Remember the Peachtree Fire from early in the Spring? Money needs to be shifted to different accounts to make sure those whose operating budgets at the time took a hit are made whole in this new fiscal year. It's necessary and important work even if it's not as sexy as approving more sewers or designating the last week of August as 'Let's All Go Back to School Safely or Else Week' which isn't on the agenda but with a suspension of the rules always possible, a boy can dream. There's also some real estate work in preparation for the Regional Inter-Modal Transportation Center that needs to be accomplished. We both know know how I feel about that, so let's move on.
This time last year, you couldn't swing a cat and not hit a candidate for City Council talking earnestly about the importance of examination and possible revision to the City Charter. As the recording secretary for the previous Charter Review Commission in 1999-2000, I can tell you it's a complex and complicated document, as well it should be, it's the owner's and operator's manual for how we do things in Norwich. I was very proud of us back then and still am, but we didn't fix everything and the law of unintended consequences caught up and kicked in and fresh eyes may need to take another look.
There are two different resolutions on the agenda that I hope can be turned into one and combine the strengths of each into one extremely successful plan of action. One resolution has five volunteer lawyers, at no charge (very important in these parts-we sometimes squeak when we walk) from Norwich looking at the Charter for possible revisions. One of the attorneys is a state representative, one is a former member of City Council (who was campaign manager of one of the alderpersons sponsoring the resolution) and a third attorney is the former Mayor of Norwich who was on the previous Charter Revision Commission. The other resolution proposes that each of the seven members of the City Council nominate one citizen to be on the next Charter Revision Commission and review and examine the document with an eye for improved clarity and definition, etc. I'm not a lawyer and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so you can probably guess which of the two, if I had to choose between them, I'd go for.
So how about combining the ideas embodied in each of the resolutions to enhance and increase the possibilities of a more effective attempt at review and revision? What happens if we choose to appoint citizen volunteers to a commission or a committee or whatever it's to be called (and titles around here are as nearly as important as money, so choose wisely and well), working hand in glove with an advisory panel of attorneys (and make sure the City's Lawyer, our Corporation Counsel is on hand) who'll conduct public hearings, collect resident testimony and collate ideas and then review all the submissions and proposals in connection with the charter to identify areas in need of improvement, redefinition and specificity? It just seems to me that together, we are far smarter and more resourceful than we are separately. Why not exploit that strength in numbers?
Should the decision be made to solicit citizens, this is the form you'll need to accomplish and mail to the Mayor. I'd suggest sending a copy as well to the President Pro Tem of the City Council and to whomever else on the Council with whom you feel comfortable.
The meeting starts tomorrow at 7 PM in City Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of City Hall and, like all the really great raffles and drawings, you must be present to win, so why not plan on being there and bring a neighbor. And make sure your neighbor brings a neighbor as well.
It's how we can rebuild our city, one block and one brick at a time.
-bill kenny
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