Talk of the Town, Norwich Meetings 8-13 February

Okay, so again this year, Norwich is not the host city of the reigning Super Bowl Champion. I think we're learning to cope with the indignity of it all rather well. And besides, there's enough serious business to get done across the city this week to turn our attention to.

This afternoon at Five in Room 335 of City Hall, the Ethics Commission meets. Also in City Hall, also at five o'clock, but in Room 209 it's (in essence) the first meeting of the year of the Volunteer Firefighter Relief Fund Committee.

Tuesday, if the local papers are on target, will be a preliminary overview at five of the Board of Education's next budget as part of their regular meeting in the Kelly Middle School Library. I'm vexed that the minutes of their January meeting aren't posted on their website in accordance with Public Law 08-3. Tuesday evening at seven could be the first meeting of the year of the Zoning Board of Appeals, in the basement conference room of 23 Union Street

Wednesday morning at 8:45 upstairs on the second floor of 23 Union Street, it's a regular meeting of the Rehabilitation Review Committee who work very hard on the small details that make houses home, just look at the meeting minutes and see for yourself. At 4:30 the Housing Authority meets at 10 Westwood Park, though, consistent with their tradition, there's nothing approximating minutes or an agenda available on the city's website.

At six, in Room 210 of City Hall is a regular meeting of the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority which may shed some light on the progress of the approval process for the transfer of the NY Penn League's Oneonta Tigers to Norwich to start the 2010 season. Considering where Dodd Stadium is located the League may want to think about changing its name and when the season ends, and the team considers a name change I'd hope Norwich would figure prominently in that new moniker.

And at seven, in the office space of American Ambulance, is a regular meeting of the Public Safety Committee, which gets involved in a number of wide ranging issues across the city.

Just a reminder, that Saturday morning starting at nine in the East Great Plains Volunteer Fire Department meeting room (upstairs over the engines) is Mayor Nystrom's second open forum where anyone and everyone can, and should, stop by and share a thought or comment with the mayor. It's not just speaking, I hope, but also listening. Clouds rearrange. Like the talk of the town.
-bill kenny