Early and Often

Today we fill a vacancy on the Norwich City Council that was created in November when Alderman Chris Coutu was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 47th District. Some towns and municipalities in the Nutmeg State allow officials to hold more than one elected office, but here in Norwich, where some of us sort of technically reviewed the city charter near the end of last year and decided for all of us that it was really okay (a judgment supported by a down-a-member City Council with NO sense of irony at all), it's a no-no.

We have fourteen hours today, in the Rose City, to choose between Peter Nystrom and Jay Gelfond. This link, outlines the polling places and who has to vote where and if you were wondering if I'm gonna tell you for whom to vote, one of us is new here (and it ain't me, buckaroo).

I'm happy that both Messrs Nystrom and Gelfond chose to offer themselves as candidates, not because of any unhappiness I have with the current City Council (who, to their credit, probably have things they, themselves are unhappy about) but because the City Council has been playing a man down for months, and we're accelerating towards budget decision time and we, as citizenry of a city under siege (so to speak), need as much help as we can get.

I am more than a bit disappointed that, at the forum last week sponsored by the Bully Busters, only 14 people were in attendance (I agree with everything else, Ray H and, as always, well said) and I've heard a lot on both sides, and from both sides, on the Norwich Bulletin's editorial endorsement of one man over the other in Friday's edition. Actually, on the front page of their web site, lower right hand corner, are various video clips, of the two men seeking office in conversation with the newspaper's editorial staff as well as in action from last week's forum. Watch all the clips as you very probably don't have any notes from the forum to review to help you make up your mind and then go vote. Freedom of choice only works if we all do.

When I stumble across boxing on ESPN Classic, invariably the announcer shares with us at home how 'Teddy Atlas is scoring the fight' (he may be Charles' brother, I don't know) and more often than not his scorecard is radically different than how the ringside judges are seeing the bout. Rather than shake my head at some of the 'stuff' that went in connection with this special election, I should be pleased that both men seemed to pledge themselves last week to running again for elected office this November, regardless of today's outcome.

Each of us will ultimately decide for whom we shall vote and I hope the total turnout is greater than the Salvation Army Disciples Plus Two. Because, with my apologies to Thomas Paine, "these are the times that try men's souls."
-bill kenny