Appointment as Chair of the legislative Regulations Review Committee.

Rep. Christopher Donovan, Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey just announced today [PDF] that they have named me as the Chair of legislature's Regulations Review Committee.

This committee plays an important role in state government by providing public oversight of the rules and regulations that state departments and agencies issue. These regulations spell out the details of how state services and state laws affect the public and how state government is administered, so it is important to make sure that they are done right.

I am very pleased that Speaker Donovan is recognizing me as having the right abilities to ensure good, effective and efficient administration of state agencies as Chair of the Regulations Review Committee. There will be a lot of work to do in this important role, making sure state department rules and regulations work well for the people of our state, especially as we reorganize the state to provide better services while saving taxpayer money.

I am very humbled and honored by this important assignment, and I will work hard to do a good job. I thank Speaker Donovan and Majority Leader Sharkey for they trust in me.

New Britain Legislators to Honor Local Veterans at a Ceremony to Award Wartime Service Medal.

It is very important to honor the veterans who sacrificed so much in defense of our country. I thank them for all that they have done for us, and I am proud that our state honors for our wartime veterans with the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal.

In New Britain, we have a proud tradition of honoring our veterans, and so I want to make sure that the New Britain's wartime veterans receive this important honor. That is why, as the New Britain Herald reported:

Legislators plan to honor local vets at special ceremony

Area legislators are planning to honor local veterans at a special ceremony where they will be awarded with the state wartime service medal.

State Reps. Tim O’Brien, John Geragosian, Peter Tercyak, Elizabeth “Betty” Boukus, and state Sen. Donald DeFronzo, all New Britain-area Democrats, are collaborating on the ceremony and hoping to assist qualifying veterans in applying for the award.

All local veterans with qualifying wartime service are eligible to receive the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal.

The date of the ceremony is to be determined. Veterans or family members of deceased veterans will receive the medal recognizing their service.

Veterans or a relative of an eligible veteran with qualifying wartime military service can obtain the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal Application by calling O’Brien’s office at (860) 240-8532.

I am proud to work with the other members of the New Britain legislative delegation on this special event.

As Rep. Geragosian says, "It is important to come together and recognize those who serve our country, both past and present. We are especially proud of those Connecticut men and women who have fought to keep us safe. We are grateful for their service."

Rep. Tercyak adds that, “New Britain’s men and women have a long honored tradition of answering the call to duty. These brave servicemen and women deserve our thanks and recognition that this service medal offers.”

And Rep. Boukus has said, “I would like to express my deepest appreciation to our veterans. The Connecticut Wartime Veterans Service Medal is an important way for the State of Connecticut to honor the service and sacrifice of local veterans.”

Road work planned on I-84 in New Britain.

To keep you informed, I want to let you know that I just received the following information from the state Department of Transportation:

NEWINGTON, CT – State Transportation Commissioner Jeffrey A. Parker announced today that the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Office of Engineering is developing plans to improve a section of I-84 in the City of New Britain and the Town of Farmington.

“It is the Department’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken,” said Parker. “It is important that the community share its concerns with us to assist in the project’s development.” It is not anticipated that an informational meeting or a formal public hearing will be held for this project due to the limited nature of the proposed work.

The project involves the milling and placement of a 3-inch Hot Mix Asphalt overlay on I-84, from approximately 0.3 mile north of the Route 72 interchange in the City of New Britain northerly to the Route 6 interchange in the Town of Farmington, to extend the service life of the existing pavement.

The present schedule indicates that the design will be completed in January 2011, with construction anticipated to start in summer 2011. This project will be undertaken with 40% Federal and 60% State funds.

Anyone interested in receiving information on this project may do so by contacting Mr. Scott A. Hill, Manager of State Design, at (860) 594-3272, or by e-mail at scott.hill@ct.gov. Please make reference to State Project No. 88-180.

I assume that this is meant to say that it will be completed in January of 2012, not 2011, since it is starting work in the summer of 2011.