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NECCOG director reports on grants, human services, animal shelter and local transportation projects
Summary
Executive Director John Filchak updated members on signed regional reval contracts, RPI grant submissions, Route 169 hearings, a Human Service Initiative citing $72 million in annual regional spending across 16 towns, upcoming CERT training, two sidewalk projects, animal-services fundraising and outreach with KB Ambulance.
Executive Director John Filchak used the April 1 meeting to review a range of regional activities, from grant applications to animal services and transportation projects.
Filchak said regional revaluation contracts are signed and that participating towns have copies for their records. He reported that RPI grants were submitted last December; town endorsements were due the day before the meeting, and while a majority of towns endorsed the applications, not all had done so and he was not optimistic about success given the state budget situation.
On transportation and planning, Filchak announced three public hearings next week on the Route 169 Byway Plan in Brooklyn, Woodstock and Lisbon and said there are a few transportation projects underway, including two sidewalk projects. He also summarized CEDS outreach, saying three CEDS meetings had low attendance but the goal is to submit the plan to the state by November so towns can gain leverage for federal or state funding.
Filchak announced a Human Service Initiative kickoff on April 26. Citing research conducted for NECCOG by Hoween Flexer, he said roughly $72 million a year is spent on human services across the region’s 16 towns and asked members to share priorities with staff.
On public-safety contracting, Russell Gray said KB Ambulance had requested meetings to explain recent state-related changes and the company’s capabilities. Filchak noted that NECCOG currently holds an active paramedic contract for the region and said staff will issue a new request for proposals.
On animal services, Filchak thanked Charlene’s Portrait photo studio for raising more than $1,000 in cash and gift cards for the animal services program. He said shelter intake numbers that had been reported as 93 (transcript wording unclear) have declined to six in the facility at the time of the meeting; about 20 animals were euthanized and others were adopted; the shelter had two dogs and six cats in care at the time. Filchak also noted that Plainfield is the program’s newest member.
During the Selectmen’s Roundtable Filchak discussed two federal TIGER grant proposals for Airline Trail bridges in Pomfret and a visitor center in Thompson. Mr. Sweet said he opposed pursuing the Thompson visitor center, calling it an "old issue." Mr. Cahill reported an upcoming hearing in Hampton on a possible State Police shooting range and asked whether the Airline Trail is considered a state park and should be subject to PILOT payments.
Votes at a glance: the board approved prior meeting minutes (motion by Mr. Ives, second by Mr. Piper), approved two regional plan referrals with a finding of no regional impact (motion by Mr. Ives, second by Mr. Sweet), and unanimously approved a motion to adjourn (motion by Mr. Gray, second by Mr. Walker). The NECTD procurement policy update was withdrawn from consideration; there were no STIP amendments reported.
Filchak and members agreed to continue following up on grant endorsements, human service planning, ambulance contracting and potential funding for a policing study.
