October 26, 2023 | Issue 10 | |
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This municipality is the home of Cigna, the First Cathedral, the largest non-denominational church of New England, and the Thomas Hooker Brewery. If you guessed Bloomfield, you would be right!
Get to know Bloomfield better
- Bloomfield was originally the land of the Poquonock Native Americans. Europeans first settled in the area around 1660 as a part of Windsor.
- The town has a total area of 26.3 miles and borders Avon, East Granby, Hartford, West Hartford, and Simsbury.
- Actress Anika Noni Rose (Disney Princess), Dwight Freeney - Former NFL Player and Marcus Cooper - Former NFL Player are from Bloomfield.
- According to Wikipedia, the town’s top 10 employers are Cigna, Kaman Corporation, Trader Joe’s, Town of Bloomfield, HomeGoods, Doncaster Retirement Community, Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Hartford Healthcare at Home, Seabury Active Life Plan Community, and Otis Worldwide.
This newsletter is 1470 words and a 7.5-minute read. Thank you for reading!
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Moving our region forward: CRCOG’s Strategic Playbook | |
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CRCOG has been diligently working on a new Strategic Playbook. The playbook will serve as our guiding document, outlining our initiatives and how we can best serve the nearly one million residents of the Capitol Region.
As part of this process, we have developed a new mission statement and identified eight goals that align with the needs of our stakeholders. These goals reflect our commitment to enhancing the quality of life in our region and fostering sustainable growth.
We invite you to explore our Strategic Playbook. This comprehensive document supplies valuable insights into our strategic direction and the initiatives we will be undertaking in the coming months.
Thank you for your continued support as we strive to create a vibrant and prosperous Capitol Region for all.
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A day of tribute: World Remembrance Day is November 19 | |
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World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) is a worldwide event, now in its 30th year, that honors and acknowledges the many people killed by cars.
Last year Connecticut saw 367 victims, 90 of them pedestrians and cyclists. This year the pace of fatalities continues. Connecticut will be holding its first statewide event in Bushnell Park in Hartford on November 19. The goals of WDoR are to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to:
- Remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads
- Acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services
- Advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families
- Promote evidence-based actions to prevent further road traffic deaths and injuries
On November 19 between 1-3 pm, family members of victims will speak, there will be a roll call of those pedestrians and cyclists who have died, prayers given by a faith leader, and some words from legislators. A sea of over 600 small white flags will represent those who have died on our Connecticut roads in 2022 and 2023. Anyone who has lost a loved one due to a vehicle crash is invited to attend, as well as survivors, and others who care about this issue.
This event is made possible by a generous donation from Trantolo & Trantolo. Additional sponsors and supporters: Watch for Me CT, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Connecticut Children's Foundation, the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), and the Connecticut Urbanists.
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Crash Responder Safety Week November 13-17 | |
Protect Those Who Protect You | |
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The theme for the 2023 Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) is “Protect Those Who Protect You,” emphasizing the traveling public’s role in keeping responders safe while responders make roadways safe for all road users. Join us in helping to increase awareness about their message “Protect Those Who Protect You.”
Here’s how you can help:
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We need the traveling public to remember to slow down, move over, and stay alert when they see law enforcement, fire, emergency medical service, public works, towing, and transportation responders at work on the side of the road.
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We want the traveling public to think of the person responding to a scene, providing lifesaving care and working to clear roadways, and the risks they take as drivers go by at high speeds some over 80 miles per hour.
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We need you to help get this message across.
During this week, your voice will matter whether it be a conversation with a neighbor, friend, or on social media. Through your photos, videos, or written stories, explain what it’s like to work roadside—and give the public a window into the importance and challenges of your job. Just use the hashtag #CRSW.
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More food scraps please: West Hartford finding success with its food scraps collection program | |
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More food scraps please. Since May of 2023, approximately 685 residents in one West Hartford, Connecticut community have been engaged in a pilot food
scraps collection program.
Funded by CTDEEP’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Grant
program, each participating household is provided:
- A six-gallon food scrap barrel
- One (1) green food scrap bag
- Two (2) orange trash bags are provided weekly
After separating food scraps from trash, residents place the food scrap barrel curbside for collection pick-up. Food scraps from West Harford’s pilot program are collected by Blue Earth Compost and converted to electricity and compost at the commercial anaerobic digestor located at Quantum BioPower in Southington, CT. 1.5 to 1.9 tons of food scraps per week (approx. 7 to 10 lbs. per household) are collected from participating households. With food scraps accounting for about 25% of our waste, municipalities, like West Harford, are exploring innovative ways to reduce waste, increase recycling, and encourage cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable waste management and diversion practices.
Connecticut’s waste crisis continues to grow. With the closure of the MIRA facility in Hartford and aging infrastructure nearing end of life, Connecticut is shipping nearly 1 million tons of waste annually to out-of-state landfills at enormous expense (tipping fees) and environmental impact.
Results a few months into West Hartford’s food waste pilot are promising.
- Approx. 26 tons of food scraps diverted
- 53% to 55% participation rate in food scraps pilot among residents
- Approx. 8 lbs. of food scraps collected per HH/per week
Residents have noticed a measurable reduction in their trash and are surprised by how easy it is to separate food waste. As additional data from the food waste pilot is gathered, West Hartford hopes residents will reconsider their relationship as consumers and producers of waste. For additional information, please reach out to Katherine Bruns, West Hartford’s Recycling Coordinator.
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Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative professional development opportunities | |
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Are you a professional in government or the nonprofit sector? The Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative provides high-quality, low-cost training and professional development geared toward you. It’s a collaboration between UConn’s School of Public Policy and its partners within our region.
Register today for these remaining workshop sessions this fall. They include:
Friday, November 17, 2023: Essential Skills for Grant-Writing & Diversified Revenue Streams with Alyssa Goduti, UConn SPP adjunct professor and President & CEO of Ädelbrook, and Beverly Catchpole, Chief Giving Officer of CT Foodshare
Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (with 30-minute break)
Location: Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus
Register here
Friday, December 1, 2023: How Leadership Influences Organizational Culture with Andre Santiago, Vice President & Chief Program Officer at Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH)
Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (with 30-minute break)
Location: Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus
Register here
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CRCOG Funding Opportunities | |
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BIL/IIJA Funding Opportunities (See webpage)
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U.S. DOT Thriving Communities Program – Apply to receive support/assistance, or for a Grant. Letters of Interest to receive assistance are due: November 15, 2023; Grant application deadline: November 28, 2023
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Want more? Read the last issue of our Funding newsletter
MetroHartford Brownfields Program
Application deadline: Ongoing
CRCOG’s Brownfields program uses funding provided by the EPA. Our current work performance period will close out in January 2024. We are currently applying for EPA Brownfields Assessment to continue the assessment work that will help redevelop and remediate brownfield sites in our region.
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CRCOG Poll: Connecticut’s open canister law |
| Are open containers of alcohol allowed in vehicles as long as the driver is not drinking? | | | |
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We appreciate our readers. Thank you for reading. If you made it this far, here's some additional food for thought.
"The single most important ingredient in the recipe for success is transparency because transparency builds trust." ~ Denise Morrison
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