Co-Chairman:
Laurie Tomlinson - Wells Fargo Advisors
Angus McDonald, Jr. - McDonald Sharpe Associates
Meetings occur on the first Friday of the month at 8:00 a.m.
The next meeting will be held at Essex Savings Bank, 35 Plains Road in Essex on Friday, February 3rd. Please review the agenda for more information.
The January meeting was held at the Deep River Public Library and was hosted by Richard Smith, First Selectman. Lt. Edward Bednarz, commanding officer for Troop F of the CT State Police in Westbrook spoke to members about the Troop’s commitment to community-based policing. Through the Resident Trooper program, those serving towns take “ownership” of the community, getting to know businesses and residents, making them better able to respond to local needs. InfraGuard is a multi-agency free resource that businesses can access to track industry-specific trends and share information. Local policing has changed over the years with technology and electronic resources providing immediate access to and recording of information with the goal of making life safer for the public. Trooper involvement in towns includes DARE programs in schools, fund-raising, food and toy drives and active support of local events and organization. Area selectmen provided town-specific updates and encouraging news of local events.
Kevin Lembo, Comptroller, State of Connecticut was introduced by Larry McHugh, who said it was good to have him, that too many government officials become isolated, without feedback. Lembo said as chief accountant for the state, his office handles payroll, health care, pensions and that as a “policy guy” he follows the details. He “hit the ground running” when assuming office, having worked under Wyman. At present, while a surplus may be anticipated, huge debt issues still plague the state. GAP accounting is providing better information. Moving forward, hard decisions will have to be made, often with “ugly” consequences. The inability to make decisions in Washington will make 2013 and beyond very difficult, forcing all to face tough decisions. Changes will come, but problems were years in the making and prioritizing paying off debts will be critical to successes.
David Roberge, Director of Emergency Management for the towns of Old Lyme and Lyme, spoke to members of the need to be prepared to take care of themselves on both personal and professional levels when emergencies occur. Tropical storm Irene, at the end of August, and the unseasonal snowfall two months later provided many examples. Topics included everything from having an old-fashioned plug-in phone through the various electronic applications that allow people to continue communicating and working. Wellness checks of family, neighbors and employees were recommended. People should anticipate and prepare for 120 hours of being on their own. Employers should make sure employees know ahead of time what will be expected from them in emergencies.
The four rivals competing for first selectman in Chester and Essex addressed 30 members and guests of the Down County Division. Democrat Edmund Meehan and Common Ground Party nominee Andrew Landsman for Chester, and Democrat Norman Needleman and Republican Bruce MacMillian for Essex, were each given five minutes for presentations at the meeting held at Mount St. John in Deep River. There is no contest for the top spot in Deep River, where Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith is unopposed for a record 12th term. The joint appearance for the candidates is expected to be one of only a handful planned before November 8. Needleman and MacMillian will face off in a more formal debate on November 1 at the Essex library. No debate has been scheduled for the Chester contest, though debates have been held in most recent contested elections for the town.