NHCOG: Coalition Reshuffles Board Officers, Approves Budget

6/11/26 10:08 AM

Present: Board Chair Dan Jerram, Vice Chair Michael Criss, Secretary Patrick Roy, members Doug Thompson, David Barger, Bradley Bremer, Gordon Ridgway, Seth Breakell, Eric Epstein, Denise Raap, Tom Weik, Dan Jerram, Henry Tirell, Jesse Bunce, Curtis Rand, Casey Flanagan, Molly Spino, Greg LaCava, Todd Arselaschi.

Absent: Meaghan Cook, Magi Winslow, Jim Brinton.

In what Northwest Hills Coalition of Governments (NHCOG) Executive Director Robert Phillips called a business-heavy meeting, the NHCOG Board elected a new slate of officers and approved its annual budget at the June 11 meeting.

The meeting took place at the Raymond Family Farm in New Hartford. Typically, the annual meeting sees a re-organization of the board’s leadership and approval of the coalition’s budget. This iteration was followed by an optional golf outing and included lunch from Greenhouse Café in Harwinton.

“There were a lot of action items we had to take care of that were basically required or prudent,” Phillips noted.

One of those matters was electing a new slate of officers. The board chose between two options: one crafted and solidified at the NHCOG meeting in May, and another brought onto the floor at the June meeting.

In May, the board had agreed to nominate Michael Criss, Harwinton First Selectman and board vice chair, as the board’s next chair. Board members also indicated they wanted Winchester Town Manager Paul Harrington as vice chair; Burlington First Selectman Doug Thompson as treasurer; Litchfield First Selectman Denise Raap as secretary; plus Warren First Selectman Greg LaCava and Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway as at-large members.

At the June meeting, board members Raap and Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand introduced an alternative slate. This lineup of officers included Ridgway as chair, Raap as vice chair, LaCava as secretary, Roxbury First Selectman Patrick Roy as treasurer, and Sharon First Selectman Casey Flanagan, and Washington First Selectman Jim Brinton as at-large members. The June lineup was approved with 12 votes. The May lineup was voted down, as it only received two votes in support.

Two of the officers who served at the start of the year — Chair Dan Jerram, Treasurer and First Selectman of Morris Tom Weik — were officially termed out. Criss said at the May meeting that officers can only serve two terms, according to NHCOG bylaws.

“The election was interesting because we have a slate of officers that was kind of kind of changed in, in the main meeting,” Phillips said. “We as a staff have no involvement in the election of officers. That is all between the members.”

The new slate of officers will assume their roles starting in July. Jerram said in May officers and members of NHCOG’s executive committee spoke with members about potentially taking on leadership roles. The role of chair, however, seemed to garner little interest among members, Jerram said.

“None of the executive committee members or the people that have expressed interest to me wanted to be the chair,” he noted. “I'm happy to step aside. I'm happy to consider a nomination from the floor.”

Leaders from member municipalities also approved the organization's annual budget. Torrington Mayor Molly Spino, Harrington and Thompson opposed its passage. Raap and Jerram abstained. Criss left the meeting prior to the vote. All other members in attendance voted in favor.

NHCOG’s budget accounts for revenue generated from member dues, which Phillips said have remained flat for around 15 years or longer.

“Those dues are by and large being used for matching transportation and economic development grants,” Phillips said in May during a budget presentation. NHCOG, he added, also receives revenue from grants.

Phillips noted that grant revenue has increased substantially over the past five years, allowing the organization to provide more regional services without increasing the per-capita dues rate. Increases to grant funding have typically gone toward housing, municipal solid waste, rural health, and transportation.

“We had a $750,000 grant revenue budget to use for operational purposes, and we have increased that by about 240%,” Phillips said. “We are bringing more to the region, and we are trying to do more. We are really getting on our feet. We are doing that without a dollar more from you unless there is a change in your population.”

The dues rate is calculated as follows: Municipalities pay $0.80 per person in their city, town, or village. Population estimates are provided by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

NHCOG’s spending plan also includes a 3.75% cost-of-living adjustment for staff salaries.

The board also approved the relocation of NHCOG’s operations to the third floor of the EdAdvance building in Litchfield under the same lease terms, ending on June 30, 2028. Approval of the relocation meant approving a resolution for Phillips to negotiate an extension of up to five years at the same per-square-foot rate as the current lease, subject to the same 2% annual increases beginning July 1, 2028. Harrington asked at the June meeting if the cost would include additional expenses, to which Phillips said it would not. The motion was approved by all voting members except for Thompson, who abstained.