CT Pilot Program Testing Fully Autonomous Vehicles Begins Accepting Municipal Applications

Driverless cars may be coming to a Connecticut town near you. The state Office of Policy and Management, pursuant to Public Act 17-69, has begun accepting applications from municipalities to participate in a Fully Autonomous Vehicle Testing Pilot Program (FAVTPP). The state agency can select up to four municipalities to participate in the pilot program.

The purpose of the pilot program, according to OPM, is to encourage and allow for the testing of fully autonomous vehicles (FAV) on local highways in Connecticut. The goal for the pilot program is to allow a variety of FAV testing to occur in four municipalities throughout the state, bringing Connecticut to the forefront of the innovative and burgeoning autonomous vehicle industry.

Thus far, state and local officials indicate that two municipal application have been filed, from Stamford and Windsor Locks, three additional communities have expressed interest (Bridgeport, Manchester, and New Haven) and at least one additional application is anticipated.  A handful of other communities have expressed some degree of interest, but are uncertain if they will be applying to participate in the pilot program.  OPM expects to begin its review process of the filed applications shortly.

In order to apply, interested municipalities must complete and submit the formal application now on the agency’s website, along with a copy of the City/Town Council’s resolution approving the application.The law stipulates that OPM consult with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) and the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID).

Connecticut municipalities provide a wide range of challenges and opportunities for testing the limits of FAV technologies and services, according to the program description. Examples cited include operation in communities with varying climate and weather conditions, urban and rural geographies, access or lack thereof to adequate transportation and/or workforce opportunities, new and aging infrastructure, varying levels of traffic volumes and congestion and users of multiple modes of transportation including car, pedestrian, bicycle, bus, rail, freight, etc.

Prior to completing an application, interested municipalities are encouraged to search for and partner with interested autonomous vehicle testers.  The application must include “Specific Location(s) and Route Where FAV Testing is Expected to Occur.”  Municipalities are asked to attach a map “with the anticipated location(s) and route highlighted” and to “identify all public roads, all private roads, and any important entities or buildings (i.e. critical infrastructure, schools, hospitals, fire stations, etc.) within/near the testing area.”

OPM also is asking the applying municipalities to describe what it hopes to achieve by participating in the pilot program, why specific locations were selected, and “the municipality’s ability to safely oversee fully autonomous vehicle testing.”

The program requirements include that while operating a FAV, the autonomous vehicle operator shall at all times:

1. Obey all traffic laws, provisions of the general statutes and ordinances of the applicable municipality concerning the operation of motor vehicles.
2. Be seated in the driver's seat of the FAV.
3. Be monitoring the operation of the FAV.
4. Be capable of taking immediate manual control of the FAV.

In addition, municipalities are required to conduct a public outreach campaign to notify local officials, first responders, the general public and local media outlets about their participation in the FAVTPP prior to testing.  At a minimum, as part of the public outreach campaign, the municipality must outline an education program for police and residents regarding FAVs and the municipality’s participation in the FAVTPP; and share the finalized specifications on where and when such FAV(s) will be tested within the municipality as part of the FAVTPP.

The posting of electronic or printed signs at various testing area entry and exit points may be required by the municipality to inform the public and emergency responders when and where testing of FAVs is taking place. The signage must be approved by the municipality’s Traffic Authority, and that with respect to State highways and bridges and State railroad rights-of-way, the planned signage must be approved by the state DOT.

The state law outlines a framework of the minimum requirements to be included in agreements between municipalities and autonomous vehicle testers approved for participating in the Fully Autonomous Vehicle Testing Pilot Program (FAVTPP). The Connecticut law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), specifies the requirements for testing, including having an operator seated in the driver’s seat and providing proof of insurance of at least $5 million. It also establishes a task force to study fully autonomous vehicles. The study must include an evaluation of NHTSA’s standards regarding state responsibility for regulating FAVs, an evaluation of laws, legislation and regulations in other states, recommendations on how Connecticut should legislate and regulate AVs, and an evaluation of the pilot program.

In the event that a FAV experiences a crash during the FAVTPP in which a death, physical injury or property damage occurs the autonomous vehicle tester and applicable municipality must comply with specific notification and investigation procedures outlined by OPM.  A recent testing death in Arizona continues to receive scrutiny.

According to NCSL, 29 states including Connecticut have enacted legislation related to autonomous vehicles, and the Governors of seven additional states have issued executive orders on the subject.

Nine CT Communities Among Nation’s 500 Best to Start Small Business

Nine Connecticut communities are among the best in the nation for starting a small business, according to student loan company LendEdu, which has produced a list of the 500 Best Cities to Start a Small Business in the U.S. Storrs/Mansfield topped the list in Connecticut at 89. Also making the list were Stamford (178), Farmington (214), Windsor (247), Hamden (285), Oxford (387), Westport (477), Cromwell (486) and New Fairfield (493).

LendEdu, founded in 2014, describes itself as a marketplace for private student loans, student loan refinancing, credit cards and personal loans.

The top 10 included three cities in North Dakota, four from Virginia, and cities in Maryland, Colorado and Alabama.  The highest ranked New England community – Canton, MA – was number 49. Storrs-Mansfield was the leading community in Connecticut.

Cities were ranked based on the following criteria:

• Population Score (20 points maximum) – including the daytime population score - the difference in the normal population and the population that is present during standard working day hours – and the population growth score - forecasted population growth over the next five years.
• ​Income Score (40 points maximum) – consisting of the average disposable income available to residents and forecasted income growth over the next five years.
• Expense Score (40 points maximum) – which includes consideration of property tax rates, sales tax rates, average cost of utilities, rate of burglaries and property crimes compared to the national averages.

On the population score rankings alone, New Fairfield had the eighth best score in the nation.  On the income score scale, Hamden ranked 29^th, highest among the Connecticut communities.  On the Expense scale, Stamford, just outside the top 50, was tops in Connecticut.

Fiscal Commission’s Work is Done (Technically), But Members Aren’t Going Away

They may be disbanded, but they’re sticking together – driven by a belief that the state’s future hangs in the balance. The Connecticut Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth, a panel of primarily state business leaders appointed by the state legislature and Governor last year to help the state grapple with its ongoing fiscal challenges, went out of existence on March 1 when they issued a comprehensive 119-page report following three months of public hearings and deliberations. 

Nonetheless, the 14 members, mostly prominent business leaders, continue to seek opportunities to discuss their recommendations in public forums, regularly advocate for substantial changes in the management of state fiscal affairs, have begun meeting with gubernatorial candidates, and are urging business leaders across the state to keep up the pressure on state elected officials to take comprehensive action consistent with their wide-ranging recommendations.

“We committed to see it through,” said Commission co-chair Jim Smith, Chairman and former CEO of Webster Bank. “We knew it wouldn’t be one (legislative session) and done.  This is about policy, not politics.  We’ve all checked our politics at the door.  This is about the greater good, and how we change the course of Connecticut’s future.”

With all 187 legislative seats and the six state’s statewide constitutional offices – including Governor - up for election this November, the Commission co-chairs believe Connecticut’s best opportunity for much-needed systemic structural changes will be in the next legislative session, which begins in January. They intend to “actively engage” throughout this election season and in next year’s legislative session, and have already met with about half of the current field of gubernatorial candidates.

Smith and Robert Patricelli, former CEO & Founder of Women's Health USA, who co-chaired the panel, were featured along with Commission member Cindi Bigelow, CEO of Bigelow Tea, at an event coordinated by the Hartford Business Journal last week. It was one of nearly 100 forums, discussions and one-on-one meetings that the co-chairs and other commission members have had since their findings and recommendations were issued.

The Commission uses the analogy of a “burning platform” to describe the current budgetary process, fiscal structure and economic status of the state, a frame of reference that reflects the public’s concern about the state’s precarious standing.  Smith said he is encouraged by the response they’re receiving.

“When we talk about the platform burning, people are riveted.  They’re anxious to hear solutions,” Smith explains, noting that the approaches proposed by the Commission are resonating with audiences because they provide a comprehensive – if challenging – path to douse the flames and stimulate economic growth, achieve sustainable budgets long-term, and re-establish the state’s competitiveness.

“Our findings are irrefutable, inescapable and require action,” Smith told CT by the Numbers.  “That comes across loud and clear.”

The Commission leaders are committed to generating a spirited public conversation about their findings and recommendations.  They told an attentive audience in Hartford last week that the 14 members remain in communication, and have now been working longer since they ceased to exist as a Commission than during the 76 days that they were officially constituted by law.  And they have no plans to walk away from the work they began.

In underscoring their commitment to remain involved beyond the life of the Commission, the co-chairs have evoked the memorable phrase from the 1976 movie Network – they’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take this anymore.  In fact, their goal remains to do something about it.  Pursuing a public conversation and meeting privately with leading gubernatorial candidates are parts of the strategy.

Smith indicates that as the Commission’s work unfolded, members were concerned that the “platform was even hotter than we knew,” but encouraged that creation of the Commission reflected a willingness to involve the private sector in charting the path forward.

Patricelli, in fact, has floated the idea of having 500 businesses to sign a letter to the state’s elected officials urging action on the Commission’s recommendations, which include changes in spending, tax policy, investments, infrastructure, transportation and competitiveness. Only with sustained pressure, he argues, will the incoming legislature and Governor take action.  They point to the sustained drop in Connecticut’s Gross State Product (9.1% over the past decade), while the state’s New England and Tri-State neighbors saw growth, as among the numerous factors that led to their conclusion that substantial changes are needed in the state’s fiscal policies.

The co-chairs say it is understandable that more was not done with the Commission’s recommendations during the short 2018 legislative session, largely because an election was just around the corner.  Instead, the legislature opted to have the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) coordinate two studies, soon to get underway.  One would look at the Commission’s recommendations that involve “rebalancing of state taxes to better stimulate economic growth without raising net new taxes”; the other would conduct a study of the proposal for reform of the Teachers' Retirement System.

The legislature also voted to have OPM issue a request for proposals to hire a national consultant to study and make recommendations regarding efficiency improvements in revenue collection and agency expense management that will result in a savings of at least 500 million dollars.

Each is a potential step forward, but not nearly enough, the co-chairs have indicated since the session ended on May 9. Some aspects of the Commission’s work is evident in those actions, and the timing of those efforts, to be ready in January as newly elected officials take office, may provide pieces to build on.

Patricelli has also suggested that the state’s part-time legislature is not up to the task of governing a 21^st century state, by its very nature.  The legislature is in session for 5 months in even-numbered years and 3 months in odd-numbered years, in accordance with the state constitution.  That’s just not enough, he says, suggesting that a comprehensive study be done on the legislative systems in other states to determine what might be best for Connecticut.

In addition to Smith, Patricelli, and Bigelow, Commission members were Pat Widlitz (Vice-Chair), former state representative from Guilford and Co-Chair of the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding; Jim Loree, President and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker; Chris Swift, Chairman and CEO of The Hartford; Bruce Alexander, Vice President of State Affairs and Campus Development at Yale University; Greg Butler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Eversource Energy; Roxanne Coady, Founder and CEO of R.J. Julia Booksellers; David Jimenez, Partner at Jackson & Lewis and a member of the state Board of Regents for Higher Education; Paul Mounds, Vice President for policy at the Connecticut Health Foundation; Frank Alvarado, Veterans Affairs Officer, Small Business Administration; Eneas Freyre, New York Life and Michael Barbaro, President, Connecticut Realtors.

New Leadership for New Haven Area Manufacturers

If the pendulum for Connecticut manufacturing is swinging in the right direction, women may be a good part of the reason why.  That dynamic was in evidence last week as the New Haven Manufacturers Association, the state’s largest manufacturers association, elected its officers for the coming year. Katherine Houlihan was elected as president.  She is a partner in Insurance Provider Group, a Wethersfield insurance brokerage serving clients in manufacturing and other industries, serving as Chief Talent Officer.

Elected as vice president was Jill Mayer, CEO of Bead Industries in Milford.  Bead Industries is comprised of two divisions: Bead Chain and Bead Electronics, and a wholly-owned subsidiary, McGuire Mfg. Company.

Overall in Connecticut, the manufacturing sector includes 4,500 businesses that employ 156,000 workers.  Each year, manufacturers export more than $15 billion, representing 96 percent of the state’s exports.  Manufacturing generates 11 percent of the state’s gross state product.

The election is yet another milestone for Mayer in just the past six months.  The great granddaughter of Bead Industries, Inc. founder, W. Calvin Bryant, she was promoted to CEO of the family-owned company at the start of this year. In addition to her duties as CEO and as an officer on the NHMA Board, she is a board member of the University of New Haven’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.

“To be the first female CEO at Bead after more than a century of continuous operation isn’t lost on me,” she said in a statement in January.  Previously serving as Comptroller and Corporate President, Mayer is responsible as CEO for overseeing and supporting both divisions’ executive management teams as well as leading the company into the future through customer-focused growth and innovation.

At that time, the company also announced that Kristen Sawyer was being promoted to Chief financial Officer after serving as Corporate Controller for the past two years at Bead.  Prior to that, Sawyer served as Audit Manager for nearly 8 years at CohnReznick, where she served a variety of both public and private companies, primarily in the manufacturing sector.

In May, the company launched a new website as part of an overall re-branding initiative. Its responsive design makes it compatible with all digital devices, such as tablets and mobile phones.  The new website is part of the company’s reinvigorated look and strategy. 

“Our goal was to create a fresh, online experience with easy access to information, and I think we’ve accomplished that,” said Mayer. “It gives a nice overview of our product divisions, governance and long, family history that we hope will encourage people to engage with us.”

Founded in 1914, Bead started out developing and manufacturing Bead Chain® for electric light pulls. Using the same innovative metal-working process, it began fabricating products for the electronics market in the mid-1920s.

Bead, with 300 employees, celebrates its 104th year in continuous operation this spring. Bead Chain® is used on vertical blinds, securing marine parts, key chains and many other products. Bead Electronics, a division of Bead Industries, manufactures end to end, solid wire, and tubular contact pins for the telecom, automotive, connector, and lighting industries. McGuire Manufacturing Co., based in Cheshire, is a producer of high end, commercial grade plumbing fixture trim.

Also elected to the NHMA Board this month with Houlihan and Mayer were: second vice president, Roy Jaoude, planning manager for Radiall USA Inc., in New Haven; treasurer, John Ermer, principal in New Haven/Fairfield accounting firm Beers, Hamerman, Cohen & Burger PC; and secretary, Marcy Minnick, chief operations officer, Excello Tool Engineering & Manufacturing Co. in Milford.

The New Haven Manufacturers Association membership includes manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies, including firms in fields such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, instrumentation, information systems, consulting, metalworking, gas and electric utilities, banking, insurance, education and more.  Current members employ over 12,000 people.

https://youtu.be/UFkFxrhpeQo

CT Aerospace Industry Seeking Strong Presence at International Airshow

Described as “the largest industry event on the aerospace calendar,” the Farnborough International Airshow, to be held in mid-July in Great Britain, boasts more than 1500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries.  Among them will be a contingent from the State of Connecticut, if the state’s aerospace industry suppliers step up and sign on.  At the most recent Farnborough show, in 2016, $14.5 million in sales was reported by Connecticut exhibitors. The State Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT)  have invited Connecticut aerospace manufacturers to participate in promoting the state’s world-class aerospace industry at the upcoming show, July 16-22, 2018.  Exhibit space is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with the cost per exhibit set at $11,000.

An anticipated 73,000 industry professionals “from across the globe and a range of aerospace sectors” are expected, including “key global influencers plus the latest thought leadership and industry insight,” according to organizers.  Farnborough’s news network will run a series of talks, panel discussions and seminars, and high-profile keynote speakers “will challenge current perceptions and provide ideas for the future.” Among the featured sessions will be “meet the buyer,” described as a structured approach to putting sellers in front of targeted buyers.

The biennial event is widely recognized for its role in connecting the worldwide aerospace market. It has traditionally been a backdrop for the announcement of multi-billion dollar deals, and for the launch of major innovations.

The state’s exhibit space is to include a prime location in the U.S. Pavilion, with Connecticut companies to receive allocated space to display graphics, literature and parts; pre-arranged B2B meetings at discount price; access to the U.S. Exhibitors Lounge and meeting rooms; company listing in two show directories and logistical support prior to the show and on-site.

Among the participating companies is Connecticut Coining, based in Bethel, a leading manufacturer of deep-drawn metal parts used in aerospace, medical, defense and high voltage tubes.  The 50-year-old company includes among its customers industry leaders manufacturing bellows, joints, bleed, duct (anti-ice, telescopic) assemblies as well as silencers, and crossover & oil cooler systems.

Satisfied Connecticut companies in 2016 include Windsor-based Aero Gear: “I have been trying to get a foot in the door with Rolls Royce for years. This air show allowed me to make the contacts necessary to develop them into a customer. The show was a home-run for Aero Gear,” said Doug Rose, who founded the company in 1982, developing expertise in the design, engineering and manufacturing of gears and gearbox assemblies for the global aerospace industry.

Countries including Mexico, Turkey and the U.S. will be vying for business alongside a significant European presence from Germany, France and Spain as well as the U.K.  Organizers say the 2018 edition will see the largest presence yet from China, with 70 per cent growth in participation since the 2016 show. Japan has increased its presence with a second Pavilion, joining Malaysia, Korea and Indonesia representing Asia.  It all comes just weeks after escalations in tensions among the world’s leading industrialized nations, reflected in the G7 meeting in Canada last week.

Stamford's InventLab Looks to Nurture Technology Innovation

Stamford-based Whitmyer Group, patent and trademark attorneys and litigators with expertise in intellectual property and technology, has launched InventLab™ in its downtown Stamford offices. Described as providing an opportunity for companies developing inventions to “tap into WHIPgroup's tech and IP Law know-how in order to grow and expand their businesses,” the expansion is drawing praise from local entrepreneurial enterprises. It is designed to build upon WHIPgroup’s successful Stamford Tech Entrepreneur Meetup (meetup.com/whipgroup) by offering direct support to qualified local tech startups.

InventLab™ companies are provided with office space and parking, a custom package of complimentary and discounted IP Law services, WiFi Internet, printing, use of conference rooms, kitchen, and space to host Meetups, events. The direct support includes IP legal advice and office space with professional-grade tech amenities at no cost, and is intended to help these companies access other resources in Fairfield County and beyond.

WHIPgroup founder Wes Whitmyer, Jr. explained that “while the firm tends to service the IP needs of large international companies, we saw the exciting growth in Stamford and wanted to share our expertise with local tech firms.  Our recently-expanded offices are ideal for this purpose.  We look forward to getting to know startup and technology businesses in our area, and to helping them with their intellectual property strategies.”

“We are thrilled that WHIPgroup has decided to invest in the growth of Stamford’s Innovation District, and specifically, the local tech community,” said Sam Gordon, program manager for Innovate Stamford. “Following in the footsteps of other top tech communities like Boston and Boulder, this program is a perfect fit for Stamford. We look forward to seeing companies thrive at WHIPgroup’s InventLab™.”

Whitmyer, with patent, trademark and litigation departments, describes the firm as “a law firm built by technology to serve technology companies.” Applications for WHIPgroup’s InventLab™ should be sent to inventlab@whipgroup.com.  Further information about InventLab™ is be available online at whipgroup.com. IP specialties include physicists, mechanical, civil, electrical, biomedical and chemical engineers, computer scientists, and trademark attorneys on staff.

CT's BIO Industry Has Strong Presence at Record-Setting International Convention

Connecticut was one of 18 states to have a strong presence at the BIO International Convention, held this week in Boston. It was a record-setting year, as 18,289 U.S. and international attendees – the most in the last 10 years – participated in what was described as “the epicenter of the biotechnology industry” for four days of programming, 46, 916 partnering meetings (setting a new Guinness World Record for “The Largest Business Partnering Event”) and entertainment. More than a dozen Connecticut companies had a presence in the state’s pavilion at the event:  Jackson Laboratory, Sema4, Genotech Matrix, AlvaHealth, RallyBio, Cantor Colburn, Pfizer, e-Path Learning, Thetis Pharmaceuticals, XViVO, Clarity Quest, Lucerna, Wyant Simboli, Boehringer Ingelheim, Aeromics, LambdaVision, Pattern Genomics.

Also participating were Southern Connecticut State University, Yale University and the University of Connecticut, as well as the City of New Haven, and the town of Branford, along with BIO CT, Connecticut Innovations and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development.  Additional companies from the state were on-hand, although not as part of the state’s coordinated effort.

All told, there were more than 1,000 companies from dozens of nations represented at the 25^th anniversary conference.  The organizations represented at the BIO International Convention include the world’s leading biotech companies, top 25 pharma companies, top 20 CROs and CMOs, and more than 300 academic institutions including the major research labs and government agencies. Organizers indicate that one out of three attendees based outside of the U.S. and nearly 40 percent are C-level executives at their respective companies.

"If you are or want to be any type of a life science hub, you need to be at this convention," Dawn Hocevar, president and CEO of BioCT, recently told New Haven BIZ. "Connecticut participated in the last two conventions, however, this is the largest footprint we've ever had." BioCT is the bioscience industry voice for the state of Connecticut.  BioCT is dedicated to growing the vibrant bioscience ecosystem in Connecticut by supporting innovation, collaboration, networking, education, talent engagement and advocacy. 

This year’s educational programming was more robust and diverse than ever before, according to organizers, with more than 180 educational sessions, including brand new tracks on genome editing, opioids and corporate best practices.

Among the presenters, panelists, and featured speakers was Scott Gottlieb, Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the U.S. Food and drug Association, a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown.

https://youtu.be/rT-HCSKcsqU

Communities, Innovators Recognized for Excellence in Main Street Awards

A hybrid business incubator that provides unique opportunities for collaboration between schools and business to increase college and career readiness while expanding downtown Wallingford business, and a Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation website that is a point of entry for those seeking to spur redevelopment of Connecticut’s historic mill buildings are just two of this year’s Awards of Excellence winners recognized by the Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) at annual ceremonies held this year in Danbury. In total, seven initiatives receive the prestigious awards, including organizations and initiatives from Danbury, Hartford, New London, Wallingford, and Windsor, as well as the CT Trust for Historic Preservation and the State of Connecticut.

Winning entries also included collective efforts in bringing more people to Hartford through creative placemaking; a block-by-block initiative to create a positive perception of downtown New London by working with store owners to install LED lights inside storefront windows; a young professionals’ initiative to highlight the diverse culture in downtown Danbury through weekly food truck events; a multi-year deliberate and incremental effort to redevelop Windsor Center with residential and office use around transit; and the State of Connecticut’s coordinated approach to improve the economy and quality of life through investments in development around transit.

Individual awards were also presented to Andrea Pereira, Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and R. David Genovese, CEO of Baywater Properties in Darien.

CMSC’s mission is “to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut’s Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities.” CMSC is dedicated to community and economic development within the context of historic preservation, and is “committed to bringing Connecticut’s commercial districts back to life socially and economically.”

The Jack Shannahan Award for Public Service for 2018 goes to Andrea Pereira, a former Board Chair of Connecticut Main Street Center, who has been a partner in CMSC’s Come Home to Downtown program, providing financing through the Come Home to Downtown Loan Fund. Pereira, Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), earned the recognition for her leadership in “guiding strategic investments aimed at creating tangible, sustainable improvements in our communities.”

She has led LISC for over 20 years, having previously served as the Director of Urban Revitalization & Investment at the State of CT Department of Economic & Community Development. She is an accomplished community development professional with expertise in community development finance, organizational development, nonprofit management, grant-making, public policy, and program development. LISC Connecticut provides financial and technical resources to over 60 local housing and community development organizations each year. LISC also offers predevelopment, acquisition, bridge and/or construction financing for affordable housing and other community development projects.

The 2018 CT Main Street Founder’s Award, presented by Eversource, is presented to R. David Genovese of Baywater Properties in Darien, founded in 2001. Genovese and his team have “committed themselves to transformational projects in Darien, remaining thoughtful, creative, flexible, innovative, and respectful of the community.”  For more than a decade, he has led numerous key developments in downtown Darien that “breathed new life into the area, revitalizing buildings and reinvigorating its residents.”

Genovese has led a multi-disciplinary team of architects, civil engineers, landscape architects, retail consultants and legal advisors in creating Your Downtown Darien. Otherwise known as the Corbin Development, Baywater assembled this portfolio of properties over the course of nearly 15 years, to be redeveloped to create a mixed-use center incorporating retail, offices, and luxury residences.

“This year’s winners represent a culture of inclusivity in ensuring that Main Street belongs to everyone,” said CMSC Associate Director Kimberley Parsons-Whitaker. “From enlivening our public spaces with ethnic cuisine and multi-cultural entertainment, to redeveloping formerly abandoned mills and blighted areas around bus and train stations with residential and commercial options for people of all background and incomes, our 2018 award recipients are leading their communities and our state in improving the quality of life and our economy.”  The 2018 Awards of Excellence went to:

▪  Great Placemaking in Hartford; including Know Good Market, Riverfront Recapture, One World Market at CTfastrak Station in Parkville, Hartford BID Bicycle Roadside Assistance Program, Pratt Street Patio, and Winterfest)  – Recipients: Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, Riverfront Recapture, International Hartford, Hartford BID, and iQuilt Partnership.

▪  Light Up New London – Recipient: New London Main Street. Partners: Dominion Foundation, National Main Street Center.

▪  Downtown Chow-Down, Danbury – Recipients: CityCenter Danbury, City of Danbury. Partners: Get Downtown Danbury, Greater Danbury Chapter of CT Young Professionals.

▪  HUBCAP Wallingford – Recipients: Wallingford Center, Inc., Town of Wallingford Board of Education, Wallingford Economic Development Commission.

▪ Mills: Making Places of Connecticut – Recipient: CT Trust for Historic Preservation. Partner: Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office.

▪ Coordinated Approach to Responsible Growth and Transit Oriented Development – Recipient: State of Connecticut.

▪ Setting the Stage for TOD in Windsor Center – Recipient: Town of Windsor. Partners: CIL Development, Lexington Partners, LLC.

The Town of Windsor was recognized for the redevelopment of the portion of Windsor Center lying just east of the railroad tracks in town, which previously contained a mix of obsolete industrial and municipal uses which no longer contributed to the vitality of the Center.  The turn-around, with an eye towards transit-oriented development, included development of Windsor Station, a 130-unit market-rate rental project on a 6.5 acre site adjoining the passenger rail station.

The $23 million development project included demolition of two former industrial buildings, environmental remediation and construction of two, four-story elevator buildings with parking and site amenities. The project includes 32 studio, 65 one-bedroom and 33 two-bedroom units and is targeted to an underserved rental market of young professionals 20 to 35 years of age and baby boomers.  Construction was completed a year ago, and 90 percent occupancy was achieved within five months.

State Data Plan, Technology Board, Review of Agency Data Required by Approved Legislation

Connecticut’s commitment to advancing the use of, and public access to, electronic data was nudged forward during the just-concluded legislative session. The legislature approval a plan to put into law – and expand – an Executive Order by Governor Malloy issued four years ago that had increasingly made open data a state government priority. The legislation establishes data requirements for executive branch agencies, including authorizing the state’s Chief Data Officer (CDO) to direct agencies on data-related topics, requiring a biennial state data plan, and establishing a Connecticut Data Analysis Technology Advisory Board.  It was approved without opposition by the House and Senate in the final week of the 2018 General Assembly session.

The plan authorizes the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to designate an existing employee to serve as the CDO to direct executive branch agencies on data use, management, sharing, coordination, and formulation of the state data plan and transparency plans. It also requires executive agencies to annually inventory their data assets and submit the inventory to OPM, and requires OPM to continue operating and maintaining the Open Data Portal.

In regard to executive branch agencies, the legislation defines “high value data” as any data that the department head determines can increase an agency's accountability and responsiveness, improve public knowledge of an agency and its operations, further its core mission, or create economic opportunity; is critical to the agency's operation, frequently requested by the public, or used to satisfy any legislative or other reporting requirements; or responds to a need and demand identified through public consultation.

So-called “protected data” means any data, the public disclosure of which would violate federal or state laws or regulations; endanger the public health, safety, or welfare; hinder the operation of the federal, state, or municipal government, including criminal and civil investigations; or impose an undue financial, operational, or administrative burden on the executive branch agency. It includes any records that are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Executive branch agencies will be required to designate one employee in each agency as the agency data officer, to serve as the agency point of contact for inquiries, requests, or concerns regarding access to data. The agencies must develop an open data access plan, in a form prescribed by OPM, and detail the agency's plan to publish, as open data, any public data that the agency has identified and any protected data that can be made public through aggregation, redaction of individually identifiable information, or other means sufficient to satisfy applicable state or federal law or regulation.

Non-executive branch agencies, quasi-public agencies, and municipalities would be permitted to voluntarily opt to comply with the open data provisions and requires OPM to publish on its website an updated list of all agencies that are complying with the policy, whether voluntarily or because they are mandated to do so. The state data plan can include recommendations concerning data management for the legislative or judicial branch agencies, but the recommendations are not binding on these agencies, according to analysis by the Office of Legislative Research.

The legislation (HB 5517) creates a 16-member Connecticut Data Analysis Technology Board to, among other things, advise the three branches of state government and municipalities on data policy.  The board members, to be appointed by legislative leaders by July 1, must have professional experience or academic qualifications in data analysis, management, policy, or related fields.  Ex-officio members are to include representatives of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, executive director of the Freedom of Information Commission, Attorney General, Chief Court Administrator, State Librarian, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, State Comptroller and the state’s Chief Data Officer.  The Board’s first meeting would be this summer, and they will be required to meet at least twice annually.

By November 1, 2018 and every two years after, the new legislation requires the CDO to submit a preliminary draft of the plan to the Connecticut Data Analysis Technology Advisory Board which must then hold a public hearing.  A state data plan, to be completed by December 31, 2018 and biennially thereafter, requires inclusion of the information technology-related actions and initiatives of all executive branch agencies, including the acquisition of hardware and software and the development of software.  It is to include specific, achievable goals within the two years following adoption of the plan, as well as longer term goals and a timeline for a review of any state or federal legal concerns or other obstacles to the internal sharing of data among agencies, including security and privacy concerns.

The legislation also expands the scope of LEANCT, a statewide process improvement initiative as well as state agencies' ability to suspend paper filing or document service requirements when an electronic filing system is established.

Executive Order 39, the basis for many of the legislation’s provisions, established open data requirements for executive branch agencies and established the Connecticut Open Data Portal and the position of Chief Data Officer.  It was signed by Gov. Malloy in February 2014.

Senior Deaths from Falls Climbs Nationally, in Connecticut, During Past Decade

Fatal falls among senior citizens are on the rise in Connecticut and across the United States, according to a new government report. The overall rate of older adult deaths from falls increased 31 percent from 2007 to 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2016, a total of 29,668 Americans ages 65 and older died as a result of a fall - that is 61.6 out of every 100,000 senior citizens that year. A decade earlier, in 2007, there were 47 fall-related deaths for every 100,000 senior citizens.  Connecticut’s rate was the 17^th lowest in the nation among the 50 states and District of Columbia.  The only New England state with a lower rate was Massachusetts. 

In Connecticut, the number of deaths of persons age 65 or older attributable to falls increased from 243 in 2007 to 357 in 2016. The death rates from falls ranged from 24.4 per 100,000 in Alabama to 142.7 per 100,000 in Wisconsin.  Connecticut’s rate was 56.9 per 100,000 in 2016, an increase from 44.9 per 100,000 in 2007.

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among people who are at least 65 years old, according to the report. Deaths from unintentional injuries are the seventh-leading cause of death among older adults, and falls account for the largest percentage of those deaths, the CDC said. The CDC has previously noted that less than half tell their doctor that they have fallen, and that falling once doubles your chances of falling again.

The rate of deaths from falls increased in the United States by an average of 3.0% per year during 2007–2016, and the rate increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia (DC) during that period.

The largest AAPC in mortality rates from falls (11.0% per year) occurred in Maine, followed by Oklahoma (10.9%) and West Virginia (7.8%). A significant increase in the rate from 2007 to 2016 occurred in 30 states, including Connecticut. There was no significant change in fall mortality rates in 11 states.

Once every 19 minutes, a senior citizen in America dies as a result of injuries sustained during a fall.  The older Americans became, the greater their risk of dying from a fall. In 2016, there were 15.6 fatal falls for every 100,000 Americans between the ages of 65 and 74. Among adults ages 75 to 84, there were 61.4 such deaths per 100,000 people. And for those ages 85 and up, there were 247.9 fatal falls per 100,000 people.

The data was included in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published last week. To reduce older adult falls, CDC created the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) initiative to help clinicians make fall prevention part of their clinical practice. The CDC notes that more than 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65 every day.

“As a result, the country will experience a growth in falls and fall injuries, resulting in a cost increase if preventive actions are not taken now,” the agency has pointed out.