April 18 , 2024| Issue 4

The CRCOG Connection

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This town has been home to several Fortune 500 companies like Otis Elevators, United Technologies, and Carvel. If you guessed Farmington, you’d be right.  

 

Originally, the Tunxis Indian tribe inhabited Farmington. In 1640, residents of Hartford established a community of English immigrants, making Farmington the oldest inland settlement west of the Connecticut River and the twelfth-oldest community in the state. It was incorporated in 1645. 


The town has a Council-Manager form of government with a Council Chairperson as the chief elected official and Town Manager as the Chief Executive Officer. It's known for its suburban charm and historic character.


This newsletter has 1420 words and is a 7.5-minute read. Thank you for reading. 

Join us! CRCOG’s open house 

We’re at our new office location and are excited to be here. We're hosting an open house on April 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. We hope you’ll join us. Soft drinks, light hors d'oeuvres, and desserts will be available. CRCOG will validate parking for guests. 

 

Our new location is: 

 

Metro Center 

350 Church Street, third floor 

Hartford, CT 06103 

 

Directions and parking information is available here

Save the date: CRCOG’s 50th Annual Meeting

It’s almost that time of year—CRCOG’s Annual Meeting is just around the corner. This year marks the 50th anniversary of this event. It will take place on Wednesday, June 5, at Bldg 4 in Manchester, Connecticut. 

 

Stay tuned for more details via our email invite. We look forward to seeing you in June! 

What is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), and how can it improve your communications in the digital age?

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology has made significant strides, paving the way for smarter and more efficient communication solutions. Municipalities today have the unique opportunity to keep pace with these technological advancements.   

  

In 2015, through a competitive RFP process, CRCOG signed a cooperative purchasing master contract with IP Genie, enabling municipalities to access VOIP solutions.  IP Genie developed the Genie Commander, a state-of-the-art VOIP suite that brings a new level of versatility to municipal communication, encompassing voice, text, and video to any device.  The technology leverages the Connecticut Education Network (CEN), which ensures that this VOIP service is reliable and secure, ready to meet the demands of Municipal governance.  

  

VOIP: A Smart Choice for Municipalities through enhanced mobility 

  

In our digital age of remote and hybrid work, VOIP technology allows municipal staff to work from anywhere at any time. VOIP technology allows employees to make and receive calls from anywhere, at any time, on any device—whether at a desk, telephone, desktop computer, laptop, or cell phone. This ensures everyone stays connected, regardless of location.   

  

Flexible Call Management  

  

VOIP allows users to easily tailor how and where calls are directed. Calls can be routed to different locations depending on the time of day or set to a 'do not disturb' mode during meetings or after hours. Additionally, IP Genie’s data center, hosted locally in East Hartford, Connecticut, is backed up by two additional locations, offering tremendous failover and redundancy.   

 

Cost-Effective Solutions  

  

The Genie VOIP system eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure investments, physical hardware, and system maintenance. Through cooperative purchasing, Municipalities can share cost-effective and efficient infrastructure while maintaining independence and privacy. Only pay for the services you need. Furthermore, with IP Genie, a single monthly fee covers all local and long-distance calls, system software, and firmware updates, and 100% time and material warranty for any equipment provided by Genie Innovations, Inc., simplifying budgeting and often resulting in lower overall costs. Typical savings for municipal customers average around 20%. 

  

A Streamlined Experience  

  

With a single fixed fee, municipalities enjoy state-of-the-art comprehensive VOIP coverage, enhancing communication capabilities to meet today's needs and tomorrow's challenges. For municipalities in Connecticut, considering VOIP could mean taking a significant step towards more connected, efficient, and cost-effective operations.  If you are interested in learning more about these VOIP services are available through CRCOG and IP Genie; please contact Robyn Nichols

Rethinking our Landscape  

When tackling climate change, we often overlook a crucial component: how we use our land. Communities overly reliant on cars for everyday tasks are a primary driver of emissions. As we consider ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions, communities across Connecticut and the nation must prioritize sustainable land-use practices.   


We can take several actionable strategies to transform our landscape and positively impact climate change, such as supporting compact and walkable development, zoning reform, climate-focused procurement reforms, embracing new technology, and safe-street policies. By fostering collaboration between regional and local governments and implementing forward-thinking policies, we can create communities that minimize driving, reduce energy consumption, and contribute to a more resilient and environmentally conscious Capitol Region. We highlight this issue as well as potential actions and solutions. Read the full post here

The 2024 Drive Less CT Climate Challenge

The CTrides Drive Less CT Climate Challenge begins on April 22nd and goes through May 31st. CTrides wants YOU to sign up! Join the fun while also having a positive impact on our environment. 

This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 15-19, 2024. The national theme this year is “Work Zones are Temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.” We’re working with our partners to amplify this message because too many work zone workers are significantly injured or tragically killed each year.  


When approaching a work zone, it’s critical that drivers stay alert, slow down, and move over. For more information about the National-level Events that will be held throughout the week, please use this link

Spring into professional development with UCONN’s School of Public Policy

CRCOG employees and municipal members are invited to attend the UConn School of Public Policy’s Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative (PSELC) workshops at a discounted Partner rate.


Don’t miss the professional development workshop Project Management in the Public Sector, Friday, May 17, 2024, from 9 am to 4 pm with Michael Schrier, Director, YSM/West Campus Development, Yale University. The workshop will take place at the UConn Harford Times Building. Lunch is included. Register here

ICYMI 

CRCOG Funding Opportunities

Federal Funding Opportunities 

  • View our Funding Newsletter for the latest updates. Contact Elizabeth Sanderson for more information or to provide specific information about a project for which you are seeking funding. This helps us bring you the most relevant information. 

 A few highlights from the April issue: 

  • U.S. DOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program funds projects that will prevent deaths and serious injuries on roadways. Over $1.2B is available this round. Planning and Demonstration Grant applications will be reviewed in three waves, with upcoming deadlines on May 16, and August 29. Implementation Grant applications are due May 16. View the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) here
  • Visit CRCOG’s BIL/IIJA web page for summaries of many funding opportunities.  

 

MetroHartford Brownfields Program  

Application deadline: Ongoing 

Upcoming CRCOG meetings

April 22, 2024

Transportation Committee Meeting (Hybrid) 

12 – 1:30 pm 

  

April 24, 2024 

Policy Board (Virtual) 

12 – 1:30 pm 

 

April 24, 2024 

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Public Meetings (Hybrid) 

11am or 7pm 

 

May 8, 2024 

Executive Committee Meeting (Hybrid) 

12 – 1:30 pm  

 

May 14, 2024  

Bike-Pedestrian Committee Meeting (Virtual) 

12 – 1:30 pm 

  

May 16, 2024  

Capitol Region Emergency Planning Council (CREPC) Meeting (Hybrid) 

9:30 - 11:30 am 

 

May 20, 2024 

Transportation Committee Meeting (Virtual) 

12 – 1:30 pm 


May 21, 2024 

Municipal Serves Committee Meeting 

12 – 1:30 pm  

We appreciate our readers! In a few days there will be a global acknowledgement of Earth Day. We hope this quote gives you a moment to reflect or inspires you to get out in your community.


“We are the environment and how we treat each other is really how we treat

the environment.” ~ John Francis