David Bitler

This document outlines the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the NECCOG region, serving as an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen the local economy by fostering collaboration across public, non-profit, and private sectors. Key strategic goals include developing and sustaining regional economic growth, providing awareness of development opportunities, partnering in guiding vitality through new and redevelopment projects, and building relationships with various stakeholders. The plan also emphasizes regional conditions analysis, SWOT identification, vision definition, and strategy design to solve economic development challenges and leverage federal funding.

The Board of Directors approved a resolution authorizing the application for a Regional Performance Incentive Program grant to support the establishment of Shared Regional Revenue Collection Services for the towns of Canterbury, Scotland, and Hampton. The initiative centralizes tax billing, collection, enforcement, and reporting services within the Town of Canterbury. The Board committed to providing the required 50 percent grantee match, with the understanding that the participating municipalities will be responsible for 100 percent of ongoing program costs following the three-year grant period.

The agenda includes project updates regarding the SS4A and PROTECT initiatives, departmental reports on animal control, transit district affairs, and legislative updates. Discussion and action items involve STIP actions and amendments, a proposed text amendment for home occupation regulations in the Town of Plainfield, and authorization for the executive director to acquire property in Pomfret for the construction of a regional animal control facility. Additionally, the council will consider resolutions related to environmental assessment projects for the former Killingly High School and the former Chaplin Post Office, as well as an authorization to apply for a Shared Regional Revenue grant.

This document details various resilient forestry practices aimed at climate mitigation and enhancing forest resilience. It describes practices such as pre-commercial thinning, thinning for health and wildlife, creating small patch clearcuts, shrub planting, conifer seeding/hand planting, individual hardwood tree planting with shelters, tree/shrub regeneration with deer protection, restoration/conservation treatments following catastrophic events, chipping and hauling off-site, forest slash treatment, and different methods of invasive control. Each practice is presented with its goals for ecological functions, climate mitigation rationale, forest resilience rationale, evidence for impact, and additional considerations, with the overall objective of improving ecosystem health, carbon sequestration, and adaptability to environmental changes.

The agenda for this meeting includes a welcome and roll call, followed by public participation time. Key discussion and presentation topics involve updates from the CT Office of the State Comptroller, the CT GIS Office, and a Regional Safety Action Plan update from BETA Group LLC. Program and project updates will cover OPM Parcel/CAMA Grant, CPRG, and PROTECT initiatives. The Directors Report will cover Animal Control, Transit District, Regional Town Administrator, Outreach, NECCOG Programs, and Legislative updates. Discussion and action items include STIP Actions and Amendments.