I've never made any bones about my love of New York City-I regard it as the Capital of the World-mostly, I admit, because of childhood memories. Riding the Pennsylvania, then Penn-Central and then Amtrak (what is it now, Conrail?) passenger trains from New Brunswick, New Jersey into Pennsylvania Station (before during and after Madison Square Garden came downtown to 34thStreet) and watching Manhattan rise on the horizon.
That I was nearly trampled by a stampede of indifferent fellow-commuters on a daily basis doesn't dull my fondness for The City. But it does make me appreciate the enforced intimacy of smaller, quieter places such as where I live now. With about forty thousand people of all shapes and sizes, Norwich, Connecticut, to hear long time residents tell it, may not be what it once was but it can certainly be at least once what it is now.
And since this is where we all are together, we should make here the best place we can. Waiting for somebody to do something ignores the person and the reflection we see in the mirror. There's another week's worth of doing in The Rose of New England-so let's roll up a sleeve and lend a hand-why else do you think the Second Amendment says we can bare arms?
This afternoon at five, the Ethics Commission meets in Room 210 of City Hall. Their recent special meeting attracted more attention than they've had since they were formed which might be a little misleading because, by and large, the city's ethics rules work as a review of their meeting agenda will confirm.
At 5:30, in Room 213 of City Hall, it's a special meeting of the Personnel and Pension Board whose agenda suggests the importance of context cannot be over estimated.
At six, in the Recreation Department at Dickenman Field, it's (should be listed but isn't) a special meeting of the Recreation Advisory Board, who, if the postings on the city's website are to be believed, haven't yet met this year (and three of whose member's appointments expired years ago).
Tuesday morning at 8:30 in Room 335 of City Hall, it's a regular meeting of the Youth and Family Service Advisory Board. The City's website suggests they last met in January, though I suspect what's really happened is we're not doing a good job of posting minutes posted. Actually we're doing a very good job of breaking state law and a terrible job of keeping one another informed. I'm not sure what to applaud, if anything, in that sentence.
Here's one that disquiets me: The Commission on the City Plan is holding a special meeting at noon in the conference room of the Planning Department at 23 Union Street. When you scroll through their agenda, pay special attention to item L "Council Referral.' Instead of this being an opportunity for many residents to get a first hand glimpse of a $5 million bonding proposal that will be on the Council's Monday agenda, it's part of an effort to meet a charter requirement for CCP review prior to Council action-which happens more often than it should (because it shouldn't happen at all). Don't misunderstand me-the letter of the public meetings law is intact; the spirit and intent, not so much but the bigger concern is we could have had a channel for communication and dialogue and failed to do so. Again.
Speaking of which, at five, in Room 335 of City Hall (as opposed to the Public Works Director's office on Clinton Street), it's a regular meeting of the Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee whose agenda suggests an interesting afternoon (and I suspect, evening as well) but the headlines behind some of the agenda portend even more. Hint: you and I may be the only ones in the room not seeking a seat on the next City Council (and I'm not so sure about you).
It's the second Tuesday of the month so perhaps there's a regular Board of Education meeting at Kelly Middle School. I say perhaps because it's not listed on the city's website nor on the Norwich Public Schools' website. Let me point out the last two years of BoE meeting minutes there are no meetings in July or August. So if you have children in school, and with the start of the school year around the corner, you might be best served calling to find out.
At seven the Zoning Board of Appeals meets in the Planning Department conference room at 23 Union Street for the first time since, it seems, May (based on the minutes).
Wednesday morning at a quarter of nine, in the Planning Department's conference room at 23 Union Street (that place has become quite the hang-out and not just for the cool kids) it's a regular meeting of the Rehabilitation Review Committee which as Jill B pointed out this afternoon has all of its minutes posted if you scroll down enough on the webpage, unlike someone we both could name (me).
Perhaps the best thing about attending the Rehab Review Committee meeting is the short walk you'll have to the Norwich Downtown Farmer's Market at Howard Brown Park when it opens at ten. There's more and more people catching on to the prices and selection so if you're going, choose sooner rather than later.
Starting at one, in Council chambers, it's a special meeting of the City Council (and in all likelihood an executive session to hear a report of its special investigative committee rivaling that of Ethel the Frog).
At six, there's a regular meeting of the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority at Dodd Stadium, in Skybox Suite 12. As a review of their July meeting minutes shows, there's little dilly-dallying at these meetings which is perfect because the Connecticut Tigers are hosting the JamestownJammers at 7:05 so you should have time to grab some dinner from the concession stand and settle into your seat.
And if you're in downtown at six, follow your ears to Rock the Docks, this week with Melaena in Howard T. Brown Park.
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