Bob grew up in Bridgeport and Trumbull and attended the University of Connecticut and received a BSE in civil engineering in1967 and a MS in environmental engineering in 1969.

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In 1967 he married Durham native, Diane Curtis, and in 1970 moved to Durham with their first child Adam. Two more children followed, Sarah and Bridget.  All three attended RSD 13 and currently Sarah Overton and Bridget Poturnicki live in the Middlefield and Durham and their 6 children are attending RSD13 schools or have recently graduated. 

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Bob began his career in 1969 at the Water Resources Commission a predecessor agency to the Department of Environmental Protection as an environmental engineer and worked at DEP until 1995. He held several engineering and management position including the last four years as Deputy Commissioner.  He was responsible for the development of Connecticut’s Ground Water Quality Standards, The State Clean Water Fund, the State Superfund program, the Solid Waste Management Plan, the Potable Water Program, and the Environmental Justice program among others. For several years Bob served on the Board of the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission and four years as its chair and also for several years on the Board of the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators and two years as its President.

 

From 1970 to 1980 he taught water resources engineering and sanitary engineering courses at the University of New Haven in the evening division as an Adjunct Assistant Professor.

 

From 1995 to 2000 Bob worked as a senior associate at the environmental engineering firm of Malcolm Pirnie Inc. where he focused on Brownfields development and municipal assistance.  Under a research grant he developed a Long Island Sound Nitrogen Credit Trading Program for Connecticut municipalities which was adopted by the State.  Bob also worked for the Thailand Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment in Bangkok to aid with the evaluation of the first sewage treatment facility for the city.

 

From July 2000 to 2011 Bob worked for The Metropolitan District Commission in Hartford as its Chief Administrative Officer. His work focused on the development and implementation of its 2-billion-dollar Combined Sewer Overflow control program and advanced wastewater treatment facility. Additionally, he put in place an asset management program for the replacement and upgrade of all the Districts Drinking water supply facilities and water mains.

 

On retiring in 2011, Bob continued my environmental background by serving on the board of trustees for the Connecticut River Watershed Council and additionally he chaired the policy committee for the development of the recent State Water Plan.  In 2015 he was elected to the RSD13 Board of Education and served as its Chair from July 2016 until November 2021.  Bob was elected in 2022 to serve on the Board again.

 

Bob is running for reelection to the BOE this year to continue his service to the school District and to our staff and families and most importantly to our students.  Bob provides perspective on the issues facing the District in the coming years.  He have worked on the closing and transition of Korn school and the decision to go to a single district program and curricula and the preparation of the Regional Plan amendment for the closing of John Lyman School. Bob served as Chairman during our careful and successful operation during the Covid pandemic.  Bob look forward to contributing to the education of the District’s students and preparing them for successful careers and contribution to their communities as global citizens.