This morning at eight, in their offices in the Norwich Business Park, is a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments. As even a cursory reading of the January meeting minutes will suggest, the SCCOG is engaged in a variety of projects across the region (considering its name, I know, 'gee, that makes sense'). But my larger point is they advocate for holistic and systemic solutions as opposed to drive-by fixes. Strategic planning is often striking in its absence and being the voice of reason in a room/region filled with clamor can often be a lonely and thankless job.
This afternoon, at four thirty in the Otis Library, State Representative Melissa Olson will hold 'office hours' which is our chance to speak directly with one of the three representatives we have in Hartford (and the only one whose sole franchise, so to speak, is Norwich). If you've been shaking your head at the way Connecticut's political system has refused to acknowledge, much less solve, our budget concerns, STOP being a bobblehead long enough to speak with your representative.
A bit later, at 5:15, in their offices at 1649 Route 12 (Gales Ferry Commons) in Ledyard is a regular meeting of the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority. Yes, Norwich Public Utilities is our source of potable water but works on a regular and collaborative basis with our neighbors through agencies like the SCWA. I read a line the other day, 'no single raindrop feels itself responsible for the flood' that I think is appropriate as long as you don't ask me why. Think of that as Zen Stand-up.
At seven-thirty, in Council Chambers (the room has a number, but I can't think of it) it's a regular meeting of the Norwich City Council with a short agenda that I thought was to be at least one item longer, the last time I read about it in a local newspaper.
Do I get worried anytime we suspend the rules to add an agenda item-yep, every time. I am concerned because citizen comment is confined to items on the agenda-and the suspension to add items always comes after citizen comment. Would I be less concerned if I were a bigger fan of the well-intentioned proposal to lease/buy the failed YMCA and convert it to a community center, though I've yet to see any data supporting this decision? Absolutely.
I'm having a problem wrapping my head around the idea that the City Council has had five Saturday workshops to learn about and practice separating emotion from fact in making decisions and designing solutions, and then Monday night will consider, it seems, just this kind of action, where we forget that hope is not a plan, and are then surprised when things fall apart. Have a Reason for Everything You Do.
Wednesday afternoon at 5:30 in the Norwich Public Schools Central Office, across from the Norwichtown Green, is a regular meeting of the (Kelly) School Building Committee. A review of their January meeting minutes indicates that, despite the cold weather, site preparation seems to be basically completed and construction has begun. Not sure I understood the background behind a note on a conversation about his continued participation by one of the committee members with the Corporation Counsel.
Also at 5:30, says one of the local newspapers, is a meeting of the 350th (Anniversary) Executive Committee, a private organization (that received some public funds) that is technically not a municipal board or committee. Not really sure where in City Hall it will meet.
Wednesday evening at seven in Room 335, is a meeting of the Republican Town Committee. I'm sure Dennis B will be pleased his note about their March meeting was posted, in its entirety, as an entry for the meeting of 14 January (where almost no one will see it). I have enough trouble remembering the 'who can attend?' (everyone), 'who can speak?' (everyone) and 'who can vote?' (only those registered in the respective party). I will NOT volunteer to remember when their next meeting is. Something about "'i', before 'e', except after 'c' or when sounded like 'a' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'." And then take your right foot out and turn yourself about, or not.
Thursday morning at eight, according to a local newspaper is a City Council workshop, though there's no word on this anywhere on the City's website in terms of location or purpose of the meeting. We have residents who watch our politics with a jaundiced eye so this omission, or is it commission, isn't helpful if we hope to rebuild confidence in who we are and how we work together..
Also Thursday morning, at nine, in their facility in Old Lyme, is a regular meeting of the LEARN Board of Directors. Maybe just me, but as attractive as I find their website to be, I wish it did a better job of telling me what LEARN is and does for my schools and my children (okay, not my kids anymore at 27 and 22, but you see my point).
We, as a culture, pay lip service, and (I hope) a whole lot more, to the notion 'our children are our future' but we're not so good at fully explaining the people and programs we employ and deploy to help enrich and elevate our children's lives. I have every confidence that LEARN is a marvelous organization-but I'm sketchy on specifics and might be better served if I understood the nature of the challenges they face and how those challenges have evolved through the years and what adaptation has been necessary for LEARN to remain relevant and successful.
Thursday night at seven in the Planning Department conference room in the basement of 23 Union Street is a regular meeting of the Inlands Wetlands, Water Courses and Conservation Commission whose January meeting minutes illustrate the scale and scope of involvement in the responsible economic development we all hope for in Norwich.
Saturday morning at eight, in Room 335, the Mayor, City Manager and (hopefully more of) the City Council (than made this past Saturday's meeting) will continue to address the creation of a comprehensive community and economic development plan. This, too, failed to make the city's on-line calendar of meetings, perhaps to discourage being mobbed by crowds of interested citizens. (Good News! Absolutely no worries, there.)
Saturday's Large Question is "Why Has the Grand List Declined Over the Years?" Assembling the pieces having to do with People, Infrastructure, Procedures and Policies, especially in learning to evaluate every situation via a checklist that has those components will get us a lot farther along than chest pounding and finger pointing, even if the only two folks in attendance at the meetings without a dog in the hunt prove to be Keith R and Mrs. Kenny's oldest son. "There's good points and bad points, but it all works out." As long as we remember that two laws cannot be repealed: gravity and unintended consequences.
-bill kenny
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