Funding Secured to Address Food Waste Crisis

April 17, 2025


 
 

I would like wish a joyful and peaceful Easter to all who celebrate! May this day bring hope, renewal, and time well spent with loved ones. 

Windham is getting some help as we face a costly solid waste crisis across Connecticut. We are receiving critical funding offering an environmentally responsible and fiscally sound solution to the problem. I'll break down how this investment will make a huge difference.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney joined my weekly radio show to walk us through the work he is doing to fight back against the Trump Administration. You can listen to the podcast below.

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • $426,000 In Funding to Address Waste Crisis
  • Let's Talk About It: U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney
  • Basketball Conference Champions Honored
  • Poetry in the Park 2025
 

$426,000 In Funding to Address Waste Crisis

I am pleased to share that our community is receiving approximately $426,000 in state grants to address food waste in and around Windham. Our objective is to develop waste management infrastructure to help divert valuable recyclable and compostable material from our trash.

The Town of Windham and the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECOG) plan to use the funding to buy:

  • A 40-foot composter and associated components/training
  • Tipper carts for schools
  • Smart food waste receptacles that will be placed around town
  • A collection truck with a lift gate
  • A transfer station site work

The Town and SECOG will educate the public about our plan to address the ongoing solid waste disposal crisis. Let me break down how it’s going to work. Organizers will establish collection points for food waste, and we will process it at the transfer station with the above mentioned composter. Crews will then distribute the compost in community, institutional, and personal gardens.

The primary collection points will start with our schools, but the public will notice secure collection bins in strategic points in Windham for general drop-off.

Connecticut generates more waste than we can process resulting in trucking waste out of state and driving up the cost of waste removal. Experts warn our state could spend $4.8 billion annually by 2050 while causing harm to our planet. This is why the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) allocated an unprecedented $15 million across the state for this sustainable initiative as part of the Material Management Infrastructure Grant Program.
 

Let's Talk About It: U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney

This week on “Let's Talk About It,” I had the honor of speaking with U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney about the reckless policies from the federal government, how they will impact us in Connecticut, and what he is doing to try and stop them. Congressman Courtney represents the Second District, covering a large portion of Eastern Connecticut including Windham, Tolland, and New London Counties.

The Trump administration and members of the Republican party are trying to cut taxes for the richest people in the country. To facilitate that tax cut, they're willing to eliminate billions in spending on social services that the people of Connecticut rely on. Rep. Courtney says this budget plan will add more than $3 trillion dollars to the national debt while gutting programs that act as lifelines for Americans.

We also discussed our frustration with the apparent dishonesty from the Republican party at the national level. Many lawmakers on that side of the aisle claim these cuts are saving money and preventing widespread fraud, but there is no proof that these assertions are true. Additionally, the president’s budget would drive our country deeper into debt, despite criticizing the Biden administration for not eliminating the debt fast enough.

Click on the video below to listen to our entire conversation where we dig deeper into policies that will affect our healthcare, education, and more.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney shares how he is
fighting back against the Trump Administration.
 

Basketball Conference Champions Honored

Congratulations to the Windham Tech Boys Basketball Team on winning its first Connecticut Technical Conference title! This great accomplishment is a testament to their passion for the game, the leadership of their coaches, and the support of their families and fans.

The team has brought pride to their school and community. We celebrate this victory and look forward to their continued success on and off the court!
 

Poetry in the Park 2025

Please take a look at the image below for the amazing lineup at Poetry in the Park this summer and fall!