Then and now, CRCOG’s efforts in environmental justice + more news you can use

October 19, 2022 | Issue 20

The CRCOG Connection

Join us on social media

CRCOG on LinkedIn | CRCOG on Twitter | CRCOG on Facebook

Hello, CRCOG Connection readers. Did you know Halloween candy prices are expected to increase 34% compared to last year (according to PayPal data)? Will prices impact how much candy or chocolate you purchase this year?

This newsletter is 1430 words, approximately a 7-minute read.

ICYMI

The Get Ready “Get the Facts: National School Bus Safety Week Contest” submission deadline is Friday, October 21 by 5 pm. Submit your contest entry to CRCOG at communications@crcog.org. Submissions sent after 5 pm will not be entered into the drawings for prizes. Here are the contest rules.
Please fill out our BIL/IIJA General Interest Form. Help CRCOG gain a greater understanding of the BIL/IJJA grant programs that your town is interested in, and how we can best assist you.
Here are Hartford’s 7 largest polluted sites and what could be done with them. Featuring Maureen Goulet, our Principal Program Manager.
Don’t miss the CT Public Sector Workforce Development event. It will be an interactive conversation highlighting the strategies that state and local governments are deploying to develop the public sector workforce, contributing to a robust economy. Register here.
It's National School Bus Safety Week: October 17-21, 2022. Help promote this important campaign with these d ownloadable earned media campaign materials.

Then and now, CRCOG’s environmental justice efforts

Although equity in transportation has always been the guiding principle at CRCOG, Environment Justice and equity was formalized in CRCOG’s planning processes in the early 2000s when CRCOG implemented its Environmental Justice Action Plan, which was adopted in June of 2002, with a goal of improving the CRCOG Transportation Planning Program.

The action plan recommended various actions including establishing a special advisory board to review CRCOG’s program and products, appointing an EJ advisory board member to the transportation committee, conducting special outreach efforts such as local advisory committees, neighborhood groups, community meetings and improve outreach efforts for more standard CRCOG programs such as update of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The action plan also recommended using EJ as a criterion in project selection as designing outreach efforts for studies and project implementation.

Based on the action plan recommendations, CRCOG updated its planning processes to reflect EJ considerations in its transportation planning. CRCOG also developed a GIS based EJ analysis to determine the burden and benefits of TIP projects on a CRCOG community. Based on project location and cost, this EJ analysis, which establishes EJ priority target areas based on income and demographics, provides a snapshot of how transportation funding is distributed throughout the region. Due to CRCOG’s EJ considerations in project selection, minority communities in the Capitol Region are ensured to receive their proportional share of transportation funding in each four-year TIP cycle. Similarly, within the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP), projects are awarded additional points during the project ranking process if they're within an EJ Target area.

CRCOG’s EJ program has continued to evolve, and CRCOG is currently looking into the “Justice 40 Initiative” that was recently introduced by the White House, which argues for 40% of the benefits of IIJA to be aimed at benefiting communities that have been historically disadvantaged. Justice 40 initiative utilizes Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), a geospatial mapping tool to identify disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. This tool analyzes and determines what communities are disadvantaged across America using a set of various socioeconomic, environmental, and health indicators.

CRCOG also regularly updates its EJ Atlas to reflect change in demographics, transit dependency as well as Limited English Proficiency in the region. This helps us quickly determine EJ populations and design outreach efforts when planning and conducting studies as well as projects in the region. We have also developed a Language Assistance Plan to identify ways to ensure that non-English speaking constituents can fully participate within CRCOG’s transportation planning program.

Get to know Rick Ledwith, West Hartford’s Town Manager

Rick Ledwith is the Town Manager for the Town of West Hartford. Rick holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University and a master’s degree from Boston University. He began his role in February 2022 and has worked for the Town of West Hartford since 2001 in several capacities. For the past 15 years, he has served as the Executive Director of Human Resources for both the Town and West Hartford Public Schools.

Q: What are some key projects you will focus on?

A: West Hartford is experiencing significant economic development in all corners of Town with several mixed-use developments being proposed in several locations, from the town center, to Elmwood, to the former University of Connecticut campus. These projects will help us to enhance our grand list growth over the next couple of years. These projects will also allow us to demonstrate our core community values like equity and diversity by offering a variety of affordable housing options that will meet the needs of our residents and future residents at different income levels.

We are also in the process of finalizing a feasibility study for a new Elmwood Community Center and Library, a “once in a decade” opportunity for our community. We are working closely with our architects and the community to determine the types of programs our residents will want to see in our new facility.

Our team also continues to work hard to ensure that sustainability is embedded into everyday decision-making, action, and operations, and touches all projects we are collectively working on.

Q: How do you define your leadership style?

A: I would define my style as participative leadership encouraging collaboration and teamwork to identify problems and developing solutions that ultimately are what is best for the future of our Town. Honesty and integrity are two characteristics that are important to me. If our employees are willing to follow someone, they want to assure themselves that the person is worthy of their trust, they want to know that their leader is truthful, ethical, and of strong character and integrity.

Q: What’s your favorite quote and why?

A: My favorite quote is from legendary basketball coach Wooden who said, “success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

Becoming a leader does not always come naturally, I have tried to embrace a growth mindset, develop my skills, work on my weaknesses and challenge myself every day.

Q: Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?

A: I enjoy golf and skiing with my family and friends and have recently taken up pickle ball over the last couple of years.

CRCOG hosts regional trainings

William Perkins leads cybersecurity tabletop exercises.

The Region 3 Cybersecurity Task Force hosted a Tabletop Exercise for the Information Technology Directors in our Region. Dubbed Insider Threat, it is the first in a series to aid in developing or revising local Emergency Operations Plans to address cyber threats.

Bill Perkins, a CRCOG HSEEP certified trainer conducted the exercise which was developed with the assistance of Manchester System Application Consultant and Cybersecurity Task Force Chairman Andrew Bifolck and Middletown IT Director Brianna Skowera. Participants evaluated their current Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery concepts, plans and capabilities for response to instances of Cyber Intrusion and Threats.

Participating in team building exercises.

CRCOG is excited to host a regional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) basic training class at the CRCOG Offices on Thursday nights. This is a 20-hour course being taught by one of the Hartford CERT instructors.

It is open to the entire region – thus members taking the class will be returning to their “home” CERT team. Many of our municipal CERT teams have sent participants. This is the first of its kind in the State with other regions already planning to follow a similar path.