Public Meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board

A meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board was held on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Office of the Chairman, 21 Oak Street, 4th Floor, Hartford, CT.

Agenda Topics

Opening Remarks
Chairman Mastropietro’s Update
Approval of Minutes
New Business
Adjournment

A regular meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board was held on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:21 a.m. at the office of the Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Commission, Capitol Place, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, Connecticut. The following board members were present: Chairman Gardner Wright, Rocco Calo, Benedict Cozzi, and Bill Ridolfi. Also in attendance were Chairman John Mastropietro, and Marvin Smernoff of the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Members unable to attend were Glenn Marshall, Marvin Morganbesser, Mary O’Hara, and Linda Passinisi. Public members in attendance were Attorney Nathan Shafner, Bill Clark and Pamela Puchalski.

Prior to the start of the meeting, Chairman Wright discussed setting the policy that sets the rules for the taking of photographs as follows: “visitors may take photos during the first five minutes of the meeting”.

The Commission’s security investigator is retiring and will be replaced by the use of State Troopers until further notice.
Severe reductions are occurring in the agency’s budget for FY 2009 and FY 2010 which will cause a large deficit for the Commission’s operation. Discussion was held about maintaining efficient court operations, shortage of staff due to retirements, accommodating claimants in waiting times for hearings, and traveling distance to hearings. The possibility of an additional satellite court operation was also discussed.
The 2009 Official Practitioner Fee Schedule will be released on July 15, 2009.

A motion to adjourn was made by William Ridolfi at 11:10 a.m. The motion was seconded by Benedict Cozzi. The motion to adjourn was unanimously accepted.