Mayor's Community Update Week of February 15, 2016

Mayor’s Recommended Budget 2016-2017

I am proud to announce that my proposed $181,829,410 budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 will emphasize stabilization of the mill rate, at its current level of 45.86, while maintaining quality town services to residents. Additionally, because of the implementation of Senate Bill 1, East Hartford motor vehicle owners will see an overall tax decrease on their July 2016 tax bill, when mill rates on motor vehicles are unilaterally lowered to 32 mills across the state of Connecticut.

In addition to maintaining current service levels, my recommended budget also incorporates investments in capital improvements and equipment purchases, including: 10 new police cars, an additional dump truck for Public Works, with a plow/sander, funding for a golf course path replacement at the public East Hartford Golf Course and the local share for a senior bus. Additionally, the budget adds year three funding for the upcoming revaluation, demolition of old Firehouse #5 and offers a subsidy for the municipal golf course and adds one new community service officer position for the Police Department.

Most importantly, residents and property owners, who own motor vehicles registered in East Hartford, will see a decrease in their tax bill as a result of the legislative passing of Senate Bill 1. For the average motor vehicle owner in East Hartford, who owns two vehicles, appraised at $10,000 and $5,000, there will be an overall reduction in their July 2016 motor vehicle tax bill of $208, or 30 percent.

For residents interested in the budget process, there will be individual departmental budget workshops, with dates and times listed at on the Town Council, continuing with a public hearing on the budget on March 2, at 7:00 p.m. and a special meeting on the budget the next week, on March 8, at 7:00 p.m. Additionally, all budget materials can be found by clicking here.

Ribbon Cutting and Award Presentation at InterCommunity

On Thursday, February 18, I had the pleasure of joining Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congressman John Larson, InterCommunity CEO Kim Beauregard and the staff of InterCommunity, for the ribbon cutting on the company’s newest primary care space on 281 Main Street in East Hartford. For the past 35 years InterCommunity has been a cornerstone of the community’s mental and behavioral health needs and it is important to see that they are expanding their services to our residents.

I was also honored to receive the Reverend Michael Stevens Founder Award that day, which honors individuals who support the advancement of health in their community. It was an honor to receive the award and I will continue to support quality health care institutions in East Hartford.

East Hartford Library Receives License to Hold TEDx Talks

In addition to all the excellent programming provided by our library, I am proud to announce that the East Hartford Public Libraries received an official TEDx license last week and will be holding monthly TEDx events, on the second Tuesday of every month, starting March 8, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The license, which is the first to be received by a public library in the state of Connecticut, officially allows Raymond Library to host a TEDx event, under the program title of TEDxEastHartfordLibrary. These events will be two hours in length and consist of 2-3 videos of TED talks, which are interesting and informative lectures from experts in different fields. Following the viewing of the TED talks, there will be a discussion and question and answer session, where participants will be able to analyze and review all materials presented in the lectures.

The first TEDxEastHartfordLibrary event will feature two videos of TED talks, entitled “Why Aren’t We More Compassionate?,” a talk by Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence and “A Radical Experiment in Empathy,” by sociologist Sam Richards, who is the founder of the World in Conversation project.

Each event is free and open to the public and pre-registration to the event is suggested. At the end of the March 8 event and all future events, library staff will also be taking talk or topic suggestions for all future TEDxEastHartfordLibrary events. To pre-register for the event, please visit https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/18641 or call the Raymond Library at 860-289-6429.

Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program

The Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program is helping homeowners throughout the state who are challenged in making their mortgage payments. Help the statewide Mortgage Crisis Job Training Team connect to residents who need help getting back on a path to success through the assistance of this program and the American Job Center network. If you have any questions, please call 1-866-683-1682. For more information on the program, please click here.

Senior Center Upcoming Events

• Nina Karlson from VITAS Healthcare will be at the Senior Center for COFFEE TALK on Friday, February 26th from 10:00 – 11:00 am to share information about Five Wishes, the first living will that talks about personal, emotional and spiritual needs as well as medical wishes. Attendees will receive a copy of the Five Wishes document. Please call Senior Services to attend.

• The Senior Center is hosting a LEAP YEAR CELEBRATION with music, dessert and mocktails on Leap Day, Monday, February 29th from 1:30 – 3:30 pm. DJ Dale Griffith will provide the entertainment and Green Springs Health & Rehabilitation Center will provide the refreshments (along with Senior Services). Registration is required for this event by calling Senior Services or visiting the office. $2 per person will be collected at the door to help with event costs. Don’t miss the fun – Leap Year only happens every 4 years!

For more information on senior programming, follow this link or call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 860-291-7161.