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Middletown is permanently adopting its food scrap, trash separation policy. The city was one of 15 municipalities testing the program this year, but is the first to adopt it permanently.

The city said this policy is environmentally friendly and could save residents some money.

“We are calling it, ‘Save As You Throw,’ because the less that you throw out the more that you’re going to save,” Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said.

The city said it is reducing the annual sanitation bill, dropping from $400 to $280 on average. In exchange, people will need to place food scraps in designated, green-colored bags and regular waste in specified, orange-colored bags. Each bag has an associated fee.

By paying for each bag, residents essentially pay for what they use.

“The cost for that is significantly less for the consumer than it costs to dispose of waste the old-fashioned way,” Florsheim said.

A large orange bag, which goes to a landfill cost $1.65 each. Compared to a large green food waste bag, that’s only 25 cents.

The new policy has received mixed reaction as some residents say it’s time-consuming and difficult to measure the cost.

“I don’t keep track of how many garbage bags I go through. I just go through them,” Kathleen Genovese said.

Dora Glinn, however, said her family supports composting and the new policy.

“I think I’m very conscious, and my husband is as well, of the environment in all the trash we’re creating,” she said.

Earlier this year, Middletown was one of 15 municipalities, working with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), asking residents to separate food scraps from regular waste.

According to DEEP, the environmental impact has been measurable in the towns that have participated.

“We’ve seen on average About a 15% reduction in the amount of trash being generated,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said.

The test program followed the closure of a primary trash plant in Hartford. That closure has contributed to rising processing costs as some communities have been forced to ship some waste out of state.

Middletown officials say it’s new policy that will combat those escalating expenses while saving residents money.

According to DEEP, food scraps represent about 22% of the waste that is processed in Connecticut each year. With this program, those scraps will no longer go to a landfill but instead, will be sent to Quantum Biopower in Southington where they will be recycled.

“It’s a winner economically for residents and it’s a winner for our environment,” Florsheim said.

While there have been several municipalities involved with the pilot program, only Middletown, West Haven, Seymour and Ansonia have completed it.

Seymour and Ansonia have decided not to move forward with it and West Haven is still undecided.

Co-Collection Save As You Throw Program

A Sustainable Solution With A Positive Environmental Impact

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Let’s talk about reducing waste. Mayor Ben Florsheim and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes met at Middletown’s Highway Garage on Friday to announce the City’s next step in reducing waste and controlling escalating trash costs. Starting in November 2022, the City of Middletown’s Sanitation District conducted a pilot program in which residents who use curbside trash carts were asked to separate food scraps from trash and place both in their carts for co-collection. Beginning November 1, 2023, this program is moving to the next phase. From now on, Sanitation District residents will see their annual fees reduced and are required to use City-issued trash bags. In the “Save as You Throw” system, customers pay only for the waste they generate, just as they pay only for the electricity or water they use. The “Save as You Throw” program is recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the single most effective way to reduce waste, mitigate long-term costs, and provide equity for residents. The program is generously funded by a DEEP Sustainable Materials Management grant to Middletown and 13 other Connecticut municipalities. The “Save as You Throw” program has given savings to most property owners in the Sanitation District on their waste management bill. The new discount applies to those who use wheeled carts for waste and recycling, and their average fee went down from $400 to $280 per year. Actual waste-disposal costs are now covered by the purchase of City-issued bags that customers are required to buy: orange for trash and green for food scraps. Here’s how it works:

The state currently ships about 1/3 of its waste out of state to Pennsylvania and Ohio, and according to DEEP, landfill capacity in the Northeast will decrease by nearly 100% in the next 20 years. Over 550 cities and towns in the Northeast already use a Save as You Throw program, and each of these communities produces on average 54% less waste per person than communities with traditional billing. Orange waste bags will be available at grocery stores in three sizes: 33-gallon bags will cost $1.65 each, 15-gallon bags will cost $1.00 each, and 8-gallon bags will cost 65 cents each. Green food scrap bags are less expensive and come in two sizes: 8-gallon bags cost 25 cents and 4-gallon bags cost 15 cents each. Residents who compost their food scraps or use the City’s free drop-offs should not use the Save as You Throw green bags. Many stores are currently selling the bags. These include:

The average home will use only 1-2 orange bags a week, which means that with the discounted fees most residents will pay less for waste. Mayor Florsheim said, “The Save as You Throw program provides a way to reduce trash, lessen the burden on Connecticut’s disposal infrastructure, and reduce the tonnage of waste sent to communities in other states. At the same time, it gives Middletown residents control over their costs. Neighbors in the District have commented that they see some carts overflowing with waste, yet everyone has been paying the same fee per cart—until now. This system incentivizes people to reduce, reuse, and recycle more, saving money each month. This program is the most equitable way to manage waste costs.” Commissioner Dykes added, “I applaud the City of Middletown for its pioneering work in the area of sustainable materials management,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “With its new Save As You Throw program, Middletown is putting cost control in residents’ hands, and providing a mechanism to divert valuable food scraps that can be utilized for positive re-uses including energy, nutrient-rich animal feed, and compost. I applaud the City for its leadership in this area, and for providing an example that other municipalities can look to when considering sustainable waste management options for their communities.” Teams of volunteers and workers paid through a follow-up grant from DEEP have been reaching out to residents and businesses, going door-to-door to provide information on the program and tips on how to handle food scraps. The City encourages landlords to pass the savings on to their tenants, either by discounting rent by about $10 per month for each 96-gallon trash cart, or by providing tenants a reasonable number of bags for their use. For residents who feel they are experiencing financial hardship due to this program, please contact the Public Works Department at (860) 638-4850 for information on options to reduce out-of-pocket costs. For more information on the program, please visit https://reducethetrashct.com/middletown/.

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MIDDLETOWN – Consider the Colin Skene of the 2021 and 2022 Middletown football seasons. He was a quiet, baby-faced underclassman and more than a little intimidated by the responsibility of leading an offense reliant on established varsity players who had been there and done that.

The situation this fall is reversed. Skene is a battle-tested senior protected by young skill-position players and linemen. He’s spent a lot of time counseling, critiquing and reinforcing. Mostly, he’s trying to convince them they’ve got this, that they’re going to be OK.

“It’s definitely nerve-wracking as a sophomore to step in and be put in big positions and be told you have to make big plays,” he said.

This hasn’t been easy for Skene. He’s still that same introverted, soft spoken kid today as he was two seasons ago. Only now, when he looks in his teammates’ eyes he can tell that they need him as much as he needs them.

“It’s my natural personality. I’ve always been an introvert,” said the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder. “I’m never the outgoing, yelling guy. I've always been very quiet and to myself, and I still am. It’s just that I do want to tell these younger guys, ‘I have confidence in you,’ because they need that. If they drop a ball, I’m not going to say anything that might make them think they’re not a good player. I speak very positively to them.

“Playing quarterback has made me come out of my shell. Last year and the year before, I never did that at all.”

It’s not as if a switch suddenly flipped for Skene, Middletown coach Josh Rosek said. When he looks in the direction of his quarterback, Rosek sees what the course of time and maturation has yielded.

“He’s made a huge improvement not only from when he was a sophomore but to last year and coming into this year,” Rosek said. “He’s taken a leadership role, he’s helped new guys. It’s taken him some time. Every kid is different. Some kids jump on (the leadership aspect of their development) right away, for others it takes time.

“One of the purposes of this program is to develop kids as leaders not only on the field but off the field. To Colin’s credit he’s embraced it, taken off with it, and it’s helped him as a quarterback to gain a bigger picture vision.”

Middletown won just four games in Skene’s sophomore year. Last season, the Blue Dragons lost their first five games but built momentum for 2023 by finishing 4-1 in the second half of the schedule.

In his final season, Skene has wrestled with yet another slow start. After a twice-delayed and unfinished opener against Conard, Middletown lost the handle on a fourth-quarter lead against Glastonbury and couldn’t overcome an early deficit against New Milford despite forcing three second-half turnovers.

Middletown is 1-3 after a 12-7 win at Manchester this past weekend.

“We’re a really young team in a lot of ways,” he said. “We have young sophomores who have had to step up. I like our odds because the progress they have shown these last couple of games is amazing. We’ve gone against some pretty good teams. Unfortunately, we’ve come up a little bit short, but I’m really proud of them. A lot of them play both ways, which is a big deal.”

Skene was mostly a pocket passer as a sophomore and junior. This year, he’s also had to use his legs to help Middletown move the ball. He is averaging double digits in carries per game and has rushed for two touchdowns.

“This year he’s a pocket passer and more importantly he’s a runner,” offensive coordinator Jason Coleman said with a clear emphasis on the fact Skene is also running. “Colin is able to run the ball like a running back, which is huge. It’s a credit to him that we’re relying a lot on him making good decisions with RPO (run-pass option). He gets us lined up, we make a call and he has different reads he has to make. A lot of different reads. It’s not easy. He’s coach Colin and quarterback Colin. He’s doing a hell of a job."

Coleman underscored the added dimension of Skene educating and energizing his younger teammates, especially in the heat of the moment.

“In general, his mental capability of picking up the game and also bringing his teammates along with him with his talent, it’s just very impressive,” Coleman said. “He’s playing with a bunch of new receivers. He’s had to develop a lot of kids and bring them up to his level, which is one of the good traits he has this year. With a young line and young receivers and a senior quarterback, it makes my job easier because it’s almost like he’s a coach on the field.”

This is a lot for one young man’s plate.

“Kind of, but I feel I got really lucky that I’ve had a lot of good coaches around me to help comfort me in those times that I was nervous and thrown into the fire as a 14-year old,” he said. “Looking back now, I’m just glad I had those coaches to support me.”

Skene had a solid football education coming into the program. His father Kyle was a tight end and punter for the Blue Dragons at the start of the Middletown/Woodrow Wilson merger era under John Skubel and Rich Rosek, Josh’s father. The field at Middletown High bears their names.

“We always have great conversations about when he played and his brother Neil played,” Skene said. “Uncle Neil won a title at Middletown in 1987. Whenever (Rich) coach Rosek comes to watch us, he’ll give me a big fist bump.

“My dad has always been very supportive. I love having that from him. We’ll talk about the entire game and everything that’s happened and he’ll ask me questions. It’s always productive.”

Skene also punts for the Blue Dragons, and there’s more versatility in his game that’s not seen on Friday nights, Josh Rosek said.

“One of things a lot of coaches want, when we took him to summer camps they tried him all over the place,” the coach said. “He played at quarterback, at wide receiver, and some had him at safety. He’s just trying to show people that he’s a football player. A lot of time kids get locked in to ‘I’m an X.’ You have to sell yourself. Colin was willing to go to a camp and be a quarterback for half of it and work at another position in the other half. It can make things happen.”

Which is exactly what Skene is doing with this young Middletown team – leading in the moment and maximizing his impact on the Blue Dragons.

“I’ve talked to the younger receivers like Rayjon (Buttram) about when I was 14 playing at the varsity level,” he said. “I tell them, ‘it’s nothing you can’t handle. This will only make you better, to get that experience at a younger age. That way, the next two years you’re super prepared and you’ll be leaders for the next wave of younger guys.”

MIDDLETOWN, CT — After opening a storefront three years ago and seven years of operating a food truck, Cake, Batter & Roll Bakery is closing and selling everything.

According to a post on Facebook, Cake, Batter & Roll is closing, and their last day is Oct. 29 at 124 College Street in Middletown. On social media, the bakery/food truck describes itself as "Our food truck slings Liege waffles topped with sweet and savory items. Our bakery makes a variety."

Cake, Batter & Roll stated on Facebook they have grown less than they needed to survive, and after taking time to assess the business and weigh the pros and cons, they decided to close their doors.

Cake Batter & Roll stated they will still fulfill custom orders through the Oct. 29 weekend, and if they receive custom orders after the 29th, they will reach out to the customer.

"That’s 7 years of living my dream. My dream to be my own boss, have creative control and form relationships with my customers. In that time, I introduced many people to the “Liege Waffle” and welcomed many more through the doors of the bakery," the owners posted on Facebook, while adding that they poured their heart and soul into the business.

They added in a social media post that their customers "feel like family and friends," and that they will miss seeing them come in for breakfast and lunch.

One person responded to the news by posting on Facebook, "What a loss to the Middletown community. You have always been above and beyond - incredible customer service - a delight to support - and brought a lot of happiness to my kid at college. This is a real loss."

Another person wrote on Facebook, "I’m so sad to hear it, but so proud of what you’ve accomplished. It takes as much guts and intelligence to know when it’s time to move on as to start a business in the first place. I can’t wait to see your next creative endeavor and I hope for my sake that it’s as delicious as this one."

According to the Facebook post, after Cake, Batter & Roll Bakery closes, they are selling everything, including the food truck. (For more information on all the available items for sale, click here.)

"We are thrilled to be recognized for all our sustainability efforts in Middletown," Mayor Ben Florsheim said.

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Middletown has become one of the 16 Connecticut municipalities to be recognized by Sustainable CT for achieving 2023 certification.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for all our sustainability efforts in Middletown,” Mayor Ben Florsheim said. “It truly takes a team and strong city partnerships with residents, organizations and businesses to reach Sustainable CT’s ambitions and goals.”

“We look forward to keeping Middletown focused on being a leader in the state and beyond,” Florsheim added.

Sustainable CT, a statewide non-profit initiative that inspires and supports communities to become more efficient, resilient and equitable, celebrated this year's certified communities at a ceremony held on Oct. 17 at the American Mural Project in Winsted, Conn.

In its application for Sustainable CT certification, Middletown stated they demonstrated accomplishments in 12 impacted areas. They ranged from enhancing community inclusivity, promoting a thriving local economy, supporting vibrant arts and culture, improving transpiration options and encouraging diverse forms of housing.

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“The sustainable CT process motivated us to take stock of what we have achieved since our 2019 certification, to redouble our efforts on current initiatives and set demanding goals for the future,” Krishna Winston, chair of Middletown’s Recourse Recycling Commission, said. “I can’t say enough in praise of the members of our small team for their hard work, creativity and unwavering dedication to putting sustainability front and center in all our undertakings.”

In its application, Middletown stated they successfully completed actions such as promoting pollinator-friendly plantings, reducing waste and encouraging additional recycling, conducting an energy-efficiency campaign for homeowners, and providing space for small-scale urban farming that furthers environmental and social justice.

“Congratulations to our certified communities,” Lynn Stoddard, executive director of Sustainable CT, said. “We are all inspired by the leadership and commitment of these communities. From elected officials and town staff to resident volunteers, these certified towns are improving opportunities and the quality of life for all of us.”

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