§ 7-536 — Definitions. Allocation of funds. Projects. Formulas. Applications for funds. Criteria for review of applications. Grants. Use of funds.

Connecticut § 7-536

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 7: Municipalities
• Ch. 116b: Local Capital Improvement Fund

Text

(a) As used in sections 7-535 to 7-538, inclusive: (1) “Adjusted equalized net grand list per capita” means the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita determined for each town pursuant to section 10-261 ; (2) “Density” means the population of a municipality divided by the number of square miles of the municipality; (3) “Grant anticipation note” means a note issued in anticipation of the receipt of project grants to the municipality from moneys in the Local Capital Improvement Fund; (4) “Local capital improvement project” means a municipal capital expenditure project for any of the following purposes: (A) Road construction, renovation, repair or resurfacing, (B) sidewalk and pavement improvements, (C) construction, renovation, enlargement or repair of sewage treatment plants and sanitary or storm, water or sewer lines, including separation of lines, (D) public building construction other than schools, including renovation, repair, code compliance, energy conservation and fire safety projects, (E) construction, renovation, enlargement or repair of dams, bridges and flood control projects, (F) construction, renovation, enlargement or repair of water treatment or filtration plants and water mains, (G) construction, renovation or enlargement of solid waste facilities, (H) improvements to public parks, (I) the preparation and revision of local capital improvement plans projected for a period of not less than five years and so prepared as to show the general description, need and estimated cost of each individual capital improvement, (J) improvements to emergency communications systems and building security systems, including for schools, (K) public housing projects, including renovations and improvements and energy conservation and the development of additional housing, (L) renovations to or construction of veterans' memorial monuments, (M) thermal imaging systems, (N) bulky waste and landfill projects, (O) the preparation and revision of municipal plans of conservation and development adopted pursuant to section 8-23 , provided such plans are endorsed by the legislative body of the municipality not more than one hundred eighty days after adoption by the commission, (P) acquisition of automatic external defibrillators, (Q) floodplain management and hazard mitigation activities, (R) on-board oil refining systems consisting of a filtration canister and evaporation canister that remove solid and liquid contaminants from lubricating oil, (S) activities related to the planning of a municipal broadband network, provided the speed of the network shall be not less than three hundred eighty-four thousand bits per second, (T) establishment of bikeways and greenways, (U) land acquisition, including for open space, and costs involved in making land available for public uses, (V) acquisition of technology related to implementation of the Department of Education's common core state standards, (W) technology upgrades, including for improvements to expand public access to government information through electronic portals and kiosks, (X) for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013, and June 30, 2014, acquisition of snow removal equipment, capital expenditures made to improve public safety, and capital expenditures made to facilitate regional cooperation, and (Y) for hazardous tree removal or trimming for nonutility-related hazardous branches, limbs and trees on municipal property or within a municipal right-of-way. “Local capital improvement project” means only capital expenditures and includes repairs incident to reconstruction and renovation but does not include ordinary repairs and maintenance of an ongoing nature. As used in this subdivision, “floodplain management” and “hazard mitigation” have the same meanings as provided in section 25-68j ; (5) “Municipality” means any town, city, borough, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough; (6) “Population” means the number of persons according to the most recent federal decennial census, except that, in intervening years between such censuses, “population” means the number of persons according to the most recent estimate of the Department of Public Health; and (7) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. (b) On February first of each year, not more than the amount as authorized by the General Assembly for the fiscal year from the resources of the Local Capital Improvement Fund shall be allocated to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, who shall allocate an amount to each municipality in the state in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. The secretary shall credit all such allocated moneys to a local capital improvement account for each municipality and make local improvement project grants from such accounts to such municipalities pursuant to the provisions of this section. The secretary shall maintain records indicating, for each municipality's account, the amount credited to the account each year, the amount paid out in local capital improvement project grants and charged to the account and the balance available for additional local capital improvement project grants. (c) Each allocation under subsection (b) of this section shall be made to municipalities in accordance with the following formula: (1) Thirty per cent of the amount shall be allocated pro rata on the basis of the ratio of the total number of miles of improved and unimproved highways in each town to the total number of miles of improved and unimproved highways in all towns in the state, as determined under sections 13a-175b and 13a-175d ; (2) twenty-five per cent of the amount shall be allotted pro rata on the basis of the following ratio: The density of each town multiplied by the population of such town shall be the numerator of the fraction. The resulting products for all the towns shall be added together, and the sum shall be the denominator of the fraction; (3) twenty-five per cent of the amount shall be allotted on the basis of the following ratio: The population of each town multiplied by the inverse of the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita of such town shall be the numerator of the fraction, and the resulting products for all the towns shall be added together and the sum shall be the denominator of the fraction; and (4) twenty per cent of the amount shall be allotted pro rata on the basis of the ratio of the population of each town to the population of the state. Any city or borough not consolidated with the town in which it is located and any town containing such a city or borough shall share the allocation to such town on the basis of the following ratio: The total taxes levied in the previous fiscal year by such town, city or borough shall be the numerator of the fraction. The total taxes levied by the town and all cities or boroughs located within such town shall be added together, and the sum shall be the denominator of the fraction. Any such city or borough may, by vote of its legislative body, direct the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to reallocate all or a portion of the share of such city or borough to the town in which it is located. (d) On March first of each year the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall indicate to each municipality the amount allocated to the municipality under subsections (b) and (c) of this section in accordance with section 4-71a . (e) (1) Each municipality may apply to the secretary for project authorization and expense reimbursement of local capital improvement projects. (2) Notwithstanding the deadlines imposed by this section, each municipality that has expended funds in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, on projects listed in subparagraphs (T) to (X), inclusive, of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section may apply to the secretary for reimbursement of such expenses. (3) (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (f) of this section, the secretary, at the secretary's discretion, may authorize expense reimbursement for a project listed in subparagraphs (T) to (Y), inclusive, of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section prior to such project's inclusion on the local capital improvement plan adopted by a municipality. The secretary may require certification from the municipality that such municipality is taking steps to amend its local capital improvement plan to include such project. (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, for the period commencing July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025, the secretary shall additionally authorize expense reimbursement for any project listed in subparagraph (Y) of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section from funds appropriated to the Office of Policy and Management for such projects. (f) The secretary shall approve or disapprove each completed application for a local capital improvement project grant authorization not later than forty-five days after receipt of such application on a form prescribed by the secretary. Such application shall include a certification by the municipality that: (1) The project for which grant assistance is requested is a local capital improvement project; (2) the project is consistent with the local capital improvement plan adopted by the municipality; and (3) the grant proceeds shall not be used to satisfy a local matching requirement for any state assistance program other than the local bridge program established under sections 13a-175p to 13a-175u , inclusive. The municipality shall provide any other certification required by the secretary. The secretary shall authorize such grant if, in the secretary's opinion, the project meets the requirements set forth in this section and any other requirement imposed by the secretary and payment of such grant would not cause the local capital improvement account of the municipality, established under subsection (b) of this section, to be overdrawn. If a municipality fails to request payment within seven years of such authorization for a project, the secretary shall make no payment for such project unless the municipality requests and receives a waiver for such project on such terms and conditions as the secretary deems appropriate. On or before five years after the date of any such authorization and on or before six years after the date of any such authorization, the secretary shall notify, in writing, any municipality for which any such authorization has been made which notice shall indicate the time which has elapsed since such authorization and the date after which the secretary may not make payments for an authorized project. (g) Each municipality may apply to the secretary for expense reimbursement at the time it submits a local capital improvement project authorization request or any time after such authorization request has been approved by the secretary. The application for expense reimbursement shall be submitted on a form prescribed by the secretary and shall contain identification of the expenses for which reimbursement is sought and certification from the municipality that: (1) Expenditures for the project conform to the provisions of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section and the municipality is entitled to the reimbursement requested in the application; and (2) the municipality agrees to maintain detailed accounting records of the project reflecting the expenditures for which reimbursement has been requested and to make such records available to its independent auditor and the state. The municipality shall provide any other certification required by the secretary. Not later than five business days after such certification, the Comptroller shall draw his or her order on the Treasurer, who shall pay the grant to the municipality. (h) Each municipality receiving a local capital improvement project grant under this section shall retain detailed accounting records of all expenses incurred relative to the local capital improvement project for which a grant is received for a period of not less than three years following the completion of such project. If the secretary determines that such records are not maintained or a review of such records indicates that such grant, or any portion thereof, was used for a purpose other than its intended purpose, the secretary shall provide written notification to the chief executive officer of the municipality of such finding. Upon issuing a finding under this section, the secretary may require the municipality to promptly pay to the state an amount equal to the amount of the grant or cause the amount of any future grant made under this section to be reduced by such amount. (i) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (e), (f) and (g) of this section, on and after June 27, 2023, allocated moneys credited to the account of a municipality in accordance with subsection (b) of this section shall be issued as a grant by the secretary to such municipality not later than June thirtieth of each fiscal year. Such grants shall be used for reimbursement and costs associated with local capital improvement projects. (j) Not later than September 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, each municipality issued a grant pursuant to subsection (i) of this section in the preceding fiscal year shall submit a report to the secretary, in a form and manner prescribed by the secretary, describing the amounts expended in such fiscal year for each of the local capital improvement projects described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section. (k) On and after January 1, 2024, no municipality shall use any financial assistance received under this section for improvements to information technology systems to manage the century date change effect. (l) No municipality shall be eligible to receive financial assistance under this section for reimbursement of the cost of preparing a municipal plan of conservation and development, pursuant to section 8-23 , more than once in any ten-year calendar period.

Legislative History

(P.A. 87-584, S. 12, 18; P.A. 88-343, S. 18–20, 32; P.A. 89-370, S. 4, 15; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 159, 168; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-13, S. 18, 21; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7, S. 6, 36; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 93-1, S. 7, 45; P.A. 94-53; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-272, S. 3, 4, 29; 95-307, S. 1, 14; P.A. 97-244, S. 1, 13; June 5 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1, S. 7, 20; P.A. 99-66, S. 2, 3, 5; 99-241, S. 4, 66; P.A. 00-167, S. 58, 59, 69; P.A. 01-197, S. 2–4; P.A. 02-89, S. 10; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-5, S. 3; P.A. 04-144, S. 3; P.A. 07-177, S. 1; 07-213, S. 10; 07-254, S. 2; Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 47; P.A. 13-184, S. 93, 94; P.A. 14-122, S. 74, 75; P.A. 20-1, S. 55; P.A. 23-124, S. 2; 23-190, S. 1.) History: P.A. 88-343 amended Subsec. (b) to make the program annual and to increase the bond authorization from $20,000,000 to $30,000,000, amended Subsec. (d) to provide that the notice of allocation shall be in accordance with Sec. 4-71a and amended Subsec. (e) to change the application date from February 1, 1988, to March first of each year; P.A. 89-370 amended Subsec. (f) to change project authorization date in Subdiv. (2) from July 1, 1987, to May 1, 1987; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 amended the local capital improvement program and created a new local transportation infrastructure program; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-13 deleted all changes made by June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 and restored language existing as of January 1, 1991; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to clarify that all projects must be capital expenditures and to remove local pavement management programs to analyze the condition of town roads from the definition, amended Subsec. (b) to remove the provision adding interest to municipal accounts and amended Subsecs. (g) and (h) to insert provisions relating to the timing of payments; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 93-1 redefined “local capital improvement project” to include improvements to emergency communication systems, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-53 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “local capital improvement project” to include sidewalk and pavement improvements; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-272 redefined “local capital improvement project” in Subsec. (a) to include public housing projects and amended Subsec. (b) to delete allocation amount of $30,000,000 and replace it with the amount authorized by the General Assembly, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-307 amended Subsec. (f) by extending the time for a decision on an application from 30 to 45 days, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 97-244 amended Subsec. (d) to add date for notification of amount of the allocation, amended Subsec. (e) to refer to projects rather than grants, amended Subsec. (f) to require application re prescribed forms and certification by the municipality and to establish criteria for approval, amended Subsec. (g) to add provisions re expense reimbursement and amended Subsec. (h) to add provision re retention of detailed accounting records of expenses, effective July 1, 1997; June 5 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1 added Subsec. (a)(4)(L) re renovations to or construction of veterans' memorial monuments, effective July 31, 1997 (Revisor's note: The reference in Subpara. (L) to “veterans memorial monuments” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “veterans' memorial monuments” for grammatical accuracy); P.A. 99-66 added Subsec. (a)(4)(M) re improvements to information technology systems in definition of “local capital improvement project” and added new Subsec. (i) re termination of assistance to municipalities as of January 1, 2001, effective May 27, 1999; P.A. 99-241 amended Subsec. (f) to add provision that the secretary make no payment if a municipality fails to request payment within five years of authorization, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-167 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to include flood control projects, thermal imaging systems and bulky waste and landfill projects as “local capital improvement projects” and amended Subsec. (f) to extend the time within which municipalities must request payment for authorized projects from five years to seven years and provide for notice to municipalities of the deadline, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-197 added Subsec. (a)(4)(P) to include preparation and revision of municipal plans of conservation and development and added new Subsec. (j) re eligibility for reimbursement for cost of preparing a municipal plan of conservation and development, effective July 1, 2001, and applicable to municipal plans of conservation and development prepared after that date; P.A. 02-89 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to delete as obsolete former Subpara. (M) re “improvements to information technology systems to manage the century date change effect, as defined in section 4d-16,” and redesignate former Subparas. (N), (O) and (P) as Subparas. (M), (N) and (O); May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-5 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to include acquisition of automatic external defibrillators in the definition of “local capital improvement project” as new Subpara. (P), effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 04-144 added Subsec. (a)(4)(Q) re floodplain management and hazard mitigation activities and defining “floodplain management” and “hazard mitigation”; P.A. 07-177 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to add Subpara. (R) to include on-board oil refining systems in the definition of “local capital improvement project”, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 07-213 amended Subsec. (g) to change “fifteen days” to “five business days” and make technical changes, effective July 10, 2007; P.A. 07-254 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to redefine “local capital improvement project” by including activities related to the planning of a municipal broadband network in new Subpara. (R) (Revisor's note: New Subpara. (R) was repositioned editorially by the Revisors to immediately follow existing Subparas. (A) to (Q), inclusive, and new Subpara. (R) added by P.A. 07-177 to maintain continuity of itemized project purposes and was redesignated as Subpara. (S)); Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to redefine “local capital improvement project” by adding “and building security systems, including for schools” in Subpara. (J), effective December 21, 2012; P.A. 13-184 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to redefine “local capital improvement project” by making a technical change and adding Subpara. (T) re bikeways and greenways, Subpara. (U) re land acquisition, Subpara. (V) re technology acquisition, Subpara. (W) re technology upgrades and Subpara. (X) re certain capital expenditures, effective June 18, 2013, and amended Subsec. (e) by designating existing provision as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdivs. (2) and (3) re eligibility of certain projects for reimbursement, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 14-122 made technical changes in Subsec. (a)(4) and (6); P.A. 20-1 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to add Subpara. (Y) re tree removal or trimming, effective March 12, 2020; P.A. 23-124 added new Subsec. (i) re issuance of allocated moneys as municipal grants for reimbursement and costs associated with local capital improvement projects, added new Subsec. (j) re submission of reports, redesignated existing Subsecs. (i) and (j) as Subsecs. (k) and (l), amended Subsec. (k) to substitute “January 1, 2024, no municipality shall use any financial assistance received under” for “January 1, 2001, no municipality shall receive any financial assistance under”, and made technical changes, effective June 27, 2023; P.A. 23-190 amended Subsec. (e)(3) to add Subpara. (A) designator to existing provisions, change reference from Subpara. (X) to Subpara. (Y) and add Subpara. (B) re additional authorization for expense reimbursement for hazardous tree removal on municipal property, effective July 1, 2023.