noankjail

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

Climate Change and the need for Action

by Ed Johnson

The world as we know it is ending and the things that we take for granted won’t be there for us in the future. In desperation, we try to cling to lifestyles that we cannot continue to live. We try to ignore the truth about what is really happening to our world….the earth as we know it…and we are haunted by fear and discomfort as we avoid the willingness to confront change.

The above summation was part of the message that 40 people received at an environmental program sponsored by the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network on September 12, 2014 and hosted by the Noank Baptist Church. The primary guest speaker was Mr. Jay O’Hara who had recently come from his trial in Bristol County, Massachusetts pertaining to his involvement in blockading a ship containing 40,000 tons of coal from being unloaded at the Brayton Point power plant.

On May 15th in 2013, Mr. O’Hara and his associate, Mr. Ken Ward, had maneuvered the lobster boat “Henry David T” into position near a large unloading pier and securely anchored the craft where it would prevent a large coal freighter from unloading. This was done as a non-violent protest to stop a higher level of crime (pollution) from being committed. The lobster boat was boarded by both local Police and Coast Guard and the two men were later arrested on several charges including disturbance of the peace and negligent operation of a boat. However, the initial result prevented the freighter from unloading that day and this incident created a large amount of publicity.

Additional major publicity followed the event in July 2013 when 400 protesters marched to the gate of the power plant, resulting in 44 peaceful protest arrests. The plant is scheduled to become inactive as a coal fired power station facility in 2017, having served the largest in New England, despite recent changes in ownership.

At the trial earlier this month, charges against both Mr. O’Hara and Mr. Ward were actually dropped or reduced by the District Attorney, Mr. Samuel Sutter, who stated that the prosecution was sympathetic to the men for their courage in challenging a problem that could affect the health and future of the children in Bristol County.

But the main thrust of Mr. O’Hara’s program at the Noank church is that, in addition to confronting the problems described above in the first paragraph of this article, we need to develop a much stronger attitude towards actively stopping the destruction of our planet. We all need to develop the “willingness to no longer be safe” and instead be more willing and less afraid of taking direct action. By placing themselves visibly in the direct path of a coal freighter, Mr. Ward and Mr. O’Hara disclosed the truth and forced people to make decisions about something that is having a very negative effect on our planet…it is called pollution…and it is called global warming….and it is reality.

We can no longer leave this problem to others to solve….because they won’t. We all have to step up to the plate…now. Mr. O’Hara made this point very clearly. And, let’s face it….most of us already know this.

In conclusion, the largest climate change march and rally in history will be held and start in New York City on September 21st, 2014 at 11:30 AM on Central Park West between 65th and 86th Streets. Further information on the specifics of this event can be found at: http://www.peoplesclimate.org and more info about the Eco Justice activity at http://www.irejn.org

Additional source information for this article can be found on Google at:

Lobster Boat Blockades Coal Freighter
Brayton Point Power Station
Brayton Point Gate Protest

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

KAREN SCHULTZMAN REMEMBERED

by Ed Johnson

(Some short remarks that really don’t do justice to the lady….ej)

There was a recent obituary on Karen Schultzman which was a good summary of her life and accomplishments. She was a member of the Burbine family living in Noank and Karen had lost no time getting very involved in local Noank activities, including being a manager at the Carson’s Store and frequently assisting the efforts of the Noank Baptist Church Choir. Her Oboe playing, including solos, were always a welcome addition to spice up those events.

Indeed, what I remember most about Karen was her enthusiasm in conversation, matched only by her enthusiasm for music. Many years ago, she generated considerable interest in creating fund raising efforts for the Noank-Mystic Community Band, and managed to sucker in a group of us, led by James Abruzzese, to operate an annual chicken barbeque dinner prior to the 4th of July Band Concerts in the center of Noank. It was a lot of work but there were actually a few times when we cooked the chicken properly so that the birds didn’t walk off the customers plates. Thus I felt that the paying customers were really there to support people like Karen, and therefore tolerated our culinary delicacies.

Karen’s enthusiasm and community spirit were infectious. We found it was easier to give in and do things her way because convincing her otherwise was impossible. And I believe that her popularity at Carson’s was not because of the food she served (which was fine anyway) but because of the way she entertained the customers, many of whom returned just to see her.

Karen Schultzman embodies what some of us would call ”the Spirit of Old Noank.” She was a fixture of strong community involvement, loved kids and animals… and those of us who knew her will miss Karen very much. May God bless her Soul for what she gave us.

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

“A Quiet Advantage”

by Ed Johnson

When my wife and I lived and worked in New York City, our apartment was on the first floor near St. Vincent’s Hospital in the West Village area of Manhattan. The frequent sound of ambulance sirens going past our window, especially at night, was disruptive and annoying. It was not long before we decided to move to a quieter garden apartment out in New Jersey, but close to New York, and we certainly slept more soundly as a result.

Years later, we moved to Noank and joined the local Fire/EMS Department, which gave us a different perspective on the use of sirens as safety devices. We came to understand how useful and necessary they could be under difficult circumstances in an effort to save someone’s life, especially in medical emergencies. This was also brought home to me first-hand when I was a Board member of Mystic River Homes years ago.

Older people living in facilities such as Mystic River Homes & Congregate Housing frequently require rapid medical attention, especially involving heart and diabetic related issues. This usually results in fast responses by the local rescue truck & responders, plus ambulances, police and paramedics. The primary streets of Route 215 and Elm Street are the most frequently utilized. However, the advantage for the residents living near Mystic River Homes is that once the responders arrive near Harger Drive, sirens are not needed and there is no more noise.

However, recently, there was an article in the DAY concerning a commercial firm wanting to develop the Noank School property as an elderly housing facility, rather than using it as a public garden for the benefit of the entire town, a concept which has already received wide public approval. Among other problems, such a project would require increased water and sewage usage as well as a major increase in local Fire/EMS services. Local Noank Fire District taxes might be affected as a result.

But the major effect would be on the local Prospect Hill area residents. With any elderly housing development will come increased ambulance & EMS response, frequently with sirens being utilized all the way to the Noank School property. It cannot be avoided on urgent calls….and these calls frequently come at night, just like they do in New York City. This results in a major change in an existing, quiet neighborhood, primarily for the benefit of a commercial developer.

And there is another more suitable way to increase housing for the elderly. Please note the following suggestions:

a) If someone wants to build an additional elderly housing facility, they can do it on existing land in a quiet area which is available on the Mystic River Homes Property for just such a purpose. The land has been available for expanded development for the past 40 years. There are existing utilities on the property which can be expanded from the Congregate building.

b) Citizens should now support the concept of the Noank School Community Garden, which is being presented to the Groton Town Council Committee of the Whole on Tuesday May 13th at 6:00 PM.

c) You can help create that support by attending the upcoming Tuesday May 6th Town Council Meeting itself at the Town Hall Annex at the top of Fort Hill and speaking briefly in support of the Garden during “Citizen’s Petitions” at 7:00 PM… IN ADVANCE of the presentation noted above….and is the only time the public can speak BEFORE the presentation.

d) And, in addition, write the Council and/or call Council members directly, or E-mail them directly….RIGHT AWAY….showing your support of the community garden. Time is short.

Mail to the Council – % the Town Clerks Office, Town of Groton, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340

Council Member Email (add @groton-ct.gov) Phone

Mayor Rita Schmidt rschmidt 860 536 1476
Genevieve Cerf gcerf ” ” 3241
Joe de la Cruz jdelacruz ” 445 8687
Bruce Flax bflax ” 536 3532
Robert Frink rfrink ” ” 6254
Rich Moravsik rmoravsik ” ” 3760
Deb Peruzzotti dperuzzotti ” 446 8394
Heather Somers hsomers ” 910 0045
Harry Watson hwatson ” 705 4551

Thank you for reading this article. There is indeed a “quiet advantage” to having a public garden for ALL Groton citizens and at the same time not having too much noise in our lives. I hope you all agree !

Is there anyone reading today who can cite at least one example where the Republican Congress has NOT been obstructive, much less restrictive, regarding President Obama’s proposed policies or political position appointments? And how many times have they tried to defeat what we now refer to as “Obamacare,” a heath care system that is freely acknowledged to have been previously designed and successfully implemented in Massachusetts by a Republican governor?

Some of us who actually reside on the planet earth, and who are not from another planet, cannot help feeling apprehensive under the present circumstances….even with a possible resolution in sight by Thursday….

President Obama himself was recently quoted as saying “There’s not an action that I take that you don’t have some folks in Congress who say that I’m usurping my authority. Some of those folks think I usurp my authority by having the gall to win the presidency.”

Right…and we know those folks, don’t we?…as represented by that jerk who stood with some other nitwits outside the White House gates with a Confederate Flag? Gee, I wonder what he was trying to tell us? Was there something bothering him? Was he feeling uncomfortable about something?

So here’s a thought…..how many people out there feel that leading members of the Conservative “Koch Industries” Party…(I won’t even call them Republicans any more)…should be tried for Treason against the United States? Seriously…..didn’t they actively participate in a conspiracy to take over the Government….or did I miss something?

And no political party comes out a “winner” on this Shutdown….we’re already going to be paying heavily for it….even if the government actually re-opens and the debt limit is actually raised by tomorrow….it will take a long, expensive time to bring things back to normal. We’ve already lost billions…..let’s just hope the 1% feels the financial pressure as well….

It would appear that, for reasons unclear to me, someone on the 2008 Charter Revision Committee decided to eliminate the ability of qualified non-resident taxpayers paying $1000 or more in annual taxes to vote in local elections involving any referendum, much less local candidates. In my opinion, it would also appear that this was accomplished in a manner not likely to draw any attention to what was being done.

I make the above remark as a result of reviewing Charter Commission minutes, which included the attempted removal of the word “voter” from “Definitions,” as well as reviewing other documents. There is no clear cut statement actually denying the non-resident property owner the right to vote.

As a result, it is clear that Groton has chosen to eliminate the right of non-residents to vote on these local matters, despite the fact that many of them pay high taxes and would normally be allowed to vote per state statute. This constitutes unfairness and relates clearly to “taxation without representation.” As a US citizen, and Groton Resident Taxpayer, I feel this problem should be corrected as soon as possible.

Additionally, in my review of the Charter Commission minutes, the subject of Groton Taxpayers being unable to vote directly on an annual Budget Referendum remains an ongoing major concern. There still needs to be a fall-back safety provision for a Referendum allowing taxpayers the right to directly vote on the budget if the proposed increases by the Council and RTM go above a certain level. The criteria for this in the Charter needs to be established as soon as possible.

I also had the opportunity to review a GOSA map which includes property lines along Flanders Road. One large section caught my attention. If one drives North on Flanders Road from Rt 184, before reaching the Rt 95 Northbound traffic overpass, there is a large section of vacant land on the left side which is apparently not privately owned. It appears to be owned by the Town itself.

Personally, I am still opposed to the Flanders Road project for reasons of cost with insufficient return. However, I do remain curious about the use of the above existing TOG property and how that would relate to this project.

Notes from the Old Noank Jail

by Ed Johnson

Recently, a review of the Groton Town Charter, the Connecticut State Statutes and a recent communication from a Bond Attorney, indicates that non-residents who pay Groton Property Taxes in excess of one thousand dollars annually should be allowed to vote in Town Elections and Referendums.

In a recent inquiry into a different matter, relating to the upcoming referendum concerning Flanders Road, the Groton Town Manager forwarded a legal opinion from the Bond Attorneys at Day Pitney, LLP in Hartford, CT. This pertained to the Sewer Project and whether the City residents could vote on the Town project. The determination was that the project was Town-wide, affecting city residents as well.

That legal opinion also included the following language:

…..” there is no provision in the Town Charter or the Connecticut General Statutes permitting the exclusion of any eligible voter based upon residency outside the District or upon the absence of any tax liability
generally. ”

In other words, as this legal opinion could also relate to the situation involving non-resident Groton property owners, there is nothing written in the Town Charter that restricts them from voting.

The following paragraph from the attorneys then reads:

“The United States Supreme Court has held that restrictions upon a citizen’s fundamental right to vote, other than those of residence, age and citizenship, must be “carefully and meticulously scrutinized” and must necessarily “promote a compelling state interest” if they are to survive constitutional challenge. Under this strict standard of review, restrictions upon the right to vote to property owners, and by extension one may read “affected property owners”, generally have been declared unconstitutional.”

By interpretation, if there were to actually be such restrictive language in the Town Charter, it could be open to legal challenge. As for the question of residency, this is covered further in the state statute below.

Connecticut statute CGSA – 7.6 basically says that any adult citizen who pays annual property taxes to the Town of $1,000 or more is entitled to vote in a town election unless a municipality places a limit on that right. As mentioned above by the Bond Attorneys, there is no such specific limit in the Groton Town Charter.

The exact wording of the CT statute 7.6 reads:

“At any town meeting other than a regular or special town election or at any meeting of any fire, sewer or school district or any other municipal subdivision of any town incorporated by any special act, any person who is an elector of such town may vote and any citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years or more who, jointly or severally, is liable to the town, district or subdivision for taxes assessed against him on an assessment of not less than one thousand dollars on the last-completed grand list of such town, district or subdivision, or who would be so liable if not entitled to an exemption under subdivision (17), (19), (22), (23), (25) or (26) of section 12-81, may vote, unless restricted by the provisions of any special act relating to such town, district or subdivision.”

Therefore, it seems reasonable that any such voting restriction that may have been declared previously by the Town of Groton on any non-resident property owners paying $1000 or more annually in taxes should be reviewed immediately because of the forthcoming municipal elections and referendums in November 2013.

In a lengthy session tonight, and with some members absent due to summer vacations, the Groton Town RTM discussed and voted to pass two ordinances which will now be referred to the taxpayers for the Referendum this fall.

(1) By a vote of 24 yes, 4 no and zero abstentions, they approved the Police Station Upgrade which includes improvements and expansions of the intake/booking section and holding cells, CCTV surveillance, roof repairs and the shooting range.

This work is very badly needed and previous attempts to deal with these issues had met with budget resistance. The cost to the taxpayers will be minimal over time with this bond.

2) By a very narrow vote, with 14 yes, 13 no and 1 abstention, they also approved the expensive Flanders Road Water and Sewer project, over some serious objections, including excessive cost to taxpayers on what many perceive as a gamble with taxpayer’s money that might only benefit the major landowner of most of the land off Flanders Road.

Some of the RTM members who voted “yes” said they simply wanted their taxpayers to decide to risk money for such a project. Other members stated that voters in their districts intended to vote this project down if it came to referendum.

This project should be rejected by the voters. There are existing commercial areas, that already have water and sewer, that still need to be developed. It was also noted that the assessed value of the large Marriott Hotel had dropped considerably since the previous revaluation, calling into question the wisdom of the previous water and sewer expansion project on Route 117 in the first place.

As a Groton taxpayer, I feel this is the time to focus on improving what we have without subjecting ourselves to an uncertain financial gamble. We still have bonds on other projects to pay off.