this year on Monday, June 27 at Torrington Country Club, just in time for their 30th birthday! 

REGISTER TO GOLF or BECOME A SPONSOR
Congratulations to the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce’s Celebration of Success winners this year!
 
Each year the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce honors regional businesses and individuals who have made an impact on our communities, giving out three awards. This year’s winners include Sandy Evans (Business Leader Award), Stephen Todd (Community Leader Award) and Friendly Hands Food Bank (Quality of Life Award). 
 
This year’s winners will be celebrated on June 23 at 5 pm at Five Points Art Center, 855 University Drive, Torrington. To RSVP, click here.
 
Congratulations to all and thank you for the work you do to make our communities healthy and vibrant!
 
 
It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.

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