Our Hour

If you forgot to set your clock forward last night before turning in, this has been a strange morning, I suspect. I hate it when I end up late for things-it makes me mental and I start screwing up stuff because I'm hurrying which makes me later and so it goes. I think we'll see the 'added daylight' this afternoon as eventually the days will get longer in the morning as well (not a scientific explanation but I didn't always catch Mr. Wizard as a kid).

I'm looking at Norwich meetings a day early this week in honor of Daylight Savings Time (not). But, admit it, for half a moment I had you nodding your head.

We all need to do more than just nod our heads Monday evening at six when the City Council has another informational workshop on the recommendations of the Ethics Review Committee turned into this City Council eight days short of a year ago. I was hoping to find a copy of the report on line to share so you could read what was proposed (I was on the committee as an alternate--an alternate to what was never explained, thankfully- and have a keen interest, as did so many on the committee, in open and honest government) but no such luck. You don't have to be a former member of the Ethics Review Committee to bear witness tonight in Room 335 though I think many of the members would appreciate your company. And it would be very nice if ALL the members of the City Council could attend, even and especially, the ones whose feelings on this issue are already known. (It's not enough to say 'it's important'; turns out we want you to prove it as well.)

Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 is a special meeting of the Board of Review-Dangerous Buildings, and based on a peek at the agenda, they've got the right building. Tuesday evening at 6 (I assume, their website is very close to useless on any and all aspects of their meetings, minutes or agenda) the Board of Education meets in Kelly Middle School to examine and (possibly) alter and/or endorse the Superintendent's proposed budget. School systems in Bridgeport and New Haven, so far, have been staggering under the impact of the economic downturn as all of us learn to do less with less (which sounds logical but has never really been tried in this country at least in our lifetimes, I suspect). I would imagine there could be some long faces and hard feelings at tonight's meeting when(or if) a budget is decided.

And, friendly reminder: the Board's budget is rolled into the City's budget which the City Manager is still working on before he sits with the City Council to create a final operating budget. As much as it's okay to hope for a surprise happy ending, I think this is the year where you reconcile yourself to lowering your voice and diminishing your expectations. My Mom was a little girl during the Great Depression, not that she's ever talked about it a whole lot and I can only guess how pleasant her memories are of 'back in the day' as she, along with all of us, faces a bare cupboard. The public trust is NOT a bottomless trough.

Actually, Tuesday is a busy day as the Zoning Board of Appeals meets at 23 Union Street (next door to City Hall) at 7 PM. It's "Counsel", by the way, NOT "Council." Reminder that the day is a little less cluttered as the 5 PM meeting of the Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee has been cancelled, and, no, you can't read the on-line minutes of previous meetings held or review and preview agenda, because NONE of that exists. Move along, nothing to see here.

Wednesday morning at a quarter of nine (taking advantage of all that extra daylight, I'm sure) is a meeting of the Rehabilitation Review Committee at 23 Union Street, though what's on their plate isn't posted anywhere, but judging from their February meeting minutes, they get into some important quality of life issues that I'd like to see explored in a larger venue (and, yes, just how many unannounced and unpublicized 'sober houses' in a neighborhood are too many?).

Wednesday at six, in Room 210 of City Hall, the Baseball Stadium Authority meets and the days draw close for the Defenders' home opener, though how many more games after this season will be played in Dodd Stadium is a matter of press speculation. (You cannot miss what you do not have and can only enjoy what you've already got. Sometimes we lose sight of that.) The Public Safety Committee meets at seven at the East Great Plains Fire Department (upstairs, I'll bet, above the fire engines in the big room) and is a good opportunity to watch all manner of public safety volunteers and paid professionals working together.

On Thursday, perhaps, the Mohegan Park Improvement and Development Advisory Committee may be meeting (in, ??, Room 210 of City Hall at 5:15; clarity isn't too large a concern here it seems to me), or not. It's a bit hard to tell from the information on the website about them and their activities or agenda. And I mentioned this last week, and promised/threatened to do it again-Thursday evening at 6:30 in the meeting room of the Otis Library, Alderman William Nash will host a 'tell me how I'm doing' meeting (that's what I'm calling it) for anyone who's interested. Different setting to talk to a member of City Council as opposed to AT a member of City Council during a Council meeting and some people are a lot more comfortable in a lower key environment. If you have something to share, you'll be there.

Which is more than I can say for me. I'll be low profile and immobile for a couple of days as I vacation in beautiful William Backus Hospital-actually, having me around is NO vacation at all (ask my wife) -for knee replacement surgery. I'm hoping to be released in time for Sigrid's birthday on Thursday. I promised to take her dancing. And she promised to NOT laugh. We're such terrible kidders, y'know that, angel eyes, right?
-bill kenny