Hey Norwicheans, Let's Pop the Hood and Check the Engine

Democracy, like many of those raffles whose tickets we bought to pay for our kids' school field trips, often requires you be present to win. Starting today and hopefully every Monday (but I know me better than you know me, and I suspect this will be more of a hit and miss, with the emphasis on 'miss') I'll offer you a preview of this week's Norwich municipal meetings as I've gathered the information, because so often, we end up with decisions that we don't understand only to learn later there was an opportunity and a forum to know more, or offer comment, but we didn't know about it and we didn't avail ourselves of it.

Here's a really good place to learn about Norwich public meetings. I'll bet your town has a page on its website that does pretty much the same thing, so your choices now become hand-wringing about decisions you don't understand or getting smarter about the mechanics of local government.

Yeah, it takes an investment of time to learn how the various activities, boards, commissions and advisories work to make where we live a place we can either call home or here, but it's better than hoping the folks who donate their time and talents are doing a good job (because they are trying to do a good job but if we don't tell them what we feel about their decisions and ideas, they're bowling without seeing the pins).

Feel free to ignore the snarky remarks and catty observations-I find it therapeutic, but your mileage may vary. Here's how I see the week:

Monday
Senior Affairs Commission, 9 a.m., Rose City Senior Center;

Design Review Board, 4 p.m., 23 Union St.;

Harbor Management Commission, 5 p.m., City Manager's Office;

City Council Informational meeting, Ethics Committee, 6 p.m., Council Chambers;
(The ethics review committee turned in its report in mid-March, six months ago. I was on this committee and will be attending this informational session, sitting in my usual place. Will be curious as to how this conversation goes and what happens next. Maybe you as well?)

Charter Revision Committee, 6:30 p.m., Room 335;
(the resolution that created the volunteer panel of five local lawyers stipulated it was NOT to be called a charter revision commission as the panel looks at language and areas of improvement within the charter and makes recommendations back to the City Council by December. I have some right now: make sure the membership is listed here (under "C") and the minutes of the previous meeting and the agenda for the next, like those of the City Council are also posted.)

City Council, 7 p.m., Council Chambers.
(Tonight's agenda is right here and I'm curious about the unfinished business, in light of a meeting slated for Tuesday (more below, on that), and I hope to hear a cordial discussion on the 'new business' resolution that would have the City Council, as the Zoning Board, meet as that body at a separate time for only that purpose.)

Tuesday
Board of Assessment Appeals, noon, Room 319, City Hall;

Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees, 5:30 p.m., Sidney Frank Building, NFA;

Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
and Connecticut Department of Culture and Tourism, 6 p.m., Room 335, City Hall;

Public Parking Commission, 6 p.m., Buckingham Memorial Building;

Commission on the City Plan, 7 p.m., Room 108, City Hall;
(The public will get a chance to comment on the proposed $22 million regional transportation center. There will be two public hearings on the center, one on flood plain issues and one on the more general question of location. Later in the meeting, the commission also will review the site plan proposal for the center and proposed road improvements. In light of this last point, not sure why the Council on Monday, see their agenda, is doing anything until the CCP has reached a decision. I have my own concerns and if you have any, this is a good night to show up and voice them and stop making this a "Thayer Family vs. NCDC" drama.)

Wednesday
Children First Norwich, 9 a.m., Dime Bank community room, Salem Turnpike;

Housing Authority, 9 a.m., Rosewood Manor;
10 a.m., Schwartz Manor and
11 a.m., Westwood Park;

Board of Assessment Appeals, 3 p.m., Room 319, City Hall;

Integrated Day Charter School board, 5:30 p.m., Media Center, 68 Thermos Ave.;

Youth and Family Services, 6:30 p.m., Room 335, City Hall;

Golf Course Authority, 7 p.m., Golf Course meeting room, New London Turnpike.

Thursday
Chelsea Gardens Foundation, 8 a.m., Room 319, City Hall;

Historic District Commission, 5 p.m., room 210, City Hall;

Ice Rink Authority, 6 p.m., Ice Rink meeting room, New London Turnpike.

Put this on the calendar now-though it's NOT for this Saturday, but the next:

Saturday 27 September- 1000-1400 Otis Library.
Candidates' Forum.
Invitees include: State Senator Edith Prague, D, unopposed;

42nd District Representative, for Ledyard and Preston, Tom Reynolds, D, unopposed;

46th District Representative, for Norwich, Melissa Olson, D, unopposed and

47th District Representative, for Canterbury, Norwich, Scotland and Sprague, Jack Malone, D, opposed by Christopher Coutu, R.
(I'd make it a point to ask those with a "D" behind their names (stands for Democratic Party but also means the Dominant party in the statehouse as they have absolute majorities in both chambers) why they haven't gotten more done for us since creating majorities that can override the Governor's veto and/or in essence chart their own course. Be proactive instead of reactive unless you are part of the very politics as usual you claim you're not.

You don't need to make it to every meeting--heck, I have NO Life and I won't, but I'd hope to see you at something in the coming week. You can't be too strong or too smart when it comes to life in these (more or less) United States here in the 21st Century. Be an exclamation and not an explanation.
-bill kenny