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NEWSLETTER
Volume I, Issue 7
FEBRUARY 2022

Welcome to the SCRCOG monthly newsletter where you can find updates on our transportation planning, regional planning, and municipal services programs. 

Please visit the SCRCOG website for more information on who we are, what we do, and opportunities for public participation.
SCRCOG's partners at LiveGreen CT expects to publish an EV Zoning Regulation Blueprint by March 1st. This blueprint will feature a step-by-step guide to adopting EV regulations. Additionally, LiveGreen is planning an EV Zoning Regulations Program and an Electric Police Vehicle Adoption Program in 2022. SCRCOG will advise communities further as to dates and program details.
SCRCOG’s cybersecurity consultant, Novus Insight Inc., is beginning to renew the interactive cybersecurity training program for the municipalities with existing users whose licenses expired in September 2021. Municipalities that requested an expansion in users will be accommodated as well. Novus will reach out to those towns individually to set up a meeting. Once that phase is completed, they will set up meetings to on-board any other municipalities that would like to participate in the program but have yet to on-board their employees. Please contact Andy Cirioli with any questions or expressions of interest to participate in the program.

Mark Boughton, Department of Revenue Services Commissioner and Senior Advisor to the Governor for Infrastructure, joined the January Board meeting to present an overview of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and discuss the Governor’s plan to deploy these federal funds. The Act invests $1.2 trillion into transportation, utility, environmental, and broadband projects, in addition to other areas of infrastructure. Out of this pool of funds, Connecticut is expected to receive about $6 billion dollars over five years. Use the links below to access the slides from Commissioner Boughton’s presentation, the White House’s Guidebook for IIJA, and the SCRCOG IIJA resources webpage.

Presentation Slides on Governor’s Deployment Plan for IIJA Funds
The White House’s Guidebook for IIJA
SCRCOG’s IIJA Resources Webpage
SCRCOG is launching a Municipal Grants Initiative for its member municipalities. This initiative will offer each community technical assistance related to grant writing and administration. Additionally, online trainings on topics of common interest will be scheduled for the Spring.
 
To kick this off, and as a follow up on the online survey that many cities/towns completed in Fall 2021, SCRCOG consultants, Juliet Burdelski and Renata Bertotti, will be reaching out to those who submitted responses to the Fall 2021 survey to schedule virtual or phone conferences to assess each community's specific needs regarding grant training and/or technical assistance. If a community has not completed the survey and would like to be contacted by the consultants, please do so by clicking here. If a community is unsure whether they submitted a survey response, they should reach out to Andy Cirioli.

The fourth session of the SCRCOG Municipal Procurement Training Series on purchasing consortia, which featured speakers from Sourcewell and Omnia Partners - Public Sector was held on Thursday, February 10th. Please click here to access a recording of this training session. For additional resources on Sourcewell, Omni Partners, Capitol Region Purchasing Council (CRPC), and other purchasing consortia available to SCRCOG municipalities, please visit the SCRCOG webpage on purchasing consortia (click here). Use the link below to access the flyer and schedule for the entire training series.

2021-22 Municipal Procurement Training Series Flyer and Schedule
SMM Phase II Grant Planning Meetings: Kristen Brown and Pamela Roach are meeting individually with SCRCOG municipalities that have moved on to Phase II of CT DEEP’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) grant application. These meetings serve as an opportunity to model possible UBP/Food Waste Diversion pilot programs and estimate potential savings. Several UBP models are being considered, such as co-collection of food scraps and traditional solid waste, separate collection of food scraps, combining food scraps with leaves, and commercial food waste diversion. SCRCOG is eager to assist its municipalities in implementing these pilot programs as the cost of disposal is rising and may be as high as $140/ton within 5 years. Applications for Phase II are due by March 30th and will be considered on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

Center for Eco-Technology Food Waste Diversion Guidance: Through ReduceWasteCT, a free technical assistance program funded by CT DEEP and delivered under contract by Center for EcoTechnology (CET), businesses can maximize reduction, recovery, and recycling opportunities. CET also works with schools and other institutions to focus on food waste – helping establish share tables and donation programs, as well as food scrap recycling initiatives. CET has a robust toolbox of resources and has developed state-specific materials about food donations, donating food in schools, and spotlights a program occurring in schools in Milford and Woodbridge. Contact CET to learn more about food recovery and waste diversion opportunities at 888-410-3827 or e-mail ReduceWasteCT@cetonline.org.
Connecticut's nine Councils of Governments met with CT Department of Transportation (DOT) to discuss the department's update of the Capital Plan. DOT will be receiving an additional funding through the federal Infrastructure bill (IIJA) to further projects listed in the Capital Plan.

Additionally, SCRCOG staff met with Meriden Public Works and Engineering staff to discuss potential improvements to Route 5. The City intends to fund a portion of the improvements through the LOTCIP program.
SCRCOG received authorization from CT DOT to commence five UPWP projects: West Haven Bicycle Pedestrian Plan, Meriden CT Loop Trail Study, Hamden Farmington Canal Crossings Study, Wallingford Northrup Road Study, and Milford Road Connection Study.
Transportation Committee Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Meeting Type: Hybrid - SCRCOG Office / Click Here to Join the Zoom Meeting
Agenda: Click Here to Access the Meeting Agenda
AIA Documents - Municipal Procurement Training Series
Date and Time: Thursday, March 10, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM
Meeting Type: Remote - Click Here to Register for Zoom Meeting
Regional Planning Commission Meeting
Date and Time: Thursday, March 10, 2022 from 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM
Meeting Type: Hybrid - SCRCOG Office / Click Here to Join the Zoom Meeting
Agenda: Click Here to Access the Meeting Agenda
Executive Committee Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Meeting Type: Hybrid - SCRCOG Office / Click Here to Join the Zoom Meeting
Agenda: Click Here to Access the Meeting Agenda
SCRCOG Board Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Meeting Type: Hybrid - SCRCOG Office / Click Here to Join the Zoom Meeting
Agenda: Click Here to Access the Meeting Agenda
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SCRCOG Newsletter

South Central Regional Council of Governments
127 Washington Avenue
4th Floor, West Building
North Haven, CT 06473

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