Dear Neighbors,
It's been about a month since I wrote to you last, and I wanted to update you on some things that I have been working on in preparation for the legislative session that starts in February.
Bringing a Permanent DMV Office to the Quiet Corner
I recently extended an invitation for the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Deputy Commissioner Tony Guerrera to attend the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Breakfast to update the community on the work being done to get a permanent CT DMV Office in the Quiet Corner. I am pleased to report that a location has been secured, and it is expected to open with expanded services in the first quarter of 2022. This is a huge development for the area. As you know, the trailer in Putnam has not been adequate for years, and the office has been closed since the COVID outbreak in 2020. I look forward to updating you with specific details once the final papers are signed.
Promoting Tourism in Our Region
Last month I met with the Pomfret Proprietors, the local business association for the Town of Pomfret. At that meeting, the topic discussed was how state economic development and tourism money is spent. The Eastern Connecticut Tourism District runs from the shoreline to the Massachusetts line, and the Connecticut Office of Tourism's recently-launched "Mystic Country" branding does not fit the offerings of the entire District. Eastern Connecticut has a great deal to offer, but "Mystic Country" seems to emphasize attractions on the Shoreline and does a disservice to The Last Green Valley efforts and the agribusiness that attracts folks to Northeastern Connecticut. Tourism is a much bigger business in the Quiet Corner than most residents may realize. We need to harness the small advertising budgets available to the region. I've reached out to the Commissioner of our state's Department of Community & Economic Development to have this conversation directly. This article from the CT Examiner summarizes the issue. |
