They Let a Factory be Built Where??

OK, this may be a hard one to identify, so I'll give you a hint: It ain't there any more. What's more interesting about this factory is just where it was built, too. I have the original agreement to build the factory between the parties. It is interesting as well.

Seems it should never have been built where it was, but was built nonetheless.

If you know where it once stood, and what is standing in its place now, leave a comment.

Slapstick Shanagans Stall Selectmens Meeting

As it says in the "Welcome" words to this Blog, I don't have a political agenda, and I am not one to embarrass town officials, some can do that very well on their own. That being said, I am, however, one to seek out stupidity, and silliness, no matter who is at fault, and bring it to light.

Last night we had just such moment here in town.

The writers strike may still be on, but we aren't hurting for good sketch comedy here in Sturbridge. (See previous posting regarding incident at Board of Selectmens meeting.)

When a town official is making a presentation to a board, or talking to another official during a recess, it takes a person with either enormous brass ones, or very little gray matter, to heckle the official, and to call him "Bozo". And not to do it just once, but a few times!

Then there is the person being heckled going over to the heckler and getting himself slapped silly.

Duh.

You just don't walk into a mine field unprepared hoping you don't get blown up. If you do, then you deserve to be blown up no what matter your intentions are.

Now what do we do about this kind of behavior? Simple. We stop it dead in its tracks. Now.

"Dad. You can't come to the Board meetings anymore."
"Why? I didn't do anything."
"Dad, don't give me that. You provoked someone, and called them a "Bozo".
"Well, he is, and he touched me, too."
"Dad, you slapped him like a bad prom date. You can't come anymore"
"My daughter's a lawyer, you know!"
"I know, Dad."

Now, as far as the official goes:

"OK, next time you are heckled from the audience, just continue on with your conversation, or presentation, and ignore them. Then sit your ass down. No going back to the heckler, no reply comments. Nothing. Present, and sit. That's it. Then go home and write about the incident in your blog. You got it?"
"But he called me "Bozo"!"
Well, maybe it's time to take off the rubber nose, funny wig and large shoes."
"I don't wear those!"
"Anytime we draw attention to ourselves we wear a costume. To that guy, your wearing a red nose, greasepaint, and large red shoes. Can't change his perception, unless you change how you are perceived."

Actually, I can't imagine either of those conversations ever happening. As a result the behaviors, both at the meetings and away from town hall, will perpetuate.

But, we don't have to have the behavior interfere with our town government. It takes forever to get things done here in town as it is, don't delay the process any further with side show shananagans. If the crowd becomes unruly, then the moderator must throw them out of the meeting. If an official gets out of hand, the same applies. Suspend them like the NHL suspends a player. You don't come back for two meetings, or three. That's it. Then move on with the agenda. If we have to start paying a patrolman to be at the meetings, then so be it. And, they have tasers.

We elect, and appoint officials based on their experience and intellect. Common sense, or lack of it, is something we don't see until after they are in their position. If they lack it, and are unable to get some, then we have the power to use ours and not re-elect them, or re-appoint them.

So, I guess this whole ugly event comes back to rest on our shoulders. We either ignore the behavior and it becomes worse, or we don't allow it.

And, if they behave themselves in the Town Hall, but still want to "meet at the bike rack after school", then so be it.

They're on their own time then.

"Mom! He hit me! Did not! Did, too! Did not!...

The following article is re-printed from an email sent to me by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

December 05. 2007 12:00AM

Exchange ends in alleged slap

Town official files complaint

By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

STURBRIDGE— A heated verbal exchange between two public officials at Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting ended with an alleged assault.

Planning Board Chairman Thomas R. Creamer filed a criminal complaint of assault and battery against Conservation Commission member Edward T. Goodwin about 6 last night at the police station.

“I have considered carefully the ramifications of going forward with a criminal complaint, as well as the ramifications of failing to do so,” Mr. Creamer said in an e-mail sent to the town administrator and all the selectmen. “In my view, the consequences of allowing this type of behavior to go unanswered … would merely strengthen the message that individuals may be subject to physical attack when their viewpoint is counter to that held by others in attendance or, for that matter, the B.O.S. (Board of Selectmen).”

The altercation between Mr. Creamer and Edward T. Goodwin took place three hours and 16 minutes into the selectmen’s meeting.

The argument that led up to the alleged assault is captured on the videotape of the meeting that was televised live on community access cable TV. Although the action took place off camera, one can clearly hear the heated dialogue between the two members on the recording.

During a recess, Mr. Creamer was talking to Selectman Edward P. Goodwin, son of Edward T. Goodwin (whom Mr. Creamer is accusing of battery) about the much-discussed wastewater treatment plant.

Edward T. Goodwin interjected from across the room, “… spent 500 on sewage in the last five years, Bozo.”

“Excuse me?” Mr. Creamer responded.

“Five hundred on sewage in the last five years,” Mr. Goodwin repeated.

“I’m talking about the last part,” Mr. Creamer said.

“Bozo,” Mr. Goodwin responded.

In addition to “Bozo,” Mr. Goodwin called Mr. Creamer a “dysfunctional fireman.” For 17 years, Mr. Creamer was the special operations coordinator for the Worcester Fire Department, retiring four years ago.

During the verbal exchange, Mr. Creamer asked, “You want to go outside and continue this discussion?” Soon afterward, Harold J. White, chairman of the board, ordered Mr. Creamer to sit down.

According to Mr. Creamer, he went over and sat behind Edward T. Goodwin and said to him, “Ed, anytime you want to talk about this, I’m more than happy to do that,” and then Mr. Goodwin slapped him twice in the face.

“He struck me twice up in the forehead with his hand, which actually knocked my hat and dislodged my glasses,” Mr. Creamer said yesterday.

Once again, which is on the recording, Mr. White ordered Mr. Creamer to sit down, and Mr. Creamer responded, “The guy (Mr. Goodwin) just assaulted me.”

Selectman William A. Emrich interjected, “Why are you going over there? Jesus!” and Mr. White once again ordered, “Mr. Creamer, sit down!”

“He just assaulted me,” Mr. Creamer exclaimed.

“I didn’t ask for you to comment,” Mr. White said. “I asked you to sit down!”

Lawyer Kirstie Pecci, daughter of Edward T. Goodwin and sister of Edward P. Goodwin, spoke on behalf of her father yesterday. She was not at the meeting when the alleged altercation happened.

“If anything, Mr. Creamer attacked Mr. Goodwin,” Ms. Pecci said. “The first touching was Mr. Creamer grabbed his arm. Mr. Goodwin was seated when Mr. Creamer came up from behind, grabbed his left arm and said, ‘Do you want to take this outside?’ That’s the only touching that happened. This is frivolous, and Mr. Creamer is trying to use intimidation to achieve his political goal.”

Ms. Pecci insisted that her father never hit Mr. Creamer.

www.telegram.com

Police Chief Calls --Plan in Motion for Route 148

Ever have one of those things happen to you that make you sit down and say, "Damn. It worked.".

I had one of those moments today.

On December 2 I wrote about a meeting I had with Chief of Police Tom Ford and the Traffic Safety Committee back in September of 2006. (See link below). Well, this morning I received a phone call from Tom Ford himself. Seems he was surfing the 'net last night, researching an old article, and stumbled on his name in this blog. Naturally, he came to the site and read the post. This morning, another member of the committee called him to tell him of the post, too. He then called me.

Now, I have always been someone to give credit when credit is due. Today it is due. Tom called to apologize for letting my concerns at the meeting slip. It wasn't intentional, things just happen. And, when he was forwarded my email to another committee member for him to follow up on last summer, he never got it. The sender had sent it to the wrong address. A typo, nothing more. No sinister conspiracy here. Just a tybo.

We discussed a few of the concerns I had at the meeting that day, and he offered to put the radar sign out by my house. The new machine is capable of doing vehicle counts and daily speed averages as well, so it will yield some very useful information. He then offered to move one of the speed limit signs further north as I had suggested. He did say that since they were of the yellow type of sign there would be little they could do as far as enforcement. I agreed, but we can work on changing the yellow sign to a white one. Tom again apologized for "dropping the ball", and sounded genuine. He was sincere in his plan to make up for letting go of the matter. We are still going to explore the Thickly Settled issue since that will make everything enforceable.

I will keep you posted, in the meantime you can read the original post at the link below.

http://aroundsturbridge.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-live-in-unofficial-thickly-settled.html

Sturbridge Top Ten List

A few years ago the Town of Sturbridge ran a survey on its homepage asking questions about traffic safety, where the best location in town would be for industrial development, retail development and such. I don't know just how their survey turned out. I do know I answered the questions, and today I am curious as to just how the data is being used. Are there any plans in place to use the information obtained, or was the information obtained in the survey just used to reinforce an agenda already set? Either way, it would be nice to know.

I don't expect a town official to come on these pages to offer a few words about it. It would be great if they did, but they have enough to do. What I'd like to do is offer up some of my thoughts on the subject, and if you agree, or even if you disagree, then forward the post off to a town official.

My job here is to vent the steam from this head of mine. Steam not from frustration, or anger, but from plain thinking too much. It has to come out somewhere. Might as well capture that steam, and let it flow through the keyboard.

That being said, allow me to "vent". Below is my Ten Most Needed Things to be Done in Town List. The list is a random collection of ideas, some reflective of that survey taken by the Town, but mostly just thoughts.

The List:

10) Cut down some the trees on the north side of Route 20 at the intersection of Route 131 to allow residents and visitors a view of the Cedar Lake. Currently it is hidden in the pines, and it's a shame.

9) Allow for more, and better parking at the Conservation area trail heads. The conservation area on Stallion Hill Road has barely enough room for one compact car to park, and there is no safe parking on the street. I don't think any salamanders will be affected, and if there is a concern, I will personally go there and move them all by hand myself. Bottom line is, if you are going to spend the money to buy and conserve an area, and then mark it with a sign, you must allow parking. It's a no brainer.

8) More mini-parks in Town. I know the town has this on their minds , too. The recent mini-park established by the town and the Rotarians at the corner of Cedar Street and Route 20 is an excellent example of this, as is the little park beside the Mill in Fiskdale. How about the land on the other side of the Mill? It sits high over the Mill Pond and falls of the Quinebaug River and has a good amount of land for parking, picnic tables and benches for staring off into space from, too. Or how about a nice trail to the river from Main Street? At the river, clear a small area, and plop down some picnic tables. A nice Scenic Byway for those that walk Route 20 everyday. The reconstruction of the Memorials at the Center School on route 131 was another excellent example of making what we have that much better. Well done.

7) Traffic lights at both ends of Hall Road. One set at the intersection of Route 20, the other at the intersection of Route 131. The Route 131 intersection actually sees more traffic from those roads than where there is already a traffic light at the intersection Route 131 and Maple Street. This is a no brainer, as well.

6) Ban heavy truck (18 wheeler) traffic from Route 148 except for the trucks that "live" there, and those serving addresses on the road. The road is too narrow in places on the way to Route 9, and the speed they travel at is not the best. They seldom slow down in the school zone. Make the road a Scenic Road for passenger vehicles only, and redirect the truck traffic to Route 49. Route 49 is officially an "Expressway", meaning there are no driveways on the entire stretch of road from Route 20 to Route 9. One of the reasons it was built, was just for this reason. Truckers can "crank it" comfortably on this stretch of road.

5) Do something with the land south of the intersection of Route 20 and Route 148. Damn, its ugly, and the sad thing is, it has enormous possibilities, but just sits there--waiting to be sold. Waiting for someone to buy it. (hint, hint).

4) Give the Town of Sturbridge Historical Commission a place of their own. Jeesh. We're in Sturbridge for crying out loud. Have a nice place for them to meet, and display all the collected artifacts they have stuffed in closets all over town. When that happens, I'll contribute with some of the things I have squirreled away, too.

3) Pass a by-law that states ALL swimming pools in the Town, not only the in-ground pools, but above ground pools as well, must have a permanent fence surrounding them with a self closing and locking gate. And, as far as those new, inflatable 18 inch deep temporary pools go, well, if they are to remain filled with water overnight, or if there is a chance they will be filled with water when there is no supervision around, then they must have some secure temporary fence around them, too. Don't argue this one with me, talk amongst yourselves. I am told that there is a mandate to have a fence around an in ingrown pool listed somewhere, but I could not find it in the by laws.

2) Build a better boat ramp for Cedar Lake. The current one is almost impossible to access, and put a boat in the water from. A new ramp could be built at the recreation area, off to either side, and be safe not only for those at the beach, but for the boaters themselves.

And the number one, thing for the Town to do is:

1) Stop promoting the development of land along old Route 15 unless you are willing to supply town water and sewer to the area as well. What developer today is going to consider building a retail, or business area without those town services? Too much risk with sinking a well, and building huge septic systems. This is the 21st century, not 1962.

That being said, it is only logical for the next step to be building a water larger treatment facility. Face it, if you are going to encourage growth to add to the tax base, then you need to spend some money to make some money.

So, there is the list. Random, I know, but I am sure some of these things have crossed your mind as well. Now, your mission, if you decide to accept it, is to forward this post onto to others. Let them read it, and pass it on. It's fodder for thought, and thought encourages action.

Oh, and one more thing:

We need a freakin' movie theater in this town!

Sorry. That one just escaped.