Minutes

Present: P. Barry, T. Callahan, E. Daniels, R. Hudd, AJ Pappanikou, E. Paterson, W. Simpson

Staff: M. Berliner, M. Hart, G. Padick, C. van Zelm (MDP)

Visitors: R. Adams (Chamber of Commerce), A. Knor, A. Rabinowitz

1. Opportunity for Public to Address the Committee

None.

2. January 11, 2005 Meeting Minutes

Mr. Callahan made a motion, seconded by Mr. Simpson, to approve the minutes of January 11, 2005. The motion passed unanimously.

3. Update re: Mansfield Downtown Partnership

Ms. van Zelm reported that the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) has the municipal development plan (MDP) for Storrs Center. In addition to the DECD, the state Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Transportation (ConnDOT) will also review the plan. Once the state has completed its review, the MDP will return for local review by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Town Council and other agencies.

In other news, the partnership has started to plan its Festival on the Green event, which is scheduled for September 25, 2005. Also, the partnership has hired Ms. Elaine Mirkin as Administrative Assistant.

Mr. Simpson asked if the partnership was concerned about President Bush’s proposed budget, and how that could affect the project. Ms. Van Zelm and Mayor Paterson appeared confident that the requested federal assistance was not in jeopardy.

4. Community-Campus Partnership on Substance Abuse

Mr. Berliner reported that Mr. John Soucy, head of the state Department of Liquor Control, was the featured guest at the last CC Partnership meeting. Mr. Soucy gave a good overview of the state’s liquor laws, and discussed various local and regional enforcement efforts. Also, the CC Partnership began to review in some detail the recommendations set out in President Austin’s Task Force on Substance Abuse.

Mayor Paterson stated that she had attended a presentation at Superior Court, and that she had expressed the town’s concerns to the judges who were present. She learned that the judges are not allowed to sentence defendants to perform community service for specific agencies, they can only prescribe community sentence in general. Also, Mr. Matthew Gedansky, the prosecutor at Rockville Superior Court, has agreed to speak at a future meeting of the CC Partnership.

5. Community Quality of Life Issues/Spring Weekend

Mr. Hart reported that town staff is currently preparing a draft report for review by the committee in February.

Mr. Pappanikou referred to the minutes of the October 2004 meeting, which show that the committee had agreed to ask the university to consider revising the student code of conduct to include expulsion as a sanction for certain behavior, and asked if the university had addressed this issue as of yet. Mr. Callahan agreed to look into this and to report back at the next meeting.

Ms. Andrea Knor, UConn graduate student, asked when the draft report of the Committee on Community Quality of Life would be available. Mr. Hart stated that the report would be available in February and that he would send the draft to Mr. Callahan to distribute at the university.

Mr. Barry asked as to how the recommendations of Committee on Community Quality of Life would be implemented. Mayor Paterson replied that the town would need to develop an action plan in conjunction with various community partners, such as the university.

6. UConn Center for Off-Campus Services

Mr. Adam Rabinowitz, president of the Graduate Student Senate, reviewed the proposal to establish a Center of off-Campus Services at the Storrs campus. In essence, the center would serve as a clearing house for off-campus services, providing information on housing, daycare, transportation and a host of other items. One of the featured services would be a web-based housing listing, to be coordinated and maintained by a private company.

Mr. Simpson stated that he supported the proposal. Mr. Pappanikou asked if Mr. Rabinowitz had received any feedback from the university administration. Mr. Rabinowitz explained that the Student Life Committee and the administration were currently reviewing the proposal.

Mr. Callahan stated this is one of the best thought-out proposals that he has reviewed during his tenure at UConn. He asked how important were the regional campuses to this initiative? Mr. Rabinowitz explained that the housing listing was the most important, and that most of the other aspects are Storrs-specific. Mr. Callahan commented that Storrs would be a logical place to start.

Mayor Paterson stated that the university had a similar office in the past, and that this proposal is consistent with some of the recommendations being considered by the Committee on Community Quality of Life. The timing is good.

Mr. Callahan explained that the university will review the proposal further and discuss with the town some time in March.

7. Other

Mr. Berliner reported that the Town Council had authorized staff to find a firm to conduct a market feasibility study for assisted living.

The committee meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Matthew Hart

Minutes

Assistant Town Manager