North Stonington weekly update 3/5/2021- upcoming committee meetings, highway updates and more!
Happy Friday North Stonington,
Another busy week comes to a close here in North Stonington.
Things continue to progress with budget preparations. This past week, the Board of Selectmen presented their proposed budget to the Board of Finance. After that presentation the Board of Selectmen was asked to reduce the capital and operating budgets to a zero increase. We will work at our upcoming meetings to make adjustments. This week the Board of Education presents to the Board of Finance on Wednesday. As always please consider attending a meeting to let your voice be heard and to become informed about your town.
Next Thursday at the Planning and Zoning meeting there will be a presentation from a landowner on Route 184 who owns several parcels and is proposing a Solar project. While the State has oversite on the approval for the project, this is a good opportunity to here from the company and express your feedback and ideas as it relates to the project. Please consider joining the meeting if this is of interest to you.
In highway news, this week crew worked hard clearing the roads of trees and limbs from the windstorm. Trees were cut and trimmed on Babcock, Boombridge, and Wyassup Roads. Potholes were filled around town. Broken and missing guard posts were fixed and replaced on Rocky Hollow and Wyassup Road. Repairs were made to seal the windows behind New Town Hall. Illegal dumping was removed from the Wintechog Hill property. The thermostat was replaced on Truck 2, new blades were installed on truck 3 and 5’s plows, and the transfer station loader received a 1,000 hour service.
Next week the highway crew will continue to cut trees and clear water ways. Truck 8 and 42 will be serviced. Crack sealing will begin on needed roads.
One year ago last Sunday we gathered the emergency management team to discuss this virus that had begun to spread a bit in cities around the world. While still seemed to be unknown it looked as if this could turn into something serious. As our team sat together discussing this, there was a positive attitude though certainly one of concern. Reflecting back over the last year its unlikely anyone in the room would have imagined what we were in for.
To think that this past week marked the loss of over 500,000 Americans and 2.4 million people worldwide is nothing less than tragic. The losses for those affected cannot be overstated nor can words describe what those left behind are feeling. In a time when even a funeral service was not possible families and friends were left to mourn alone with people passing often surrounded only by hospital staff. We pray for all those who have been negatively impacted in this way and hope they may find comfort knowing there are people out there who share in your loss and are thinking of you. We know there are also so many who have lost jobs, businesses, and even careers. For these people their lives trajectory may have changed permanently. It may seem things will never recover. They will and we urge you to hang on.
For some These early months in the winter can be some of the most depressing months for many. This year may be the toughest one yet. For anyone out there struggling please reach out to a friend, neighbor, 211, your clergy, someone. There is help out there and I hope you will find it if you need it.
As we reflect back on the last year yes there is much sadness but there were also so many examples of sincere altruism. Look no further than our own small town seeing the response of neighbors during this pandemic. Starting early on with many volunteers making masks to help protect one another from this unknown threat. Our own emergency responders and medical workers walking into this battle with an enemy unseen. Teachers, retail workers, contractors, and so many others continuing to work to help serve others putting their own regard for safety aside.
We saw many businesses adapt not only to help themselves but to help others. Many offered family meals, drive through, contactless pickup, or delivery when they had never done this before. Organizations and community groups sprouted up all over the place to lend a helping hand to those in need. Our local chambers of commerce came up with new ideas to find tangible ways to support the businesses in town.
While many events like fairs, festivals, and concerts were cancelled, we saw some true creativity with new traditions such as parades and virtual celebrations to help uplift the community.
Families were able to spend more time together than ever. For some perhaps this has been trying depending on your situation, but for many it was a slowdown that hadn’t ever happened. With no more competitions, activities, or places to run off to, we were left playing games together, going on hikes, and spending quiet quality time together.
As we look forward to the coming months and years ahead, the future is incredibly promising. The vaccine is slowly starting to become widely distributed and it will not be long before some normalcy will return. There is a focus as there never has been on climate change and a real possibility of us truly changing the health of our planet. Social justice initiatives continue and we are starting to see real optimism that we can truly move in a direction of healing together.
Yes February and March may be a bit long this year but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is growing brighter. Thank you to everyone who has shown love, understanding, and compassion over the past year. Thank you to those who have given any part of yourself to another in the name of service. Thank you to those who have smiled through your pain. Thank you everyone for being the best versions of yourselves in a time when we truly needed you.
Mike Urgo
First Selectman