Trade workers needed:
Lawmakers hear a range of concerns at Norwich breakfast
A legislative breakfast sponsored by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce focuses on the need for teaching prospective trade workers.
Norwich — Concerns about a slow bureaucracy, a possible rise in the minimum wage and an education system not geared toward today’s employment realities dominated a legislative breakfast Wednesday sponsored by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce.
The meeting at Holiday Inn Norwich at which state representatives and senators were asked to listen to constituents’ ideas for legislation during next year’s session was attended by about 80 people, many of whom were concerned about potential budget cuts.
Several others, such as Evert Gawendo, co-owner of the Nutmeg Companies general contracting firm in Norwich, said they want the state to invest more in trade schools.
“There’s just a dearth of licensed tradesmen,” he said. “They’re just not out there.”
Chris Jewell, co-owner of Collins & Jewell manufacturing firm in Bozrah, said a large percentage of college freshmen are destined to not finish their education today. Many of them would have been better served, he said, had they been pushed into trades at an earlier age, yet high schools are often judged by how many are guided toward the college track.
“Right now, it’s very inefficient,” he said.
Jason Vincent, director of planning in Stonington, complained about the permitting process in the state based on a craft distillery he has been associated with. He said towns need to adhere to strict deadlines in approving permits, while the state has no such requirements.
“If you’re going to hold the towns accountable, hold yourselves accountable,” Vincent told lawmakers.
Kathy Greene, executive director of The Lighthouse social services agency based in Groton, said she was concerned about cutbacks to funding for the state Department of Developmental Services.
“Our families are struggling,” she said. “There are barely any case managers left.”
Kathleen Stauffer, executive director of The Arc of Southeastern Connecticut, added that she has heard rumblings the state was going to pull back on mainstreaming students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to save money.
But she said whatever the investment in mainstreaming might be today, the cost down the road would be
“incrementally higher” if these students became adults without having been allowed to develop job and life skills.
John Perry, a supervisor in the Norwich Police Department’s community policing unit, said he wants to ensure the city’s youth and police continue to interact now that the DARE program has been dropped. That’s why he wants to ensure legislators’ support for community policing grants.
“That’s just insane that we don’t have these type of officers in the schools,” he said.
Others in attendance supported the state’s Small Business Express and Step-Up programs that help grow the economy as well as the Connecticut Green Bank system that helps implement energy-efficiency upgrades.
Several spoke of cutting state employees or dropping the pension system.
“I think efficiency is the low hanging fruit,” manufacturing company owner Jewell said.
Caleb Roseme of Norwich-based Assured Quality Homecare said he finds the reimbursement rates for Medicaid too low, especially in light of possible increases in the minimum wage.
“There’s no wiggle room to invest in employees,” he said. “Reimbursement rates have got to go up.”
Jewell said raising the minimum wage inevitably will lead to automation and the loss of more jobs.
Legislators in attendance included state Sens. Cathy Olsen, D-Sprague, Heather Somers, R-Groton, and Paul Formica, R-East Lyme. Also on hand were State Reps. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme, Christine Conley, D-Groton, Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin, Mike France, R-Ledyard, Kevin Ryan, D-Montville and Kevin Skulczyck, R-Griswold.
“It really makes a difference to say these are things that need to change,” said Osten. “Please bring this to us because they matter.”