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  • Rocky Hill Board and Commission Updates: June 2025

    Rocky Hill Board and Commission Updates: June 2025

    Affordable Housing Committee

    Update provided by: Allan Smith

    During our most recent meeting we discussed our April 30th Housing Forum, the recently passed HB 5002 housing bill that passed the Connecticut General Assembly, the process and likelihood of acquiring some land to be used for building more affordable housing, and information from “Strong Towns” that was provided by Derek Caelin.

    Call to action: Read the Draft 2025 POCD, and be prepared to offer comments during upcoming public hearings related to housing affordability, should you be inclined. 

    Board of Education

    Update provided by: Maria Mennella

    Update: The Board of Education has responded to the 25-26 budget, which cut the proposed schools budget by $650,000 dollars. The difference has been made up by not filling a retiring teacher’s position, cutting the summer enrichment program and foreign languages classes in Moser, as well as merging the Special Education Kids in Progress (KIP) programs in the schools. 

    Commission on Inclusion & Innovation

    Update provided by: Tom Cosker

    The Commission on Inclusion participated in a few events recently. 

    • On June 1st, members of the Commission participated in the BAPS Spirit of Service Walk at Elm Ridge Park. The walk had a huge crowd of participants walking down Bailey, Parsonage, Silas Deane and Elm St. BAPS charities made donations to our own Rocky Hill Fire Department with some of the money it raised. 
    • On June 4th, Rocky Hill hosted a Pride event at Elm Ridge Park. The Commission as well as other community and school groups came together to show pride for members of our LGBTQIA+ community. 
    • On June 7th the Commission marched in the Middletown Pride Parade, the largest Pride event in CT. While our group was small this year, we got lots of shout outs from the crowd. We are already looking forward to a larger Rocky Hill contingent next year. 

    Upcoming events

    • On June 18th, the Commission will participate in the Rocky Hill Juneteenth celebration from 6:00 to 8:00 at Elm Ridge Park. Join us as we celebrate the emancipation of African Americans in the U.S. and acknowledge the accomplishments made in our community and the injustices that persist in our contemporary society. There will be food, vendors, and live performances. 
    • On June 21st, Rocky Hill will be hosting Make Music Day with various artists and performers spreading the joy of music around town. More information to follow. 

    Economic Development Commission

    Update provided by: Allan Smith

    The Economic & Business Development Manager, Alandra Maine provided updates at our most recent meeting, June 10th. Make music day is moving forward on June 21st, without a lot of interest from local businesses, but also getting in front of them with a part-time schedule has been a challenge. 

    Rocky Hill now has a “restaurant trail”. It is a free site that puts all of RH’s eateries in one place. This free site, could be used to promote local spots and RH as a culinary destination. She estimates that we currently have 60+ restaurants in town, including fast food. This continues to make us high per-capita for CT. 

    Call to action: Come to the Town Center June 21st from 10-2 for various activities put on to create public, free, music. Including Rocky Hill Arts Now’s Karaoke near the 9/11 memorial from 12-2. Hoping to have some Cops & Karaoke!

    Library Board of Trustees

    Update provided by: Mara Caelin

    The Library Board of Trustees met on Monday, June 9th at Rocky Hill Library. Democrat members Mara Caelin and Nancy Rabbitt were both present. Library Director Michael Murphy offered general updates on library operations, highlighting the decrease in staffing levels exacted by recent town budget cuts. The library has lost nearly 100 labor hours per week since 2023 due to budget cuts and attrition, and Director Murphy reports that they have hit their limit in terms of how much loss they can absorb without significant changes to services. Additionally, Director Murphy briefly reported on prospective changes to policy, pending legislative outcomes of SB 1271 and HB 7014, that would require formal policies around collection development, display creation, and material removal prohibiting challenges on the basis of representation of protected classes. 

    Open Space and Conservation Commission

    Update provided by: Derek Caelin

    The OSCC is reviewing a proposal by the town to establish a sidewalk on Hayes road. If approved in our next meeting, it will go out to bid for contractors.

    Call to action: We need an alternate member for the OSCC. Learn more about the board and contact us if you are interested.

    Sustainable Rocky Hill Task Force

    Update provided by: Derek Caelin

    Rocky Hill keeps its Bronze Sustainable CT certification this spring. Many of the town’s points expire in August, according to an update from town staff last month – more actions must be submitted. The town will submit a grant proposal to DEEP for an expanded food scraps drop off program.

  • Larson Demands Chairman Smith Hold an Immediate Markup on Larson-led Social Security Data Privacy Legislation

    Larson Demands Chairman Smith Hold an Immediate Markup on Larson-led Social Security Data Privacy Legislation

    From the website of Congressman Larson:

    Today, Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) wrote to Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) demanding an immediate markup for Ranking Member Larson’s Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act. 

    “There is no reason why unqualified outside individuals need immediate and urgent access to non-anonymized SSA data, which includes Social Security numbers, income history, and personal medical records. The American people deserve to have their private information kept confidential,” Larson wrote. 

    “The Committee must immediately take action to protect Americans’ private and confidential information,” Larson concluded. “Failure to act to protect this information would be a dereliction of our oversight responsibility and an endorsement of the Trump Administration’s illegal, irresponsible, and reckless disregard for Americans’ privacy and liberty.” 

    Last Friday, the Supreme Court issued an unsigned order overturning a district court’s order blocking ‘DOGE’ personnel from accessing the Social Security Administration’s systems while a lawsuit challenging their access makes its way through the courts. Rep. Larson’s Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act would block political appointees and ‘special government employees,’ like Elon Musk and his ‘DOGE,’ from accessing these sensitive data systems at the Social Security Administration. It would also codify existing privacy requirements in law for beneficiary data, ensuring that only Congress can change them, and strengthen oversight and civil penalties for any privacy and disclosure violations of Social Security beneficiaries’ personal information.    

    Larson’s full letter to Chairman Smith is available HERE and below: 

    Dear Chairman Smith, 

    In light of last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling that DOGE should be granted access to Americans’ private and confidential Social Security information, I urge you to immediately convene a markup on H.R. 1877 – the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act. 

    On Friday, the Supreme Court issued an unsigned order overturning a district court’s order that barred DOGE personnel from accessing the Social Security Administration’s systems until a lawsuit challenging their access makes its way through the courts. This decision should alarm everyone. There is no reason why unqualified outside individuals need immediate and urgent access to non-anonymized SSA data, which includes Social Security numbers, income history, and personal medical records. The American people deserve to have their private information kept confidential. 

    The Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act would stop DOGE, political appointees, and ‘special government employees’ like Elon Musk from accessing sensitive data systems at SSA. It would also codify SSA data privacy requirements into law, ensuring that only Congress can change them, and strengthen oversight and civil penalties for any privacy and disclosure violations of Social Security beneficiaries’ personal information.  

    The Committee must immediately take action to protect Americans’ private and confidential information. Failure to act to protect this information would be a dereliction of our oversight responsibility and an endorsement of the Trump Administration’s illegal, irresponsible, and reckless disregard for Americans’ privacy and liberty.