I'm a grown man; actually, I'm well past my best-buy date and should know better when I come across a story about downtown that doesn't so much make my heart go pitter-patter as it just elevates my blood pressure.
So when I first read "A Funding Boost Will Help Downtown Norwich Storefronts Become More Attractive," I counted to ten and then counted again as I could feel the gorge rising in my veins with frustration and anger.
I've often been accused of being a Norwich Booster and plead guilty as charged but it's time to cut the crap, face ourselves in the mirror, and acknowledge we are going in circles.
The quote that set me off was this: '"...the Vanilla Box Project has contributed to an increase of 100,000 square feet of occupiable space,” stated an NCDC press release.' I'm almost impressed except four paragraphs later in the same article, '"Norwich author Ken Keeley was looking for a storefront to sell his books, but he couldn’t find a suitable space...We have basically run out of first-floor retail spaces to provide to potential tenants,” Lagrito said.'
Who, aside from NCDC, evaluated what became of the 2010 bond monies (an audit might be a good start)? The City Council’s change of heart Tuesday night about the City Manager's original ARP funding proposal is nowhere near enough of a start on the need for accounting and accountability.
Because, in another story the next day about NCDC, “How the Wrong Story Holds Back Development”, this line surfaces, ”A lot of folks believe nothing is happening, but there's a lot happening.” However, neither a definition of ‘a lot,’ nor any examples were offered in the article.
2001’s Charter Revision was intended to streamline city government, encourage new people with new ideas to offer themselves for public office, and jumpstart a city-wide recovery. What needed to happen was to establish the responsibilities of the Norwich City Council and the Mayor for economic development. The mayor's role was defined, somewhat, in the charter but the function(s) of the city council remains vague.
Here's what I know with 20 years of hindsight: What we're doing does not work.
I don't pretend to have the answers; hell, I don't even think I understand the questions but instead of more derelict/absent landlord rescue why not go to local businesses across the city that are successful (struggling to survive but triumphant) and ask them what the city, from permitting to financing and anything in between can do to assist them to grow stronger and more vibrant.
And then follow-through and follow-up.
We have elections in November for Mayor and all six seats on the City Council and it's high time that residents, be they life-long or just got here last week, have a better understanding of what can be done, what needs to be done, how to tell the difference between the two and develop a plan with steps from realistic and defined program objectives and responsibilities to and through public on-the-record, truthful progress reports.
I've lived here for thirty years, and we keep doing the exact same things and are always surprised that the results never vary. A mentality of 'we may be lost, but boy, are we making great time!' is not the way forward. Not for Norwich and not anymore.
-bill kenny
No comments:
Post a Comment