George McNaughton is one of 3 candidates for 2 Springfield Select Board seats on the ballot in next week's Town Meeting Day election.
2014TopNewStories
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Campaign ad takes humorous approach
George McNaughton is one of 3 candidates for 2 Springfield Select Board seats on the ballot in next week's Town Meeting Day election.
2014TopNewStories
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It's about time someone has the *@#$ to say this out loud! You have my vote!
ReplyDeleteGeorge - I hope you get on the board, I really do. But you need to get over your obsession with New Jersey. It's getting to the point where you appear compulsive with this "bad bad New Jersey" is to blame for our drug problems. Recognition of a problem is the first step to finding a solution.
ReplyDeleteOur own citizens are creating a DEMAND for drugs which thugs from nearby metro areas are filling. If we were closer to DC or Detroit or Chicago then the heroin would be coming from one of those urban areas. If there were no metro area nearby then our home-grown druggies would have set up meth labs.
Parts of NJ are a darn sight nicer than the areas that have turned into VT slums up here, don't kid yourself.
And good luck.
you will have to elaborate A LOT more than that for my vote!....great luck!
ReplyDeletePlease visit the Springfield United for Action, or the Springfield Alternative Development group sites on Facebook, or the Vote for George site on Facebook, where you will find plenty of elaboration.
DeleteJean -- I understand, the point was we need an effective plan regarding the drug problem which we do not have. Opiates are a problem over all of Vermont which Governor Shumlin correctly pointed out. However, we need to get the local neighborhoods geared up and improve the communication between the neighborhoods and the Selectboard and the police, to the extent that when a neighborhood reports a problem they have some confidence that intervention will occur. We need to root out the drug dens, and in order to do that we need to have a good working relationship and confidence with and in the Town Government. Right now we do not have either. We cannot completely solve the drug problem on our own, but we can drive it thoroughly back out of sight, and reduce the amount of drug related burglaries, etc.
ReplyDeleteIs "Jean" Jean Willard? The uninformed old lady in N.Springfield who wants to protect the industrial park from ever getting industry in it?... Oh yeah... Lets listen to what she has to say... she definitely isn't part of the "Brick Wall" -- NOT
ReplyDeleteGeorge. I agree. I really think you should stop with the broken record about NJ being the root cause of Springfield's problems because I find it detracts from your credibility. Drug dealers from NJ, NY, CT, MA are welcomed with open arms by our local addicts. Just look at the woman who had hundreds of bags of heroin under her child's car seat. Look at the punks who beat up and rob people in their homes. Born and raised here.
ReplyDeleteI think the root cause has to do with prescription drugs. Take a look at this:
http://www.novusdetox.com/oxycodone-drug-use.php
How about we lead the way in severly regulating if not banning these drugs? Doctors practically throw them at patients who are NOT suffering from the chronic pain for which they were intended.
@6:48
Nope. Ms WIllard have had the name much longer than I have, but she does not have exclusive rights to it.
You are of course welcome not to heed what I write for other reasons, but please don't mistake me for Jean Willard. I would have thought that after all the arguing I did for the biomass plant, THAT would have been obvious.
I have to take issue with your "root cause" argument. Two years ago, I had surgery. When being released to finish recovery at home I was given a script for oxycodone. My breat-bone was in two pieces (heart surgery) and I needed something fight the pain. Taking Tylenol or Advil would not have been strong enough. I needed the oxy - all 30 pills of them. When those ran out, I got more - a whole 10 more. That's it. Done. I didn't become addicted, and the Doctor certainly didn't "throw them" at me. Yes, there are bad doctors doing bad things. That doesn't mean you ban the drug. There are bad drivers doing bad things (drunk drivers killing people), but that doesn't mean you ban cars. You go after the people doing the bad behavior, not the "tools" they used doing the behavior.
DeleteKroneg, I am not about to say that prescribing prescrption opiates was inapprpriate in your case. But please take a look at this link and scroll down to "pain pill nation."
Deletehttp://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110724/NEWS02/107240308/Prescription-drug-abuse-Vermont-problem-epidemic-proportions-
My husband was in a motrocycle accident where his injuries were not as severe as yours and he of course got the presription for the oxycontin. Like you, he did not become addicted, but he is not the type to become an addict. Furthermore he works for a living as opposed to sitting around with time on his hands. Please take a look at this too:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/02/19/industry-resistance-delays-painkillers-with-abuse-resistant-technology-that-could-save-lives/985LvkPBglreqo2RGzbbLJ/story.html
There are signs that the rise in heroin addiction parallels the approval, marketing and sales of oxycontin.
LOL. If I lived in Springfield I'd vote for you. Funny!
ReplyDeleteI think George needs to be hired on as the town manager where is drive and determination can have a more pronounced effect on the municipal government and its failings. His energy and enthusiasm will merely be dampened out by the do-nothings on the board.
ReplyDeleteGeorge, so.....what is your plan?
ReplyDeleteMy ideas have been published extensively on Gather.com, and in various groups on Facebook. At least one article has been picked up on this blogsite -- not sure my cut and paste skills are up to the task of publishing them again here. But you can see the one article on this blogsite.
Deletehttp://springfieldvt.blogspot.com/2014/02/opinion-springfield-needs-to-go-all-in.html This is just one of the articles.
DeleteHe is great as reiterating problems. Haven't yet heard of a single, feasible solution. It's easy to point out the issues that we all know exist. This is called whining. We don't want whiners in a seat of office. Please detail you ideas for change, not just the obvious problems! Please make them realistic and feasible to the majority of the Springfield residents.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he keeps publishing articles that might detract and distract us from vigorously pursuing the same policies the Town has been pursuing for the last decade. How silly can you be to push for a cyber center to encourage small internet businesses. The obvious solution to a majority of Springfield residents is to cut services and wait for the machine shops to return. Besides we have a thriving black market in drugs which we need to help develop here.
DeleteThe town also needs to look at internal problems and causes of low morale within the police department.
ReplyDeleteI can answer that question about morale in the SPD. They are way over worked, they need more officers. When they do something good people find an excuse to cut them down when they do something that isn't exactly what is needed people turn into armchair cops.
DeleteMy ad has been taken as a shot aimed at the Springfield Police rank and file. It was not intended as such. The Officers on the beat are constrained and directed by the Police Department leadership and Town leadership. From what I am hearing on the street, the morale problem is directly connected with the leadership which is very often the case in public agencies. I have high respect for our officers on the beat. But from what I am hearing Anonymous 3:22 is more on target that Anonymous 10:55.
DeleteMr. McNaughton,
ReplyDeleteIt appears that your hearing issues from an disgruntled employee and only listen to one side of the issue. Have you spoken to the police leadership? I don't know if that would be much good as it appears that you have already made up your mind without getting the complete facts. I hope if you make select board that you don't govern the same way.
I doubt that there is "a" disgruntled employee, disgruntled is the rule, not the exception
DeleteYou wouldn't be the officer who was sitting in a Springfield cruiser, on duty with you laptop on surfing face book would you? Maybe the administration should be the disgruntled party. The word on the street as I here it, is they should be. Taxpaying dollars hard at work!
DeleteIt sounds like Mr. McNaughton has an agenda. In the past people with an agenda have not faired well. I also remember Mr McNaughton when he was on the school board. He claimed that if we kept supporting the schools and their budgets it would help attract business! Now hear we sit with a 28 million dollar plus budget,So where are those businesses George? Lastly if anyone should know the legal definition of hearsay, it shoud be Mr. McNaughton as he is an attorney!
ReplyDeleteWhat's George going to tear that brick wall down with, his bare hands? Seems to me if you're advocating tearing something like that down, you at least ought to have the tools in your hands to do it! Or will the next commercial feature George ripping open his shirt and revealing the giant "S" on his chest???
ReplyDeleteCome on. NO elected representative can do it alone. If you are happy with the status quo, then vote the guys back in who treat Springfield's tax revenues as their personal feed trough. If you want someone who will at leastr TRY to shake things up, vote for George.
ReplyDeleteThe preceding was merely a commentary on a glaring omission in his amusing ad and was not intended as a criticism of the candidate himself, who is Springfield's only hope for a bountiful future as an economic powerhouse wrapped inside an environmental paradise safely tucked away in a social utopia! George! George! George! Superman! George! George! George!
DeleteIt's not about "shaking things up". It's about leading. In fact, "shaking things up" has proven to be nothing but delays in forward progress when a system is lead appropriately. We need to town management. Town leadership! It is so simple to me I feel like it is a waste of time to type this. The Manager paid a nice salary leads his department heads, who are paid a very nice salary who then appropriately lead their organization to operate feasibly. The volunteer select board should be a checks and balances group. That's it! Not the leaders of the town, not the ones to solve our drug problems or the ones to solve our failing grand list. It is the job of the management to do that.
DeleteWhat is the five year plan for Springfield. What are the goals the manager has set for his town and his subordinates? Were they met? If not, you find out why and then make the appropriate changes. People in this town think the select board is the "all mighty" and if they truly are,,,then that's the problem with Springfield.
We put people in high paying positions to make this a nice town. Give them the authority to do it and hold them accountable. If they are failing then remove them. It shouldn't be up to a volunteer board to manage each department.
If we want the Select board to manage, then pay them the appropriate amount and put high school kids in the positions of department heads to just follow orders provided by them. When that is done, then the select board can be held accountable for the condition of the town.
The proclivity of government at all levels is to at least create the appearance of micromanagement. This gives politicians the opportunity to claim credit for positive accomplishments, while still remaining safely behind the primary managers who can be blamed for any negative outcomes.
DeleteThe posters point that municipal managers and department heads should be held accountable for their performance and removed when and if that performance is deemed unsatisfactory is a good one. That concept seems lost on Springfield however.
It appears Mr. McNaughton knows how to market himself using the Blog spot and face book . However after reviewing it, it appears to be rhetoric and smoke and mirrors. Can't get our hopes up as everything you mentioned has been offered before. Everyone seems to come up with a jingle to sell them self. Thinking back on your tenure as a School Board member I can't remember any occasion where you amounted to anything monumental. In terms of the brick wall you speak about, if elected I'll bet I know what that wall will be, Town Charter, Union Contracts, policies and procedures etc. best of luck!
ReplyDeleteIt is very apparent that George has an agenda regarding the police administration. So here's a piece of advice to George, it would be best that you hear both sides of the story, before making wrongful assumptions about the administration. Otherwise, I hope that you are hungry George because you are going to eat lots of crow.
ReplyDeleteIt's very apparent that you are a member of Chief Johnston's PPP - Police Protective Posse! Every municipal department and every manager should be scrutinized, including SPD. That's not an "agenda", that's just responsible government. Now get back to reading the latest edition of True Crimes!
DeletePersonally, I prefer politicians with no agenda whatsoever. Lack of a plan makes Town government more real. I revel in reality, it inspires local entrepreneurs to create their own economies free of taxation. Why look at that recent ingenious mother who came up with a new form of seat padding for her child. Now we need more innovative thinking in the private sector like that, and less governmental interference like those cops who busted her.
DeleteWe just have to keep having our officers set up speed traps. That is the only sure way to catch these "jersey boys" that are peddling the drugs in our communities. If our officers can spend 85% of their time on Clinton Street pulling people over, before you know it, no one will want to drive into this town including those pesky "Jersey Boys."
DeleteWell, well,well...George easy for you to sit back and pass judgement based on what one side says. Did you ever take a moment to look into the issues the police administration may be faced with. The answer is pretty obvious.This town is upside down, drug infested and falling apart. Our forces in this town are over worked and short staffed. Easy for someone such as yourself to sit back and give your two cents worth. Let's see you do the job in this town. I would also add that you may want to tell your sources that they themselves stand nothing to gain from their childish acts and it only makes them look bad. One positive in this is that it shows me people shouldn't vote for one sided people such as yourself as we need people to govern this town who support it and not rip apart.
ReplyDeleteYou are clearly satisfied with the status quo so your choice should clearly be Mike Knoras and Christi Morris. I have repeatedly said that those satisfied with the status quo and the direction the Town is going should not vote for me. My concern is the low morale in the police department amongst the rank and file, and apparent policies that do not increase the visibility of the police presence in drug hotspots. As you know the Charter limits the ability of the Selectboard to intervene directly, however, it can place pressure on the Town Manager who in turn must deal with police leadership. There is general concern and lack of confidence in the police leadership in Town, that must change if we are goin to successfully challenge the drug issues. Once confidence in leadership rises,then there will be less resistance to adding staff.
DeleteMaybe you should walk a mile in their shoes, they are so overworked, and need more officers. There is nothing wrong with what they have the just need more help.
ReplyDeleteAs I pointed out at a drugs and gangs forum a year and a half ago, the $280,000 that Chief Johnston said was needed to hire the four more cops that are needed averaged out to three $1.39 cups of coffee per week per Springfield household.
DeleteIt says a lot about the civic mentality in Springfield that people simply cannot relate to how much more they can get for what they pay in taxes. I think maybe we won the Simpsons contest on more than just creativity of approach.
Chuck, while I agree with you, I don't think the public will support it until we restored confidence in the leadership. If we have the Chief making sure that officers are assigned to specifically interact with neighborhood leaders and the neighborhood youth know and trust them, then there will be massive support to add more police. Until then, not so much. Again, do not see this as a rank and file problem.
DeleteYou are correct Mr. Gregory in stating what the Chief had to say at the drug and Gang forum. I was there too and amazingly I did not see George there. How about the take back our town meetings, I was there and I recall seeing members of the police administration there too. George was never there or were you George??? How about the neighborhood watch meetings?. I was at some of them and so were officers of the patrol division and police administration. I never heard about George being at any of them. Get my point George.
ReplyDeleteGeorge says that if you like the status quo then vote for Knoras and Morris. Both candidates have publicly applauded the police department for the way that they have been handling the drug issues within the town, even with the shortages they face. I agree with them and they will have my vote. This is a reflection of the police leadership that George likes to be critical of, so I guess it is true that he does have an agenda.
Actually, I attended nearly all of the meetings mentioned and spoke from the audience at several. Have also attended several of the D.O.C. Town meetings held at the V.I.T. Center. I was at the early large demand Selectboard meetings and was one of the voices that goaded the Selectboard into action. But, no I was not on the Selectboard or sitting up front. Don't mind being criticized for my ideas, but don't think I can be criticized for not expressing them. I also tried to publicly come to the defense of both the Selectboard's attempt to crack down on the drug dens via a rental ordinance and the School Board's attempt to improve security around Union Street Elementary.
ReplyDeleteThe rental registry has been promoted by its supporters as a means of enabling the Fire Dept. to inform landlords when fires have occurred in their rental properties, and to enable the health officer to find landlords when violations are discovered and need mitigation. It should not be seen as a means of controlling illegal drug trafficing, simply because it won't work.
DeleteLandlords have no police powers and must give several days notice before they can enter a tenant's premises. Certainly landlords should be held responsible if they are actively participating in narcotics trafficing, but as a Springfield landlord I found police (town, state and federal) were uninterested when I reported obvious drug trafficing going on in an apartment I rented. They wanted to arrest a whole organization of dealers, not just one.
Chris, I agree.
DeleteSeveral years ago the Fire Marshal inspected rental properties for safety, but somehow properties on Union St which anyone can see from the exterior are not in compliance got a pass.
You can take this for what it is worth, I think there should be a carrot and stick system for ALL property owners, not just rentals, to keep their property in good shape.
Well maintained properties should get a bonus, eyesores like the ones opposite that blue 2-unit in front of Union St school should be subject to an increase in taxes if not an "eyesore fine." What self respecting person would want to live in a dump like those? And as it is the cops keep having to chase squatters out of those and the blue drug den.That tells you what kind of resident those places attract. And what about when these vermin squat in foreclosed homes?
The rental ordinance may have its value somewhere, but I think it is delusional to think that it will make a dent in the drug problem.
I would not want to see the elderly and infirm be hit by a tax when they are not able to carry out the repairs and maintenence, but someone who owns the property as an investment can put on their big girl panties and either fix it up or make up the taxes to the town coffers that are being lost by the drop in property values. Just FYI I got my property taxes reduced by over 2/3 owing to the Union St problems.The gal who owned perfectly nice house next to the one being held up by a tree was unable to sell it for two years. No one wanted to look at it because of the dump right next door (which is now gone).
Now do the math. What happens when other Springfielders grieve their taxes and reduce their assessed values?
Coming Soon - Chuck's Tea Emporium, where all proceeds on non-coffee sales will be directed to the Springfield Police Department. Note: Small Communist Party surcharge imposed on all sales will be utilized to purchase a one-way ticket for Chuck to the Communist wonderland of his choosing.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, 10:07! Let me know when you come up with a better idea for funding improved policing in Springfield. Just make sure it's based on capitalism.
DeleteSince when have you wanted capitalism involved with anything chuck?
DeleteI am a citizen of this town and never comment on these blogs however, I can no longer be silent. I attended the Neighborhood watch meetings, Mr. McNaughton was not there, nor was he at the budget workshops, or the public meeting on the budget. I didn't see him at any of the public forums, further he did not attend any of the neighborhood watch meetings I attended. I know who Mr. McNaughton is and he was NOT there. Apparently the police aren't the only ones who appear to be invisible! You seems to have a negative opinion of the police, and town administration, the select board. With your negativity toward EVERYONE it would be hard for you to work in a positive manner for the good of the citizens of Springfield.
ReplyDeleteYou may not be silent, but as long as you are anonymous your voice has no resonance, no echo. BTW you state that Mc attended neither the Neighborhood watch meetings nor the neighborhood watch meetings. Isn't that a double-tap?
DeleteI was at the Not in Our Town meetings. I was the one who argued in favor of getting GPS anklets available for the Judges to use when Defendants were released on conditional bail. I was at the Town meetings before that and argued that increasing the visibility of police was not rocket science. I did not attend the individual neighborhood meetings as, to my knowledge, none were held for my neighborhood which is in the country, but I did offer to the Union Street group through Lori Clafee to help them officially set up a formal association. I was not taken up on the offer.
DeleteInteresting, I am fairly sure I heard him going head to head with Chair of the Selectboard at a meeting, and being argumentative with the State's Attorney at the Not In Our Town. He is a bit too irascible to miss don't you think?
DeleteNow, now, it's better to pretend that such people were not there, they say things that make people uncomfortable. Let's just agree that only the Chief of Police attended the meetings and everything is under control. Are you trying to wreck our number one industry or something?
DeleteYou are right, he doesn't seem to play well with the current administration. This election may well turn on whether the citizens really want someone who will play nice with those who have been running the Town government for the last 6 years. Its a good observation, though that he has been mainly on the attack. He seems to be targeting the Town Manager and The Chief of Police. The Selectboard Chair also seems to be in the crosshairs a lot. One would have expected him to go after Mike Knoras more, why is he leaving Mike alone? It's almost like his message is more important to him than getting elected.
DeleteChuck, why should we be even considering getting more police when jut about each and every police chief in VT has publicly stated that the drug epidemic is a rpoblem that we can't arrest ourselves out of? Wouldn't that non-existent money be better spent on prevention and treatment?
ReplyDeleteJean, you are correct in what the police chiefs have said, however, there is general agreement, I believe that police visibility and presence tends to drive the drug activity underground. So you are less likely to see drug deals going down in broad daylight in the parking lots, or have obvious houses in the country where there is a steady stream of cars coming and going to buy drugs -- if you have police presence. We cannot expect the local police to be the ones to break up the drug rings, etc. But we can make overt drug transactions as obvious, and we can do limited neighborhood crack downs. We may, or may not, have enough police to make a dramatic increase in police visibility -- but adding one more police officer is not going to break the bank, and if it eliminates the scheduling excuses being given by the Police Chief, then I support it. As for the treatmnent, what we have in this State is a lot of verbal support for treatment -- but lack of political will to create the facilities to actually do it. And although treatment and rehabilitation has become a major industry in Springfield, its got some real problems.
DeleteJean, I agree with you about the nature of the drug problem. It's much more the same sort of problem that Prohibition caused. Decriminalize alcohol, regulate the manufacture and distribution, and suddenly gangs are not shooting at one another for huge profits-- or any profits, for that matter. Make it possible for family, friends and loved ones to point out to the abuser that he/she has a problem, without the worry of having him/her arrested. Use funding that used to go for raids, arrests, trials and prisons to rehabilitate. And make revenues by fining and if necessary otherwise punishing those who abuse and present public dangers like DUI. Start thinking of alcohol as another gateway drug, and suddenly other gateway drugs become as manageable as alcoholism.
DeleteMy point at that meeting was that four more officers were much more affordable than the figure of $280,000 made it appear.
George, by " I also tried to publicly come to the defense of both the Selectboard's attempt to crack down on the drug dens via a rental ordinance and the School Board's attempt to improve security around Union Street Elementary." do you mean to say that you support the idea of using taxpayer monies to pay an exorbitant asking price for a property which was known to house drug dealers and repeat criminal offenders and drove down values up and down Union St? And where said property has been listed by one of the selectboard members and therefore stands to profit from a commission based on price? The same selectboard member who himself owns rental properties in that neighborhood and who successfully fought against an ordinance targeting rental properties? Is that what your reference to "improve secutiry" refers to? Please correct me if I am mistaken.
DeleteAnd what is the point of making drug transactions less obvious? I think we all know that there are locations where cars pull up, someone goes into the house and comes out 10 minutes later. It may not be obvious to those who live more than a block away but that does not mean it doesn't happen.
I think the Springfield Police are doing a fine job; it's the court system that needs to be revamped.
ps-- if the morale problem is due to insufficient staffing, then it would be worth the price of three cups of coffee per household per week to remedy it, drug problem or not.
DeleteJean, the drug dealing has been here for decades and we are not going to wipe out the drug use completely by local action. However, what has happened over the last decade is that it has become increasingly overt. When that happens, you start having gangs fighting over distribution turf and recruitment, you have violence, and you have youth being pulled into the distribution chain. The upshot is that the middle class start moving out of town because they don't feel omfortable here anymore. Yes, I defended the school's attempt. You are right, though that they should have made the attempt earlier before the property changed hands. Because of the elementary school being located in that neighborhood, cleaning up Union Street has to be a priority. We are losing young middle class couples as residents in part because of this issue. There is a steady stream of such couples moving to Weathersfield and Cavendish, which is in part why I couldn't recruit a younger person to run.
DeleteI agree with chuck gregory, we should legalize all drugs.
ReplyDeleteI never said anything about wiping out the drug problem. What I did was to question the expenditure of seed money in the form of a grant that would obligate the town or the school to fund a police officer (with VERY generous salary and benefits) to create a police presence in the schools.
ReplyDeleteI also have a huge issue with using taxpayer money to buy a rundown property for over twice what it is worth and furthermore benefiting the selectboard member who is a landlord. The previous asking price for that property was $117.5k. It's market value is about $40k. The actions of the owner have driven property values in the area down by about 80 %. No one can tell me after all the hot air about getting tough on out of state absentee landlords that the solution to the drug problem has to involve rewarding landlords who allow their properties to deteriorate and who allow known drug dealers and criminals to reside there. That would be a slap in the face to all of us who have maintained our properties and fought against the slumification of the neighborhood. Do you really want to send the message out that if you can't sell your trashy multi-unit, the thing to do is to let it become such a danger to the community that the only way out for the community is to pay whatever sky-high price your realtor-selectboard member puts on the listing?
And to boot, the owner on record of 47 Union St resides in NJ.
So much for getting tough on irresponsible landlords!
I agree on the inflated price. And the salt in the wound applied by that particular Selectboard member. What I am concerned about is that since both the School and the Town have been slapped down by the voters, that both will wash their hands of trying to solve the problem. Its going to require persistent efforts to solve it. Clumsy prior attempts aside, I prefer attempts to solve it than simply standing idly by.
DeleteGeorge, is everything ok? are you alright?
ReplyDeleteSeveral Town Officials have indicated that they no longer read this blogspot because of the negativity. I am not one of them. I may not always respond on the blogspot, but I will periodically be reading it. I would hope that those who criticize projects or actions, will also state how they would like to have had it handled -- if you don't I will tend to ignore the post. If you propose alternatives that will help turn the town around, then I will pay careful attention -- I may not agree, but I will pay attention. Also, I would hope that the rest of the Town would flood this blogspot with proposals for positive change, rather than merely taking negative shots without any alternative thinking. I wish to thank those who supported me.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to read a full thread of topics because most of these comments get pulled waaay off topic by chuck gregory advertising is abstract views of government.
DeleteCongratulations to Springfield for passing its school budget, even though it eliminated 22 teachers and support staff, eliminated its superb Russian language program, and decided advanced placement math and English were not worth the money spent.
DeleteThere is a proverbial saying that gentle surgeons leave dirty wounds. Springfield's leadership must become non-gentle social surgeons, and get to work. It must remember that, as Aristotle said, "All improvement in society begins with the education of the young." Until our educators and community become focused on providing all our children the skills, knowledge and values necessary to live purposeful, fulfilling lives, and not simply meeting state requirements, our social problems are not going away. Certainly these goals can be met within the limits of a reasonable budget.
Any society that bemoans that it is degenerating socially and economically, yet reduces educational opportunities in its schools, while pleading for more police, should not be surprised that it continues its slow motion collapse. Yet maybe we can promote our physical and social decay as an asset!
A scenic tour route for vistors should be mapped, so a curious tourist can view our local attractions, sort of Springfield's version of a ghetto tour. There is much to see: delapidated private buildings; purported drug dens; public buildings that have not met fire safety codes; empty factories; streets that compete with rough terrain courses, but do stimulate the auto repair industry; a correctional center; and sewage treatment rfacilities. Springfield might even designate Bishop's storage building, which leans toward the brook on Valley St., as a cultural icon, rather than an eye sore. Name it "the Leaning Tower of Springfield", and put one of the Simpson dummies in front of it.
The tour guide should not miss all the locations where the Springfield water mains have blown out after the state engineered and supervised construction of "improvements" in the water system, such as: in front of the library, in front of the police station, in front of the town garage, in Bibens parking lot, in front of David Yesman's house on Park St., as well as under Route 11.
The water main failures were excellent examples of what happens when the state makes demands, then engineers, supervises construction of "improvements", inspects the same, and approves use of the new physical infrastructure, then denies any responsibility when it fails and disaster strikes, and orders town officials not to speak to victims.
Note: The Town of Springfield found out after the water main failures that insurance premiums it has paid to The Vermont League of Cities and Towns did not insure private property owners from damages resulting from failed public water mains. Therefore, should not property owners adjacent to town water mains have property evaluations that reflect they are located next to buried hydraulic time bombs? Private insurance companies and the town's insurance company don't protect them. Real estate law mandates hidden defects must be revealed to prospective buyers, and buried time bombs are hidden defects. Should not property evaluations reflect the same? Is there an attorney reading this blog that wants a class action suit?