NHCOG Holds Annual Meeting at Sunset Meadow Vineyards in Goshen

06/12/25

The Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) annual meeting began with informal greetings and a call to order by Chairman Dan Jerram, who welcomed attendees and confirmed a quorum. The group then heard from George Motel Sr. of Sunset Meadow Vineyards, who recounted the family’s journey in transforming the property since the mid-1990s. Motel described the evolution fromcattle farming to becoming one of New England’s largest vineyards, highlighting the challenges and triumphs along the way.

“We bought this place in the mid-nineties. We had cattle here and we were doing hay for maybe five years and we started playing with grapevines around 2001,” Motel recalled. He emphasized the patience required in viticulture: “It takes five years for these vines to mature… because if you let [it] fruit, either one takes all the energy out of it, [or] the winters come and it kills the vines.”

Motel detailed the regulatory hurdles and market shifts that have impacted the winery business, from changing alcohol laws to labor shortages. “Our biggest challenges are legislature right now… our sales aren’t growing at the pace of the wages are increasing and that’s 70, 80% of our expense is wages,” he explained. Motel also described the impact of climate and wild- life, noting, “The bears are big ones, so we have to get every- thing off by mid-October or as they get closer to hibernation.”

Rob Phillips, Executive Director, then delivered his monthly report, acknowledging the heavy meeting load and ongoing projects, including Municipal Solid Waste projects. Phillips also reminded members about the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste collection event and encouraged additional municipal participation in the Capitol Region Purchasing Council.

The council then moved through a series of administrative items:

• Approval of Minutes and Audit: The minutes from the previous meeting and the FY24 annual audit were approved without opposition.
• Financial Statements: Annmarie Ryan reported that the organization was “coming in definitely under budget,” with the expectation of ending the year with more income than expenditures.
• Regional Service Grant: The council approved the annual Regional Service Grant application, a key source of operational funding. “This is one of the two meat and potatoes grants that really support our operations,” Phillips explained.
• Annual Budget: The FY2025-2026 budget was adopted unanimously. Phillips noted the budget’s slight increase and the continuation of key projects, including regional planning and economic development initiatives.
• Grant Applications and Purchasing: The council authorized submission of a grant application to the CT DEEP’s Sustainable Materials Management Round 2 program, and approved new rates for the Public Works Equipment Collaborative and a two-year agreement for treated and untreated road salt procurement.
• STIP Amendment: The council approved a State Transportation Improvement Program amendment for the full replacement of Bridge No 02964 in Roxbury, citing safety and resiliency concerns.

DEMHS Update

Josh Cingarelli provided a brief update for the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), noting preparations for hurri- cane season, upcoming training exercises, and the ongoing search to fill a key regional position

Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The meeting’s most antici- pated segment was a comprehensive legislative session wrap-up by Mike Muszynski (CT Conference of Municipalities) and Betsy Gara (CT Council of Small Towns). Muszynski likened the session to “game seven… on the verge of elimina- tion every night,” but noted that “it could have been a lot worse overall for the budget.” He high- lighted increased municipal aid, special education funding, and new programs for school and building rehabilitation.

Gara focused on the contro- versial housing bill, expressing concerns about the “fair share” methodology and its potential to burden municipalities with unrealistic allocations. “The problem… is that itdoes not take into account anything like water or wastewater capacity, build- able land, things of that nature,” she said. Gara also discussed the bill’s compliance requirements and potential funding conse- quences for non-compliance. (Note: Governor Lamont subse- quently vetoed the bill.)

The legislative team also covered environmental measures, noting the passage of a recycling mandate for battery manufacturers and a climate resiliency bill, while a proposed bear hunt failed to pass. Labor and tax issues, including the new uniform capacity tax for solar photovoltaic systems, were also addressed.

The meeting concluded with an open discussion among members about local housing challenges, bear encounters, and the impact of state policies on rural communities.