Autumn in the North Cemetery.

Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?



These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.


Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...

...seems to be working so far

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Meet The Selectmen Sessions Announced

Yesterday, I received an email from newly elected selectman, Mary Redetzke.   As with every newly elected official, Mary only wants to do the very best job she can for those that she represents.  Doesn't matter if you voted for her , or not, this ambition is the same for most elected to public office.  Her plan for a venue to hear concerns of Sturbridge residents is admirable, and although it is not mentioned in her plan sent to me, follow up on those concerns will need to be done as well.

This is where most elected to office fail, the follow up.  I've expressed concerns, and I've been told that a follow up would be done, and have had to wait longer than a year, and then again asked for more time.  For some, I am still waiting two years out.

If Mary wants to succeed, she is starting off in the right direction, and as long as she doesn't follow the lead of others that fail with the follow through, and resolution parts, she will do fine.  Her head appears to be in the right place.

Of course, I have thought the very same thing about others in the beginning of their service to the town as well, and have been disappointed.  Disappointment, and politics seem to go hand in hand a good deal of the time. I hope that every once in a while there would be one time that it wouldn't, and that the disappointment would be replaced by excitement, and hope.


"...Something new….  Just getting started.     A Meet the Selectman session will be  at The Sturbridge Coffee House from 9: 30 to 10:30  on Tuesday morning, the 10th of  May. Another will be Saturday morning, the  12th of May,  same place, same time.    Since I am the newest member on the BOS I bought this forward as an informal way to talk with people.  All  information will be taken back to a future BOS Meeting.     There will never be a quorum, no long discussions or problem solving,  as only  a maximum of  two selectman will be there every time.   This is a simple, basic effort to reach out and hear some concerns.


There  will be   more  scheduled in May and   I am  just working out the details."

-- Mary E. Redetzke

Your move Mary, and stay in touch.
Scribbled by on

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