Past Events & Presentations

COST's Workshop for Newly Elected Municipal Officials (01/09/24)

• Election-Related Priorities for 2024 - Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas
• Understanding CT’s Freedom of Information Act - Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq., Pullman & Comley, LLC
• Municipal Ethics, Accountability & Conflicts of Interest - Kari Olson, Esq., Murtha Cullina LLP
• The Roles & Powers of Municipal CEOs and Common Governance Challenges - Ken Slater, Esq. and Rich Roberts, Esq., Halloran Sage
• Cybersecurity Preparedness -  Christopher Wardrop, Vice President, USI Insurance Services
• Municipal Grants & Resources – Martin Heft, Office of Policy and Management (OPM)
• CT Training & Technical Assistance (T2) Center, Donna Shea, Executive Program Director, UConn

COST's Key Issues Conference (10/19/23)

• PFAS Contamination & Remediation - Patricia Boye-Williams, Esq., Murtha Cullina LLP
• PFAS Contamination & Remediation - Ray Frigon, Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP)
• PFAS Challenges from an Environmental Professional's Perspective - Brent Henebry, LEP, Fuss & O'Neill
• MS4 Stormwater Compliance - Chris Stone, PE and Nicole Kibbe, DEEP
• Confronting Climate Change Impacts - David Murphy, PE, Resilient Land and Water, LLC/CIRCA
• Housing & Land Use Update - Ken Slater, Esq. and Rich Roberts, Esq., Halloran Sage - No Presentation - had to be there in person!
• Mapping Opportunities for COST Savings & Resilience: Solar & Storage for Affordable Housing - Bryan Garcia, President & CEO, CT Green Bank

Connecticut's Enhanced 911 Communication System Webinar (3/23/23)
Division of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Website

Breaking Down the Budget: Lisa Hammersly and Keith Phaneuf (2/13/23)
Passcode: VYY6kf3?

2023 Connecticut Town Meeting (1/11/23)
Commissioner Boughton's Presentation

Planning & Development Conference (11/17/22, Aqua Turf) 
Lessons Learned Panel
Town of Cheshire Presentation

State & Local Infrastructure Resources Panel
DOT Presentation
CRCOG Presentation
Weston & Sampson Presentation
DECD Economic Update

Towns and cities are facing a number of challenges in addressing planning and economic development issues to create more vibrant, sustainable communities. This conference shared information about new laws, initiatives, and funding opportunities to assist your community.

Energy & Environment Conference (6/8/22, Aqua Turf)
Presentations:
How to Mobilize Investment for Environmental Infrastructure in Your Community, Bryan Garcia - CT Green Bank
New Energy Programs & Environmental Laws Affecting Towns, Josh Ryor - PURA
Waste Management: Municipal Challenges & Opportunities, Jen Heaton-Jones - HRRA
Turning Waste Into Energy, Brian Paganini - Quantum

Modernizing the Budget Process for Smaller Municipalities  (4/14/22, Webinar)
This informative live webinar explored the benefits of modernizing the municipal budget processes using cloud-based solutions. 
Presentation

2022 Connecticut Town Meeting (2/8/22)
2022 Legislative Platform
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CTDOT, and the Path Forward for Connecticut: Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto
Governor’s Deployment Plan for IIJA Funds: Commissioner Mark Boughton
 

Municipal Transportation Project Development Webinar (1/26/22)
Presentation  |  This webinar shared the ins and outs of the development of municipal transportation projects. Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto from the Connecticut Department of Transportation provided an overview of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and explained what Connecticut can expect from the nearly $1 trillion in transportation, water, broadband, and power infrastructure investments. John Guszkowski from Tyche Planning & Policy Group and Jamil Miranda from M&J Engineering shared their insight on effectively moving projects from concept to construction while making the most of your infrastructure dollars.

Emergency Management Webinar for Municipal Officials (1/19/22)
This webinar was designed to assist newly elected and returning municipal leaders in addressing emergency management and storm response issues to protect your communities.The following topics were covered by experts from the Departments of Emergency Services & Public Protection (DESPP) and Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEMHS):

• Emergency Management - Your Legal Role & Responsibilities
• State/Local Coordination
• School Security
• The Make Safe Protocol - Storm Response Communications & Coordination
• Post-Disaster Requirements and Expectations
• Multi-Year Training & Exercise Program (MYTEP)

Cybersecurity: What Towns Need to Know (11/18/21)
This webinar covered the following issues:

• Public Entity Cyber Overview
• Cyber Legal Environment: Regulation, Legal Exposure and Compliance
• Cyber Insurance Market Overview

2021 Legislative Wrap-Up (6/17/21)

• Zoning, Housing & Land Use Legislation
  Rich Roberts, Partner, Halloran Sage
• The General Assembly Has Spoken! Labor and Employment and Other Interesting Legislation
  Mark Sommaruga, Member, Pullman & Comley

Tips for Preparing Your Affordable Housing Plans (5/18/21)

• Overview of the Planning for Affordability in Connecticut Guidebook; and learn about identifying community values that should guide your planning.
  Melissa Kaplan-Macey, Vice President, Regional Plan Association

• What’s unique about planning for affordability in smaller communities; how to engage your town and communicate effectively; and how regional coordination can assist in the planning process.
  Sam Gold, Executive Director, RiverCOG and Jocelyn Ayer, Community & Economic Development Director, NHCOG

Municipal Healthcare and Benefit Packages (1/26/20)

• Trends in Benefits in a COVID-19 Environment - Kate Lavoie, OneDigital
• CT Partnership Plan 2.0 -  Bernie Slowik, CT Comptroller's Office

Technology Solutions for Towns (11/5/20)

• Addressing CT's Broadband Challenges - Burt Cohen, OCC
• Regional IT Initiatives - Pauline Yoder and Lyne Wray, CRCOG
• Regional Content Management, Process Automations and Digital Engagement - Matt Fulda and Mark Hoover, MetroCOG
• Mobility Solutions for Municipalities -  George Taylor, IP Genie
• Holding Remote & Hybrid Municipal Meetings and Effective Municipal Software Tools, John Elsesser, Coventry and Scott Roberts, South Windsor 

Special Session - Zoning, Land Use & Housing Issues  (7/14/20)

• Slides

Stormwater Management Workshop (10/22/19)

• Reducing Directly Connected Impervious Area (DCIA) through Municipal Retrofits, Fuss & O'Neill
• Upcoming MS4 General Permit Requirements: Year 3, UConn NEMO

2019 Legislative Wrap-Up (6/12/19)

• Land Use & Economic Development Update: Richard Roberts, Esq. Halloran Sage

• Changes in CT’s Energy Efficiency Programs: Brian Farnen, CT Green Bank

•  New & Emerging Environmental Laws:  James Albis, Senior Advisor to DEEP Commissioner and Mandy Careathers, DEEP Legislative Liaison

2019 Connecticut Town Meeting (1/16/19)

• Bi-Annual Energy Efficiency Update: Andy Brydges, Eversource
• Promoting CT Towns as Visitor's Destinations: Christine Castonguay, CT Office of Tourism

Environmental & Land Use Presentations (10/23/18)

• MS4 Stormwater General Update: Joseph Canas, Tighe & Bond
• Municipal Compliance Resources: David Dickson, UConn
• New Laws Affecting Zoning & Land Use: Ken Slater, Halloran Sage
• Addressing Brownfields: Gary O'Connor, Pullman & Comley
• Climate Change Laws & Local Planning: Patricia Boye-Williams, Murtha Cullina
• Addressing Dead & Decaying Trees: Chris Donnelly, DEEP
• Low Impact Development Implementation & Issues: Steve Trinkaus, Trinkaus Engineering

Crash Course in Economic Development & Planning (3/2/18)

• The Development Part: Mark D. Waterhouse, Garnet Consulting Services
• Planning for Economic Development: Donald Poland, Goman+York