STATE of CONNECTICUT

BY HER EXCELLENCY

M. JODI RELL

GOVERNOR

Executive Order No. 25A

WHEREAS, The United States Congress has passed and President Obama has signed into law a comprehensive federal economic stimulus package to create jobs and stimulate economic growth known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; and

WHEREAS, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (hereinafter “the Act”) provides tax credits and tax relief for the preservation and creation of jobs, investment in needed infrastructure, promotion of energy efficiency, assistance to the unemployed and state and local budget stabilization funds; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Act, the State of Connecticut will receive significant federal assistance to be used for the purposes listed above; and

WHEREAS, the Act requires the State to manage the stimulus funds in a prudent and responsible manner with an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency; and

WHEREAS, the State has begun to receive funds provided by the Act, and must, in turn, obligate a significant portion of these funds within very short timeframes to ensure that the stimulative effect of these funds is realized as soon as possible; and

WHEREAS, the Act requires the State to provide the federal government with timely, comprehensive reports on the uses and management of the stimulus funds and to comply with all accountability and transparency requirements of the Act;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Connecticut, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1.      That there be created within the Office of the Governor the position of State Accountability Officer who shall be responsible for ensuring that the State complies with all provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 concerning accountability and that the State provides all reports, certifications and assurances required by the Act within the required timeframes.  The State Accountability Officer shall provide all such reports and other documentation required by the Act to the State Transparency Officer for posting on the state recovery Web site as soon as they become available.

2.      That there be created within the Office of the Governor the position of State Transparency Officer who shall be responsible for ensuring that the State complies with all provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 concerning transparency and that the State creates and maintains a state recovery Web site that contains all available information relating to all applications for, receipt and expenditure of stimulus funds by the State and any agency thereof.  The State Transparency Officer shall coordinate his activities with the State Accountability Officer.

3.      That there be created within the Office of the Governor the position of Stimulus Project Oversight Officer who, in cooperation with the applicable state agencies, shall provide oversight of all infrastructure improvements that are funded with monies provided to the State and any agency thereof pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The Stimulus Project Oversight Officer shall coordinate his activities with the State Accountability Officer and the State Transparency Officer.

4.      That there be created within the Office of the Governor the position of Stimulus Ombudsman to Municipalities and Regional Planning Organizations who, in cooperation with the applicable state agencies, shall provide to municipalities and regional planning organizations notice of pending funding opportunities and assistance with requirements and timeframes for applications for funding pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The Stimulus Ombudsman to Municipalities and Regional Planning Organizations shall coordinate his activities with the State Accountability Officer and the State Transparency Officer.

5.      That the department head of each state agency that applies for or receives funds pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 appoint an agency accountability officer who shall be responsible for ensuring that all funds received by said agency pursuant to the Act are spent in a manner that complies with the requirements of the Act; that said agency shall create a Web page on said agency’s Web site which shall list the agency’s activities pursuant to the Act; that said agency completes all reports required by the Act in a complete and timely manner; and that said agency reports all activity related to the Act, including certifications, applications for funds, applications for discretionary or competitive grants, receipt of funds, use of funds and filing of reports, to the State Accountability Officer and the State Transparency Officer within 24 hours of any such activity.  Each agency accountability officer shall notify the Stimulus Project Oversight Officer within 48 hours of the commencement of any infrastructure project.  Each such agency accountability officer shall present a complete report of all agency activity related to the Act to the State Accountability Officer and the State Transparency Officer within 15 days of the end of each month. 

6.      Each agency accountability officer shall ensure that sub-recipients and vendors who are required pursuant to the Act to submit data to the agency for purposes of ARRA reporting requirements submit such data in a timely manner so as to provide the agency with sufficient time to review such data prior to submission of the quarterly report to the federal Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”).   Each agency accountability officer shall prepare a data quality review plan to ensure that all data reported to OMB is complete and accurate and, in accordance with such plan, provide for the review of such data prior to submission to OMB. 

7.      Each state agency shall cooperate with the State Accountability Officer, the State Transparency Officer, the Stimulus Project Oversight Officer and the Stimulus Ombudsman to Municipalities and Regional Planning Organizations and shall provide all data, reports and information related to the receipt and use of funds pursuant to the Act in an accurate and timely manner. 

8.      The positions created in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this executive order shall not result in the hiring of new or additional state employees.  All such positions shall be filled by current state employees.

Executive Order No. 25 is hereby repealed in its entirety and replaced with the text hereof.

This order shall take effect immediately.

Dated at Hartford this 17th day of December 2009.

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M. Jodi Rell

Governor

By Her Excellency’s Command:

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Susan Bysiewicz

Secretary of the State