State Capitol Update for the Week of November 7th

November 11, 2022
Dear Friend,

This is my State Capitol update for the week of November 7th.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the picture below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.
 
Another election is behind us: all of the races on the ballot in the 64th District have been decided (though some were close), while others in the state and in other parts of the country still hang in the balance.  Turnout was strong for a midterm election in general (unofficial results show approximately 11,600 people voted in this district), though the numbers were down from the highs of 2018. 
 
I am incredibly honored to have been re-elected to a third term by the voters of the 64th District, which now includes Washington and all of Goshen (in addition to Salisbury, Sharon, Kent, Cornwall, Falls Village, North Canaan, and Norfolk), and I look forward to the work ahead.  That work began last night, when the House Democratic Caucus held its traditional first caucus, at which we met the many new members joining us this year, and re-elected our excellent leadership in Representative Matt Ritter as Speaker of the House and Representative Jason Rojas as Majority Leader. 
 
It is worth taking a moment to acknowledge how smoothly, methodically, and transparently the process of electing our leaders worked, once again, this year, and to thank everyone who worked at the polls to make sure that happened, engendering trust in the system which underpins our form of government.  Some of them worked especially hard this year and well into the early morning hours to ensure that everyone’s vote was counted. While we should expect free and fair elections as citizens of a democracy, we should not take them for granted.
 
Today is Veterans’ Day, an occasion to honor and celebrate the service and sacrifice of our veterans, for our country and our communities. I attended a ceremony outside Town Hall in Salisbury this year, featuring a beautiful rendition of God Bless America.  Coming, as it does, on the heels of our election feels particularly meaningful.  As David Bayersdorfer said in his speech, we can all honor the service of our veterans by voting, and by fighting to protect free and fair elections throughout our country. 
 
We owe our veterans a deep debt of gratitude, this day and every day, for the service they have given, and for the model they set in our communities.
 


 
Here is a list of today's topics:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Update. Click here.
  • Hearing Regarding Sharon Hospital on December 6. Click here
  • Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission presents a Green Homes Webinar. Click here
  • Nearly $8.5 million is released to help those experiencing homelessness. Click here
  • Sustainable CT Coffee Hour: The Reality of Municipal Recycling on November 18. Click here
  • Sharon votes overwhelmingly to support a partnership with Comcast to wire homes without high-speed internet. Click here
  • Update on Housatonic Meadows State Park restoration. Click here
  • Update on Health Center planned in North Canaan Click here
  • November is Heating Assistance Awareness Month Click here
     
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.”
Office of Health Strategy will hold hearing Regarding Sharon Hospital on December 6
 
The Office of Health Strategy (OHS) has issued a formal notice re-scheduling its hearing on Nuvance’s request to terminate Inpatient Labor & Delivery Services at Sharon Hospital. 
 
The hearing will take place on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, via Zoom.  The technical portion of the meeting will begin at 9:30 am, with public comment beginning at 3:00 pm (provided the technical portion has ended). 
 
Members of the public wishing to provide an oral statement must register via Zoom, starting at 2:00 pm on December 6, using the link below. 
Join Zoom Meeting
Dial in: 1 646 876 9923

Please check the Office of Health Strategy – Health Systems Planning (HSP) website at https://portal.ct.gov/OHS for more information or send an email to OHS@ct.gov. If you require aid or accommodation to participate fully and fairly in this hearing, please email OHS@ct.gov at least 48 hours prior to hearing.
If you would like to submit written public comment prior to the hearing, please email OHS@ct.gov by December 5, 2022 (one [1] calendar day before the hearing). Please note that the hearing record will be kept open for at least seven (7) calendar days after the conclusion of the hearing, during which time additional written public comments may be submitted.


 
Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission presents a Green Homes Webinar

 
Save money, save energy, and save the environment!

Join this webinar to learn about energy efficient strategies that YOU can use in your own home. There will be an opportunity for Q&A after the presentation. 

Hosted by SAHC members Lee Sullivan and Abeth Slotnick .
Register now to receive a Zoom link and a copy of the slides.
Register Here
Sustainable CT Coffee Hour: The Reality of Municipal Recycling on November 18
 
Nov 18, 2022 10:00 AM  
National Recycling Day is coming up, and to recognize that occasion Sustainable CT is hosting a coffee hour conversation about all things recycling featuring Jennifer Heaton-Jones, Executive Director of the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority in Brookfield, on November 19 beginning at 10:00 am.
 
What is the current state of play in the world of recycling? Where does it really go when it leaves our curbs? Is the effort energy-efficient? Is it cost-efficient? Can we do it better?

Join Sustainable CT for (virtual) informal discussions most third Fridays of each month at 10 a.m. They share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. 
These sessions are free and open to all.
Meeting Registration
Sharon votes overwhelmingly to support partnership with Comcast to wire homes without high-speed internet
 
Sharon residents voted decisively last night to partner with Comcast on a $1.6 million project to wire 28.5 miles of road and connect 250 homes for the first time to Comcast's high-speed internet. The vote was taken by a show of hands in the packed gymnasium at Sharon Center School. The town's registrars of voters checked people in as they arrived and gave them a white slip to hold up as confirmation of their eligibility to vote.
 
The town voted to approve three items:
  1. The expenditure of up to $1.6 million for the project;
  2. Authority for the First Selectman to sign a contract with Comcast on terms the Selectmen deem advisable;
  3. Use of $800,000 from the town budget's undesignated fund as a contract deposit and authority to secure a bank loan for the remaining $800,000 due upon contract completion, less any available grant funding.

The public-private partnership may be the first of its kind for high-speed internet in Connecticut. 
 
The next steps for the town are to sign a final contract and to hire a Contract Performance Manager to monitor the project's progress and report to the Board of Selectmen. Comcast will begin applying for the necessary permits to attach its wires to utility poles and to obtain the permissions needed to dig where its lines will need to run underground. 

If there is anyone in town who does not have access to Comcast and is not on the project list you can find here, please email sharonctconnect@gmail.com.
 
Update on Housatonic Meadows State Park restoration
 
As a result of legislation we passed in response to the destruction of trees along the riverbank in Housatonic Meadows State Park one year ago, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) was required to create a pilot project restoring the park.  DEEP has been joined by many local residents with relevant expertise over the last several months as the plan was put into place, and significant progress was made. 
 
The group working with DEEP reported that planting for the year has been completed with more to follow in the spring. The native trees to west of the parking lot have been planted in a forest design that includes overstory trees like oaks, maples and sycamore; and understory plants such as native dogwood, witch hazel and hornbeam. All the excavation for the rain gardens and swales on the river side of the parking is complete and planted with winter wheat that will nourish the soil for spring plantings. Spring plantings will also include more native trees, shrubs and boulders along the riverbank. There will be signage to explain the plantings, erosion control and river access.
Tremendous thanks to the many individuals who have worked with DEEP to make this a reality, and to Housatonic Valley Association, Audubon and Housatonic River Commission for continued attention to the success of the plan.
Update on Health Center planned in North Canaan

There has been significant progress on the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) planned for North Canaan.  In the last weeks, Community Health & Wellness (which will run the center) received bids from six respondents, selected three to interview, and made their final section, awarding the contract to PAC Group. 

PAC Group has a longstanding history of experience with builds that includes health care centers, housing, schools and commercial projects.  They have an excellent reputation in the industry, and their bid (at $3.2 million) came in under the estimated construction budget (originally set at $3.7 million). 

Overall costs for the project will be funded by $1.3 million from the Foundation for Community Health and $3 million in state bond funds.  
Once the required language from the state is gathered, signage will appear on the property indicating it will be the future home of the health center.   
The expected start date, barring any weather issues, is projected to be the early part of March, 2023, and completion of the project by end of November of 2023. 
 
 
November is Heating Assistance Awareness Month
 
As the weather finally turns cooler, Connecticut is holding its second “Heating Assistance Awareness Month.”  In recognition of that, Eversource is hosting webinars to connect customers with programs available to help with winter energy bills. 
 
Customers who’ve never needed assistance previously may not realize they qualify for protection from service disconnection and may also be eligible for other programs to reduce past due balances.  For example, a household of four with an annual income of ~$76 thousand dollars meets the income-eligibility requirements. Eversource encourages all customers to contact the energy company at 800-286-2828 to find out if one of the programs below could be beneficial to them.

State and federal assistance:

  •  Winter Protection Plan, protects income eligible customers from service disconnection from November 1 through May 1. To see if you qualify for winter protection, you can check the state’s income guidelines here.
  • Connecticut’s Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), provides assistance for winter heating costs for thousands of Connecticut homeowners and renters who meet state income guidelines. Customers can learn more and apply online at CT.gov/heatinghelp or through their local Community Action Agency (CAA). Customers can find their local agency at 211ct.org or by calling 211 or Eversource
  • Operation Fuel, year-round emergency energy and utility assistance for customers facing a financial crisis. Customers can contact Operation Fuel at 860-243-2345 or apply online at OperationFuel.org/gethelp or through a fuel bank listed on their website. 

 
Payment plans:

  • The Matching Payment Program can lower a past due balance with monthly payments as low as $50 for electric or gas heating customers receiving public assistance benefits. For every dollar you pay and every dollar you receive from CEAP, Eversource will subtract a dollar from the amount owed until the balance is paid off.
  • The New Start Program subtracts from your overdue balances for electric customers in as little as 12 months as on-time monthly payments are made. (For example. if your budget payment amount is set at $150 per month and your past due balance is $1,200, for every month you make your required $150 payment towards your bill, we will reduce your past-due balance by $100.)
     
  • Flexible Payment Plans are available to all customers, regardless of income, to pay their past-due balance over a period of time. Residential customers with active service may be eligible for payment plans up to 18 months.

Eversource will be holding three noon-time webinars – November 17th, December 1st or December 8th – to learn more about programs available to help. The webinars will include information about protection from service disconnection, programs to reduce unpaid balances with affordable monthly payments, extended payment plans and no-cost energy efficiency programs to lower energy bills. Advanced registration is required, and customers can sign up at Eversource.com/Billhelp. Customers can also call the energy company at 800-286-2828 to learn more about the assistance and payment programs available.
 
In addition to assistance programs, the webinars will go over energy-saving programs available for customers, including Home Energy SolutionsSM – Income Eligible. More information on energy efficiency solutions can be found at Eversource.com/home-savings.