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www.HartfordBusiness.com • February 4, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 3 Newsmakers EDITORIAL Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139, gbordonaro@HartfordBusiness.com Gregory Seay | News Editor, ext. 144, gseay@HartfordBusiness.com Matt Pilon | News Editor, ext. 143, mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com Sean Teehan | Staff Writer, ext 145, steehan@hartfordbusiness.com Joe Cooper | Web Editor, ext. 127, jcooper@HartfordBusiness.com Stephanie Meagher | Research Director Heide Martin | Research Assistant Steve Laschever | Photographer BUSINESS Christopher Santilli | Publisher, ext. 124, csantilli@HartfordBusiness.com Donna Collins | Associate Publisher, ext. 121, dcollins@HartfordBusiness.com Lauren Stroud | Events & Project Manager, ext. 137, lstroud@HartfordBusiness.com Christina Zuraw | Events Coordinator, ext. 134, czuraw@hartfordbusiness.com Shannon Vincelette | HBJ Office and Events Coordinator, ext. 122, svincelette@hartfordbusiness.com David Hartley | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 130, dhartley@HartfordBusiness.com Kristen P. Nickerson | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 133, knickerson@HartfordBusiness.com Karen Spatafora | Accounts Manager, ext. 131, kspatafora@HartfordBusiness.com Raki Zwiebel | Credit and Collections Manager Valerie Clark | Accounting Assistant/Office Manager Jill Coran | Human Resources Manager PRODUCTION Christopher Wallace | Art Director, ext. 147, cwallace@HartfordBusiness.com Liz Saltzman | Creative Director, ext. 140, lsaltzman@HartfordBusiness.com Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com Joseph Zwiebel | President, ext. 132, jzwiebel@HartfordBusiness.com Mary Rogers | COO/CFO, mrogers@nebusinessmedia.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: Annual subscriptions are $84.95. To subscribe, visit HartfordBusiness.com, email hartfordbusiness@cambeywest.com, or call (845) 267-3008. ADVERTISING: For advertising information, please call (860) 236-9998.Please address all correspondence to: Hartford Business Journal, 15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hart ford CT 06103. NEWS DEPARTMENT: If you have a news item: Call us at (860) 236-9998, fax us at (860) 570-2493, or e-mail us at news@HartfordBusiness.com. Hartford Business Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and in general does not return them to the sender. Hartford Business Journal (ISSN 1083-5245) is published weekly, 49x per year - including two special issues in November and December — by new England Business Media, LLC, 15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hartford, CT 06103. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and at additional entry points. Tel: (860) 236-9998 • Fax (860) 570-2493 Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Hartford Business Journal P.O. Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894 www.copyright.com HartfordBusiness.com (860) 236-9998 Neil O'Leary A t every stage of Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary's career, he's operated under the principle that his decisions directly affect the lives of his neighbors. Before he was elected Waterbury's chief execu- tive, O'Leary served as the city's police chief. And late last year, the Connecticut Conference of Municipali- ties (CCM) elected O'Leary to a second term as the organization's president. It's a powerful position giv- en the state's current budget woes and the impact it could have on municipal funding. CCM will be the main lobbying group fighting to maintain municipal aid at a time when cries for re- ducing local government costs — through region- alism or other methods — are loudest. Looking back at his first one-year term as CCM's leader, O'Leary said he was able to build closer rela- tionships between his organization and the governor, legislature and Office of Policy and Management. Moving into his next CCM term, O'Leary says the most important issues cities and towns face this legislative session are the state's "over- reliance" on property taxes to fund local govern- ments, unfunded state mandates and the cost of the teachers' retirement system to municipalities. What is your reaction to Gov. Ned Lamont's com- ments during a recent speech directed at mayors and first selectmen that they "need to break down silos and engage in the bulk purchasing of everything from health care to technology"? It highlighted the governor's commitment to promoting regionalism and his focused attention on municipal operations. Cities and towns are already collaborating in many different areas, but there is more work to be done. We're ready to roll up our sleeves and be a part of the solution, not the problem. So, what does regionalism mean to you and how necessary is it in Connecticut? Regionalism means municipalities working collaboratively or sharing services in order to more efficiently deliver and improve the level of services provided to local taxpayers. Cities and towns are working together in many different areas and there is a big need to expand it to the education side of municipal government. What actions can Gov. Lamont take that will most benefit cities and towns? Gov. Lamont has already done a lot by reaching out, meeting with municipal leaders and listening to our concerns and ideas. By concentrating on three areas — cost containment, shared services and revenue diversification — we can change how we do business. Working together, the state and municipalities can accomplish so much. In what ways do municipalities and the business community currently work together best? Connecticut municipalities and the business community work well together when it comes to economic development. We both have a com- mon interest in growing the economy in order to create good-paying jobs, increase discretionary income, improve our quality of life and allow our businesses to flourish and succeed. VERBATIM Laz goes for the "Gold" "We think it's one of the best buildings in Hartford. It's just a wonderful building.'' Alan Lazowski , founder and CEO of LAZ Parking, referring to Hartford's most iconic skyscraper known as the "Gold Building," which he and another downtown landlord are under contract to buy. If the deal is finalized, LAZ Parking will move its headquarters there, at 1 Financial Plaza. 860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134 MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES SERVICE SOLUTIONS…ONE SOURCE The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For over 50 years, our clients have trusted us to deliver end-to-end facilities solutions, so they can focus on their core business. We are experts in: Facilities Services Preventive Maintenance Programs Onsite Operations & Maintenance Preisdnet, Connecticut Conference of Municipalities; Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary