May 2006

Comments by Frank Socha to Ed Johnson

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

A few years ago, I submitted an article to a local paper on Frank, who is our Noank Fire District Chairman. I was not satisfied with the final editing of the article and have therefore chosen to put down Frank’s actual comments. They speak for themselves; he makes good sense, and always has.  And most of his remarks apply to our local area, not just Noank. However, at the time I requested these comments from him, I asked him to focus on our village and the people living in it.        Ed Johnson

” We still have a system based on property value, not ability to pay. We therefore need some way to stop penalizing people who choose to remain in their homes for a long time. The fact that the Noank area has become so desirable due to location and favorable comparisons to other areas should not become a de facto penalty to those of us, especially our elders, who make Noank the great village it is (50 years ago, Noank was not considered a desirable location, due to its fishing heritage).

I believe the best way for Groton (and the State of Connecticut) to correct this disparity is some system based on purchase price of the property. In this way those who feel compelled to spend large sums of money to live near the water, whether it is Noank, GLP, West Mystic or parts of Groton City(Jupiter Point, etc) would pay more than those who have lived here a long time and have made many non-monetary contributions to the community. Perhaps a sliding scale based on time lived in a house could be developed. Some type of adjustment would have to be made for property transferred by inheritance. Thus the person who just bought a house on Hadley Court for $720,000 would pay more than a long-time resident, for example, who has been here many years and has made lasting contributions to Noank as a member of the ZBA.

As I have always maintained, we are truly fortunate to live in this area. For example, now that the rest of the world seems to see how great our village is, this should not cause us to have to arbitrarily pay more taxes, ultimately for less service. As example, while our Fire District has maintained and expanded to some degree the level of service to Noank and Mumford Cove, the Town of Groton has been cutting services everywhere in Town. I believe this area has seen a disproportionate decline in town services due to various factors, such as low crime, lack of major commercial areas, low wear and tear on local roads, etc.

Ultimately Noank really is about people. We have a nice village because over many years we have had many wise and involved people help shape our little piece of the world. The credit must go to people like Mort Wright, Walt Palmer, Sam Carson, Don Robinson and too many others to name, who gave selflessly to this area and whose past decisions still impact our life today.

Looking forward, I see living near the water remaining an attractive target for people of means. Unfortunately, over time this will change our area. We still need people who live here to remain involved in the decision process and make wise decisions about our future, and hopefully the future for some of our children.

Jimmy Buffett was asked once to sit in on a forum in Key West to discuss its future and how to deal with its transition from a 70’s honky tonk town of notorious characters to a beachhead for tourists. When asked what he felt would be the best thing to happen for the future of Key West, he responded something like ‘a category 5 hurricane’. Needless to say his answer was not expected. I think he wished Key West to return to what he knew it to be in his early years. Many of us would like our area to do the same. While a hurricane may be an answer, the price is too high. We have done a fair job to safeguard our community…perhaps too good. Those with means looking to buy into a community will continue to head our way. What they may not understand is that you cannot buy what we we have. Those of us who have been here a while have an intangible part of us that is, for example, Noank. It is an attitude and philosophy, not geography. It must be earned… and some may never get it.”