Michelle Gilman, who was nominated for a full term as commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Services, was grilled Tuesday by lawmakers who are unsatisfied with a recent audit of the state’s controversial school construction program. On Tuesday, she was questioned by lawmakers on the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee during her nomination hearing about how she and the agency have responded in the wake of the federal investigation to address concerns from municipalities that rely on the program to refurbish or build schools. Local officials from several towns alleged in the wake of the federal investigation that Konstantinos Diamantis, the former director of the school construction office, pressured them to hire specific contractors for their school projects. Those allegations included contracts for construction administrators, general contractors and demolition and remediation companies.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/school-construction-connecticut-michelle-gillman-17755404.php

The state Department of Transportation is once again seeking the public’s input on The New Mix Program, which will address the long-term needs of Waterbury’s Interstate 84/Route 8 interchange. There will be two virtual meetings today: one at noon and the other at 6 p.m. Those interested in participating and listening to the meetings can go to newmixwaterbury.com. Waterbury’s I-84/Route 8 interchange, which is commonly known as the Mixmaster, will approach the end of its serviceable life in 25 years, according to the DOT. Morgan said one of the long-term goals of the project is to reduce the number of crashes in the area and alleviate some of the traffic congestion that builds up during rush hour. Morgan said some options the DOT could pursue for the interchange include reconstruction and rehabilitation which would involve no major changes; looking at ways to shift the interchange and align it with I-84 and Route 8; relocating on-ramps and off-ramps; and looking at alternate travel options.

https://www.rep-am.com/local/localnews/2023/01/30/2-virtual-meetings-will-discuss-mixmasters-future/#login

Alexandra Daum, Gov. Ned Lamont’s nominee to lead the Department of Economic and Community Development, told lawmakers at her confirmation hearing last Thursday that growth will be her top priority — a now-familiar refrain from the governor’s office. The threat of a recession looms this year, as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates in an effort to tamp down on inflation, and companies have begun downsizing. Lawmakers asked the incoming economic development commissioner how she plans to respond to the trend in corporate retrenchment. The state government has thousands of open jobs to fill, and Connecticut’s school districts and health care providers are facing staff shortages. New federally funded infrastructure and broadband projects will have thousands of openings in the coming years. And new investment in the semiconductor industry is driving demand for specialized technology workers. The committee unanimously approved Daum’s nomination, which now heads to the state Senate for final consideration.

New Connecticut economic development chief faces headwinds

A major residential and commercial development underway in Cheshire has Southington business and town leaders hopeful about economic growth for the entire area. In November, Cheshire planners approved special permits for Stone Bridge Crossing, a 107-acre development bounded by Dickerman Road to the west, Highland Avenue to the east, Interstate 691 to the south and the town line to the north. During the November hearing, representatives of one of the companies involved, Eastpointe LLC, told Cheshire planners that apartments rents will run from $1,700 for a studio to $3,000 for a three bedroom. Cheshire planning officials said they take land conservation seriously and that a perfect place for development is near the highway.

https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Southington/Southington-News/Southington-leaders-hopeful-about-Cheshire-development.html

Rocky Hill-based developer CCC Construction wants to convert the old Webster Bank training facility into a cannabis warehouse, a move that some residents have condemned due to risk of smell and proximity to schools. The ZBA’s public hearing will consider the warehouse for special exception and variance approval. The timeline of construction depends on the approval, according to a spokesperson for Stewart. If approved, the facility will be 0.7 miles from the CREC Academy of Science and Innovation and 0.6 miles from Gaffney Elementary School. It would also be 0.8 miles from E.C. Goodwin Technical Magnet School. Salerno served on city council from 2013 to 2021 when members created zoning regulations in anticipation of cannabis legalization and businesses like the proposed warehouse.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/new-britain-cannabis-warehouse-webster-bank-17751462.php

The city plans to build three new schools — one high school and two elementary schools — over the next few years. Work has already begun on the new $45 million Cranbury Elementary School, while officials are designing South Norwalk’s first elementary school in decades and coordinating the logistics for the construction of the new Norwalk High School. For the new South Norwalk school, Lo said that the city funded $76 million — $14 million of which was spent “on acquisition of the property” that was owned by The Hatch & Bailey Co. This school will have a large capacity, at nearly twice the size of a typical elementary school. The school is proposed to open fall 2025. To locate the new Norwalk High School, one need not go far from the current one. Dan Phillips, the project manager for Construction Solutions Group, presented the updates to this project. The goal is to start construction at the end of the football season because the new school is being built on the existing football field.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/norwalk-high-school-sono-construction-cranbury-17751584.php

Last week, the Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend plans for two seven-story residential buildings, totaling 471 apartments, in the 70-100 blocks of Clinton Avenue. The 4.3-acre site is located along the Rippowam River. Officials have been working for decades to piece together a riverside walking path connecting Scalzi Park to Kosciuszko Park — a central facet of long-term plans to expand Mill River Park. The new plans, submitted by New York developer Carmel Partners, have been in the works for at least eight years. After years of delays, New York developer Carmel Partners purchased the site from RBS last year. “This may be the sixth and, hopefully, final time that we are appearing before you to discuss some aspect of this proposal,” Lisa Feinberg, the applicant’s attorney, said to the Planning Board.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-s-last-vacant-downtown-lot-slated-17744667.php?src=sthpdesecp

Between 2015 and 2018, six U.S. states—Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and Arkansas—each repealed their state prevailing-wage laws that established minimum labor standards on taxpayer-funded projects like roads, bridges, schools and water infrastructure. All did so promising to save money, including by “building five schools for the price of three.” The problem is: it never happened. As one Indiana Republican lawmaker put it, “we got rid of prevailing wage and, so far, it hasn’t saved us a penny.” His conclusions were ultimately confirmed by the Indiana Department of Labor. In Wisconsin, a study that examined highway projects pre- and post-repeal showed that the state not only failed to save money, but that it might have increased cost overruns. In West Virginia, the School Building Authority similarly concluded that prevailing-wage repeal was not saving taxpayers any money. The list goes on.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/crains-forum-labor-organizing/illinois-prevailing-wage-law-stays-books

New London may be forced to pay several million dollars in demolition and remediation work for a new high school project because local officials allegedly heeded the directions of Konstantinos Diamantis, the former leader of Connecticut’s school construction program. Officials with the Department of Administrative Services, which houses the state’s school construction office, recently informed the city that it will not pay for any of the roughly $4 million in demolition or abatement work at the New London High School because that contract was never put out to bid, as state law requires. According to Diamantis, the only reason New London officials are pointing the finger at him now is because they don’t want to get stuck covering the cost of the demolition and abatement contract for their new high school. Conley said she and her colleagues in the legislature are simply trying to correct an issue that was created by the state. Officials at DAS said they are required to follow state law when it comes to reimbursements for school construction projects. That means the agency’s can’t reimburse New London for those costs unless the legislature approves special exemption for the New London project. Conley said she expects the General Assembly to pass that legislation this year.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230127/state-says-it-wont-pay-new-london-for-school-demolition-work/

The Town of Groton won’t have to pay for the planned replacement of the Groton Long Point Road Bridge over Palmer’s Cove, saving about $1.7 million in town funds, according to town and state officials. The town originally had anticipated it would participate in a program in which it would have to pay 20% of the estimated $8.4 million cost to replace the bridge. But the town recently was accepted into a newer program in which the town would not have to pay anything toward the project cost, according to town officials. The Town Council Committee of the Whole on Tuesday recommended moving forward with the funding program, with the full council slated to take a final vote to approve it at its Feb. 7 regular council meeting. Public Works Director Greg Hanover told councilors that under this new federal local bridge program, called the Design Managed by State Program, the state would take the project through design, permitting and rights of way acquisitions, and manage the contractor during construction. He said the town will still be involved in providing input throughout the design and construction phases and there will still be a public input component to the project.

https://www.theday.com/article/20230128/no-town-funds-needed-for-groton-long-point-road-bridge-replacement/