CIRMA Workshop: Managing the Challenges of Municipal Liability; November 12, 2009

Workshop:

Managing the Challenges of Municipal Liability

November 12, 2009
Cromwell, Connecticut
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Registration begins at 8:30 AM

This seminar is open to CIRMA members only

SUMMARY

This CIRMA workshop discusses the many recent Connecticut Supreme Court cases that effect municipalities and public schools. It also discusses the risk management ramifications of these decisions and the appropriate risk management strategies that municipal leaders can use to avoid liability.

Management Series

Managing the Challenges of Municipal Liability workshop is part of CIRMA’s Management Series. These workshops provide managers and supervisors the understanding and skills they need to develop a more effective risk management program. For more information about the workshops, please email CIRMA at cirmaworkshop@ccm-ct.org.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Municipal liability claims have increased dramatically in recent years even as the Connecticut courts have oscillated between upholding and limiting municipal immunity.

In this new CIRMA workshop, Attorney Tom Gerarde discusses recent Connecticut Supreme Court rulings, bringing clarity to this complex legal area. Also discussed are the important risk management implications of these cases and the practical approaches municipal and school leaders can use to avoid unneccesary liability.

Topics include:

The negligence cases of Grignano v. City of Milford, Adams v. Town of West Hartford, and Giard v. Town of Putnam—cases in which the court upheld the municipality or school’s governmental immunities.
The recent bullying case, Dornfried v. Berlin Board of Education; in which the court found for the defendant, and also held that the anti-bullying statute does not create a private cause of action in and of itself.
A student-on-student sexual harassment case, Brodsky ex rel. S.B. v. Trumbull Board of Education.
A sovereign immunity case, Doe v. Darien, where the court found that the local Board of Education was an agent of the State of Connecticut when providing special education services.
Favorable decisions in cases brought under the defective highway act, Rivers v. New Britain, Monaco v. Old Saybrook, and Himmelstein v. Windsor will be discussed in detail.
A nuisance claim regarding a falling tree limb, in which court held that negligence or carelessness is not a "positive" act leading to nuisance liability.

AUDIENCE This workshop is designed for:

Chief Elected Officials
Board of Education members
School Principals, Superintendents
Human Resource Professionals
Department Supervisors/Managers
Risk Managers

SPEAKERS Thomas Gerarde, JD
Attorney at Law

Mr. Gerarde is a partner at the law firm of Howd & Ludorf in Hartford. He specializes in the defense of municipalities against general and professional liability claims. He represents CIRMA members throughout the State of Connecticut in both state and federal courts. He is admitted to the bar of the State of Connecticut; the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court. He attended Fairfield University (B.S. 1978) and Suffolk Law School (J.D. cum laude 1981).

WHERE CROMWELL FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING ROOM
105 Coles Rd.
Cromwell, CT 06416
860-635-6155 COST per attendee This seminar is open to CIRMA members only and is free of charge

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Managing the Challenges of Municipal Liability - November 12, 2009 - This seminar is open to CIRMA members only and is free of charge

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By submitting your on-line registration, you will be immediately registered. Payment (if required) is expected no later than 10 days prior to seminar date. You will automatically be sent a registration confirmation form to print out and send along with your payment.

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For more information, please call Martin Connelly at 203-946-3743 or email cirmaworkshop@ccm-ct.org.

DIRECTIONS

From the Southwestern area:
Take I-95 North. Merge onto I-91 North via Exit 48 on the left, toward I-91 North/Hartford for 25.8 miles. Take the CT-372 exit 21, toward Cromwell/Berlin. Turn left onto Berlin Road/CT-372. Turn left onto Coles Road. Fire Department is on the left.

From the Hartford area:
Take I-91 South via Exit 52 toward New Haven, traveling about 9 miles. Take the West Street exit, Exit 23, toward CT-3/Rocky Hill. Turn right onto West Street. Turn left onto Cromwell Avenue East/CT-3. Continue to follow CT-3. Turn Right onto Coles Road. Fire Department will be on the right.

From the Norwich area
: Take CT-2 West for about 34 miles. Merge onto CT-3 South via Exit 5D toward Wethersfield for 3 miles. Merge onto I-91 South via the exit on the Left toward New Haven for 4.1 miles. Take the West Street exit 23, toward CT-3/Rocky Hill. Turn right onto West Street. Turn left onto Cromwell Avenue/CT-3. Continue to follow CT-3. Turn right onto Coles Road. Fire Department will be on the right.

From theOld Saybrook area:
Take CT-9 North, towards Essex/Hartford, for about 27 miles. Take Exit 19 for CT-372/West Street towards Cromwell. Turn left at CT-372 West/West Street. Take the first right onto CT-3 North/Shunpike Road. Take second left onto Evergreen Road. Turn right at Coles Road. Fire Department is on the left.

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
900 Chapel Street, 9th Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: (203) 498-3000
Fax: (203) 562-6314