Northwest Hills Council of Governments July Meeting

NHCOG Director of Transportation Kathryn Faraci announced that the NHCOG received state Department of Transportation approval to utilize $52,000 of planning funds to to conduct a transit analysis study, pending FTA approval. Litchfield First Selectman, Denise Rapp, then motioned to approve a project to replace the Bridge over Still Brook at 890 Bantam Rd on Route 202 in Litchfield. This was unanimously approved. Rapp claimed the project will close that area of Route 202 for 10 weeks. According to the state Department of Transportation, the bridge replacement is expected to run through Spring to Fall 2025 and cost $4.1 million, 80% of which will be financed by federal funds while the remaining 20% will be financed by state funds. end around NHCOG Chairman Dan Jerram replied saying, “You gotta experience the pain before you get the gain.” Washington First Selectman James Brinton then motioned to approve a project to replace retaining walls on Route 44 in Norfolk. This was unanimously approved. This $37 million project will begin later on Monday, August 19th with the closure of Route 44 at Old Colony Road in Norfolk and is expected to be completed by October 2028. Burlington First Selectman Douglas Thompson then motioned to approve a project to construct a shared path along and under S.R. 800 Winsted Road in Torrington. This was also unanimously approved.

Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority (HRRA) Executive Director Jennifer Heaton-Jones discussed the potential of the NHCOG merging with the HRRA to conduct municipal solid waste and recycling services amid the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority’s (MIRA) closure in 2027. First created in 1986, HRRA is the regional municipal solid waste and recycling management organization for Housatonic Valley municipalities including Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, Weston, and Wilton. The HRRA is funded entirely by its fees to its municipalities such as an administrative fee for each ton of recyclables tipped at the Oak Ridge Transfer Station and annual hauler permit fees of $250 per truck. Following Heaton-Jones’ presentation, Goshen First Selectman Todd Carusillo expressed concern over whether or not NHCOG municipalities will be able to control their tipping fees if partnered with the HRRA and if the trash and recyclables will have to be transferred only to Housatonic Valley Transfer Stations. “There’s no cost to our current members to be a part of the HRRA…,” Heaton-Jones clarified. “If they use a local Transfer Station and they need a permit, those fees are part of our revenue. For every time that they tip, we receive $2 on MSW and $5 in recycling. That’s our revenue. The member towns have no cost.” However, Heaton-Jones suggested that some membership fees may be added in the future if all 21 municipalities are added to the HRRA since their current workforce wouldn’t be prepared to handle the workload of 35 municipalities at its current state. Local haulers wouldn't be forced to drive all the way west to Housatonic Valley Transfer Stations to drop off their waste. Instead new hauling networks would be discussed during potential merging negotiations.