Breaking Ground on the CTNG Putnam Readiness Center

November 1, 2022

I wanted to update you on a major project in the region. This past Friday, as the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I had the honor of participating in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Connecticut National Guard Readiness Center located just past the Pomfret line in Putnam in the area commonly referred to as "Hospital Hill" on the grounds of the old Dempsey Center. The Putnam Readiness Center will consist of an assembly hall for Soldiers to utilize, office and meeting space, along with equipment storage areas and parking lots. The state's 643rd Military Police Unit will relocate to Putnam from Westbrook when complete. This $26 million investment is funded with a combination of state funds and money allocated in the National Defense Authorization Act. This project will restore a military presence in Northeastern Connecticut that has been absent for over a decade.

I want to thank the Connecticut Alliance of YMCAs for naming me a 2022 Legislative Champion for my work on behalf of youth in Connecticut. Working with the YMCAs and other partners during and after the pandemic, we were able to expand child care, successfully re-open resident summer camps, and work to combat staffing shortages in childcare settings. I have always valued my relationship locally with Camp Woodstock YMCA, which celebrated its 100th season in 2022, and the Hale YMCA in Putnam. Thank you for this honor.