I'm Walking a Line-Visiting Houses in Motion

A week ago it felt like early March outside--around here it now feels like late June. All we can do is talk about the weather, I guess, as it has exhibited no interest in changing to suit us (and in light of our inabilities to come to agreements on mundane matters ranging from war and peace to which nitwit should be voted off American Idol, I fear controlling the weather will remain beyond our grasp for quite some time).

Closer to home, at least in terms of geography from my keyboard are meetings of note this week in Norwich, Connecticut. They range from the formal to the not-so-much and all of them are important and have an impact on someone. Whether that someone is you might have a lot to do with your level of interest and engagement in the Rose City.

Today, and running basically all day (by appointment) is the Board of Assessment Appeals, in Room 335 of City Hall. We talked about this weeks ago so if you are unhappy with the recent evaluation, but didn't make an appointment with these folks to discuss and contest it, you have yourself to blame.

The Redevelopment Agency meets at five this afternoon in Room 210 at City Hall. In recent times, the volunteers of this agency have been working very hard on a series of projects, most particularly on one of the red headed step-children of downtown, Shipping Street, and, (perhaps just) my opinion, getting cut off at the knees by others, elsewhere in Norwich municipal government. See their March meeting minutes and tell me you don't agree.

At six o'clock tonight is a meeting of the Norwich State Hospital Review Committee in Room 335 of City Hall. I'm reminded of the meetings last fall, large scale events with casts of thousands (it seemed) at Economic Summits (that weren't really) to offer insights and map strategies on the road ahead for the 'Norwich' part of this land parcel. Not sure anything was accomplished then and would hope this meeting will prove to be different but can't lose sight of the fact that hope is NOT a plan. This committee, by its own definition of purpose, will, it seems, be reactive as opposed to pro-active. Not that we haven't done that before......

Tuesday there's a lot going on and I'll natter on about this first item at length tomorrow but wanted to mention it now: there is a special election to fill the vacancy on the Norwich City Council. Peter Nystrom and Jay Gelfond are both volunteering to serve as aldermen at a particularly precarious point in our city's history. They deserve our gratitude and one of them deserves your vote. You'll miss every shot you never take. Go vote and if you don't, you get the government you deserve. The polls are open all day as are many churches as well as bars. Coincidence? You be the judge.

This afternoon at three-thirty the Board of Education Policy Committee meets in the Central Office across from the Norwichtown Green in the Central Office. At the risk of spoiling your dinner, I'm offering an ice cream cone to the first person who can find this committee's previous meeting minutes and/or agenda on the NPS website. My point: I love the look of the new Norwich Public Schools website (it's even spiffier than that of the Norwich Community Development Corporation; my friends call me Pinocchio) but it has as little information on Board of Education activities as it traditionally has had. As my old buddy Dave M. used to say, 'like putting lipstick on a pig.'

The Harbor Management Commission meets at five o'clock in Room 219 of City Hall. If you're going to attend, based on a review of the March meeting minutes, you may be able to find out if the seawall construction project will be finished by the time of the Semiseptcentennial celebrations and, in conjunction with that, if the river walk and heritage trail that first closed after the mini-golf fire back in the day will reopen for the 350th and/or ever again. There's no warnings before you head around the bend and down the hill that you can't walk under the Thomas Sweeney Bridge; just a Suddenly, the Trail Ends Barricade.

Speaking of Semiseptcentennial, there's a meeting of the 350th Anniversary Committee at six o'clock in, I suspect, Room 335. We're running out of meetings to announce the progress of the transformation of the Limited Liability Corporation, LLC, into a non-profit organization that's been talked about for months, but between us, I never really thought that was going to happen anyway.
If you click on the 'event calendar' on the website, you'll discover the first event of the semiseptcentennial is this Saturday morning at Mohegan Park Pond, organized by Gerry M. (no relation to Dave), a Kids Trout Fishing Derby. Thanks for the generous volunteering, jetmec, and I hope a bajillion youngsters show up and fish and whistle all day long.

The Board of Public Utilities Commissioners, with the Sewer Authority, meets at six in the NPU Building at 16 Golden Street. Norwich Public Utilities has its own website, and there are copies of the Board's March meeting minutes, the Authority's minutes as well as both sets of agenda (I am curious as to how there can be only 15 minutes of public comment on the agenda, especially in light of some of the issues I know they handle).

Also at six, in Room 319 of City Hall, is a regular meeting of the Personnel and Pension Board. The Board's April meeting agenda is right here and here are the March meeting minutes. If you've followed the news of economic meltdown and despair in recent months and wondered about local impact, talk to a volunteer on this Board, or a city employee whose retirement plans are being shaped by the investments being made, to get a better appreciation for the work that being a member entails.

Wednesday at six, in Room 335 is what the municipal calendar calls a public hearing on the City Manager's proposed 2009-2010 budget. Interestingly, the description is, in essence, identical to the Budget Departmental Hearing last week (with different departments to include the Board of Education) though by definition, they should be two very different things. If turnout remains as it has been all budget formulation season, I suppose the distinction will remain moot to most of us. After all, if you choose NOT to decide, you still have made a choice. Even Free Will comes with a cost. Cash or debit?

On Thursday, there's a special meeting of the Youth Service Advisory Board at 8:30 in the morning in the library at Norwich Free Academy. If you were tempted to seek them out, don't, as I already did: there are no minutes of past meetings and no agenda for this one.

Also Thursday from six until eight, in the Taftville VFW, 36 Pratt Avenue, Alderman Bill Nash is hosting a Constituent Meeting. It's an opportunity for a dialogue instead of a diatribe, regardless of your political affiliation. I always go and ask about pony rides for my birthday (I've been increasingly strident for calendar-driven reasons lately) so if you go and talk about something else, he'll probably be thrilled (and rumor has it, he's bringing Chief Kenneth Scandariato of the Norwich Fire Department. I'm starting another rumor that a dalmatian will also be attending, and will be packing a Milk-Bone biscuit just in case.

Not a meeting, but looming like Banquo's ghost, is the Norwich YMCA. Thursday, April 30th could be the Y's final day. What happens to the programs that so many across Norwich rely on is still an open issue as near as I can determine as efforts to rescue the building have been occupying many people's attentions in recent days, though the results of those efforts aren't yet clear. You'll want to watch our local newspapers for the latest information. "I'm walking a line-Just barely enough to be living. Get outa the way-No time to begin. This isn't the time-So nothing was done."
-bill kenny