SESSION DAY MATERIALS GOVERNMENT DAY Monday, June 16, 2014 Contents Goals & Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Important Session Information ..................................................................................................................... 2 Session Leaders ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Suggested Attire ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Venues ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Parking ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Agenda .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Speaker Biographies...................................................................................................................................... 4 Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty ................................................................................................................ 4 Judge Andrew W. Roraback ...................................................................................................................... 4 Virginia Mason .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Rick Lynn ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Jonathan P. Costa, Sr. ................................................................................................................................ 5 Carol Deane ............................................................................................................................................... 6 F. Robert Petricone ................................................................................................................................... 6 Curtis Read ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Joel M. Serota ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Carol Ann Brown ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Elizabeth (Betsy) Gara ............................................................................................................................... 8 Martha Phillips .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Suggested Reading ...................................................................................................................................... 11 “Central Naugatuck Valley Long Range Regional Transportation Plan (2011-2040)” ............................ 11 Public Participation Plan Council of Governments of Central Naugatuck Valley (2012) ........................ 11 Northwest Hills Council of Governments................................................................................................ 11 Connecticut State Data Center Reports .................................................................................................. 11 Connecticut Council of Small Towns ....................................................................................................... 11 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities .............................................................................................. 11 Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (M.O.R.E) Commission Resources on Regionalization ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Networking & Volunteer Opportunities ..................................................................................................... 12 1 Goals & Objectives Objective: To clearly communicate the current federal, state and local government issues facing these three levels of government. Goal: Present the key governmental issues facing the State of Connecticut Discuss the important issue of regionalization from government, education and transportation perspectives Learn about the opportunities to advocate for issues facing small towns and how to get engaged in communities as a citizen Important Session Information Session Leaders Martha Bernstein Suggested Attire Casual, the day will involve speaker panels and lunch outside (weather permitting) Venues Old Woodbury Town Hall 5 Mountain Road (right off of Route 6) Woodbury, CT 06798 (For directions from Woodbury Parks & Recreation Department Click Here) Parking Limited parking is available in front of the Old Town Hall for speakers. Program participants can park on Mountain Road, on the same side of the street as the Old Town Hall. 2 Agenda 8:45 - 8:55 Arrival & Light Breakfast 8:55- 9:00 Welcome 9:00 – 9:45 Congressional Highlights Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, Representative of Connecticut’s 5th District 9:45 – 10:30 Overview of the Judiciary System Judge Andrew W. Roraback, Connecticut State Superior Court 10:30 – 10:45 Break 10:45 –12:00 Regionalization in Western Connecticut Virginia Mason, former Assistant Director, Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley Rick Lynn, Executive Director, Northwest Hills Council of Governments Jonathan P. Costa, Sr., Director of School & Program Services, Education Connection Carol Deane, Executive Director, Northwest Connecticut Transit District 12:00 – 1:00 Lunch 1:00 – 2:15 An Overview of Local Government F. Robert Petricone, President, Litchfield Housing Trust Curtis Read, First Selectman, Town of Bridgewater Joel M. Serota, Member Open Space Ad Hoc Committee & Representative to Regional Planning Commission, Town of Woodbury Carol Ann Brown, Member, Region 14 Board of Education 2:15 – 2:30 Break 2:30 – 3:30 Citizen Action Elizabeth (Betsy) Gara, Executive Director, Connecticut Council of Small Towns Martha Phillips, Experienced Professional &Volunteer in the Government Sector 3:30 – 4:00 Session Day Wrap Up Brief Discussion of the Day Review of Volunteer Opportunities Preview of Next Session with Ilene Leff 3 Speaker Biographies Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty Representative of Connecticut’s 5th District Elizabeth Esty is the U.S. Representative for the 5th Congressional District of Connecticut. The district spans northwest and central Connecticut and includes Danbury, Litchfield County, the Farmington Valley, Meriden and her hometown of Cheshire, as well as the Naugatuck Valley. Elizabeth was elected to Congress on November 6, 2012. She serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Esty also serves on the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. Elizabeth served in the Connecticut General Assembly (2009-2011) and the Cheshire Town Council (2005-2008) where she made her mark as an advocate for responsible budgeting and job creation. On the Town Council, she worked to balance the budget while providing property tax relief to seniors and ensuring strong funding for public schools. In the General Assembly, Elizabeth cut her own pay, returning 10% of her salary to taxpayers. When a local plant closed in her hometown, laying off 1,000 skilled workers, Elizabeth fought for job placements or early retirement packages for the workers. Elizabeth graduated from Harvard University in 1981 and earned her law degree from Yale Law School in 1985. After clerking for US District Judge Robert Keeton of Massachusetts, she joined the firm of Sidley Austin and served as a member of the Supreme Court bar. She later went on to work in health care and Medicare policy as a Senior Research scholar at Yale and to teach as an adjunct professor at American University. Elizabeth lives in Cheshire with her husband of 28 years, Dan Esty. The mother of three - Sarah, Thomas, and Jonathan - Elizabeth has spent her evenings and weekends at PTA meetings, soccer fields, and hockey rinks. She is thankful for the opportunity to serve her church and her community, working with the local Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters, Land Trust, Cheshire Public Library, and the United Way. Judge Andrew W. Roraback Connecticut State Superior Court Judge Roraback was born in Torrington, Connecticut. He attended The Hotchkiss School and Yale University before completing his law degree at the University of Virginia. Judge Roraback is the fourth generation of lawyers in his family, after receiving his JD from UVA he worked at the family law firm Roraback and Roraback in Torrington. Prior to his current position, Judge Roraback served in the Connecticut General Assembly from 1995-2000 in the House of Representatives. In 2000 Roraback was elected as senator for the 30th Senate District. In this capacity he served on the following committees: Environment; Finance, Revenue & Bonding (the Senate ranking member); 4 Judiciary;