Killingworth, Connecticut 06419
The Democratic Eye 2006
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Go to archived columns: 2004, 2005 September 11, 2006 Between the autumn light of September 11, 2001 and that of 2006, a darkness has often fallen across the national landscape. And just as often, it has eclipsed the best of the American spirit. It doesn't have to continue that way. In the 9/11 aftermath, as a nation and as individuals, we gave of ourselves where we could. Shocked and grieving, we rose to the occasions that came our way. Citizens from across the country contributed needed skills, money, often both. During that long fall and winter, we answered the bagpipe's mournful call on endless funeral lines. And through the loss suffered, and the heroism witnessed, we became a better people. Over the last five years, it seems to me, another tragedy has unfolded. We are awash in opportunities lost. We have allowed ourselves to be cynically divided by shallow ideologues and a Congress lacking both spine and statesmanship. We have been persuaded by questionable slogans when critical thought was needed. We have succumbed to what Franklin Roosevelt warned against in the midst of the Great Depression, fear itself. Fear mongering, dressed up as policy, has won the day. The questions we ask ourselves on this fifth anniversary need to be the hard ones. Do we have the wisdom and the will to work for a broader public good? What are the consequences if we do not? Can we have genuine bipartisan dialogue on the urgent issues facing America and the world today? (If we can't, we better figure out why.) Can we value our children's futures more than the false comfort of ideological certitude? Can we participate in our democracy as the responsibility it is? Can we call to public service, by a renewed sense of purpose, leaders and statesmen worthy of their titles and our trust? Can we again become that better people we found ourselves to be in the days and weeks that followed September 11, 2001? August 1, 2006 Ideals are hard: hard to live with and hard to live up to. That's especially true in today's political climate. The KDTC's ideals are simple but compelling. We pursue government that is open, honest, capable, and accountable to all our citizens - here in town, in Hartford and in Washington. Difficult as it may be to achieve, it is a goal that we can never lose sight of. If we forget what good leadership should produce, we risk accepting leaders who produce bad results, or no results at all. That is why we endorsed Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate at the nominating convention and why many of us are actively working to support his campaign. Ned Lamont is the only candidate for the U.S. Senate who will stand up for the ideals we believe in. Ideals he shares. He believes that the war in Iraq has diverted far too many of our dollars, and too much of our attention, from our needs back home. That Washington needs creative solutions to old problems. That Government has a role in ensuring fundamental rights and equal opportunity for all Americans. Ned Lamont stands in opposition to the arrogance and self-serving myopia of an administration that saddled us with skyrocketing energy and healthcare costs, rising under-employment, the loss of jobs overseas and a bill for $250 million per day -payable to Iraq. In contrast, Joe Lieberman sits at the table of that failed administration, as a wholehearted supporter of the Iraq policy and a weapon in their attack on Social Security that would undermine our children's future. He lay down with the Bush administration again by fighting for their energy bill - a bill that benefited energy interests instead of serving the interests of all Americans. Now that he faces the challenge of a Democrat who stands for ideals, Joe Lieberman has said that rather than giving his support to the winner of the August 8 primary he will run as an independent - splitting the Democratic vote possibly giving the Republicans another Senate seat. That is why we stand with Ned Lamont. Under his leadership we can unite against the negligence of the Bush administration and change the direction of this country. We can pursue the ideals of universal healthcare, reduced dependence on foreign oil, trade agreements that are fair to the American worker, and a just solution that will get our sons and daughters out of Iraq safely. Please stand up and be counted. Vote for Ned Lamont on August 8th, and again in November. (Gwenne Lally is Recording Secretary of the KDTC, a member of the Board of Finance and Vice Chair of the Conservation Commission.) July 25, 2006 Dan Malloy was elected in 1995 as mayor of Stamford in a landslide vote, a remarkable event since Stamford is almost 75% Republican. Popular in Republican Fairfield County as well as Democratic strongholds across the state, Malloy is now in his fourth term as mayor. He has proven himself capable of bipartisan cooperation and coordination in getting things done for all his constituents and is the candidate with the best credentials to defeat the current governor in November. During Malloy's terms as mayor, Stamford has been ranked as the 11th safest city in the nation. There has been a double-digit reduction in the crime rate, bringing it to a 30 year low. Malloy has restructured and revitalized city government with its 3,000 employees and initiated programs that have made city government more accessible. In addition to open office hours, his administration has created a Citizen's Service Bureau to bolster the citizen's stake in the community. Obtaining federal grants to help redevelop Stamford has been a major part of Malloy's plan to improve his city. A $26 million grant created 325 housing units. During his term, over 4,000 affordable housing units were built. On another vital front, the employment rate has increased 9%, translating into 5,000 new jobs. A strong supporter of public education, Dan Malloy has increased the percentage of the educational budget from 40% to 60% without increasing taxes beyond the normal rate of inflation. He was the first in the state to offer a pre-school education program to all students regardless of economic circumstances. This program has served as a model for other states. Malloy believes that economic success depends on the education of all our people and should include affordable college, job training, and life-long learning opportunities. Malloy is an equally strong supporter of environmental issues. During his mayoral tenure, 250 acres in Stamford were set aside for open space- more than in any other Connecticut city or town . Alternate sources of energy have been developed and built. A new sewage plant that will benefit Long Island Sound has been constructed and recycling measures have brought added revenue to the city. The August 8th primary is approaching and Democrats have the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process. Unaffiliated voters can register as Democrats through Monday, August 7th at the Killingworth Town Hall. Dan Malloy won the Democratic Convention endorsement to represent his party in November's Gubernatorial election. He needs to win the primary on August 8th to be on the November ballot. More information about his background, his ranking as one of the top 100 Democrats in the United States, his record, and the issues, can be found on his website at www.danmalloy.com. (Susan P. Dean is a member of the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee.) May 2, 2006 Area Democratic Town Committees were recently given the opportunity to meet Ned Lamont, the Democratic challenger for Joe Lieberman's Senate seat. Forty people braved heavy rains to listen to Mr. Lamont share his views on national and state issues and field a variety of related questions. The meeting was hosted by the Haddam Democratic Town Committee in Town Hall. Lamont, a cable television entrepreneur from Greenwich, is introducing himself to Democratic organizations throughout the state in preparation for an August primary which would pit him against incumbent Democrat, Joseph Lieberman. He sees his mission as one of refocusing attention on our state and country and reinvesting capital in both. Part of that reinvesting, Lamont explained, lies in developing a universal health care policy and promoting and funding the best educational system in the world. He is an advocate of universal preschool and a longer school day. He also envisions encouraging the state's universities to work closely with Connecticut businesses and industries to develop technological advances relevant to the future. Such planning, he believes, would create first rate jobs for Connecticut's graduates. A campaign based on the discussion of issues, preferably face to face, is the campaign Ned Lamont would like to see unfold. He recognizes the complexity of the issues now crying for solutions at all levels of government and wants to see them addressed in depth and not in sound bites. Lamont disagrees with Lieberman on several key issue including Iraq and the recently passed Energy Bill. He sees earmarks, like "the bridge to nowhere", as degrading government and part of what needs reforming. Implicit in Lamont's presentation and audience questions was a sense of urgency about America's future and the need for clearer, more compelling planning than that currently offered (or not offered) in Washington. Lamont wants his party to ask itself "What type of party are we and what kind of country do we want?" And he wants to help articulate the answer. In his opinion, just being anti-Bush will not satisfy the electorate, nor should it. Lamont's challenge is definitely rocking what once seemed a well secured boat. Feet will get wet. Hopefully, roiling the waters will lead to honest, and thoughtful debate. The first hurdle on the road to the senate seat is the state Democratic Convention in May at which Lamont would need 15% of the vote to trigger a primary in August. A qualifying number of signatures on a petition could also result in a primary should he not receive the necessary votes at the convention. In either case, the citizens of Connecticut get to be heard and have a choice, as long as they participate. March 14, 2006 When Killingworth First Selectman Marty Klein received a visit from Paul Passarelli, the region's coordinator for Emergency Management and Homeland Security, he shared his concerns about safety and security at the Connecticut Yankee nuclear power plant in Haddam Neck. The plant was permanently shut down in 1996 and is now being decommissioned. Decommissioning is a step-by-step, methodical deconstruction process that takes several years to complete. It involves removing and disposing of, at licensed facilities, all radioactive materials such as piping, tanks, valves, pumps and components. It also involves reducing radioactivity and hazardous materials that may remain in the buildings and on the site after everything is removed. The purpose of decommissioning is to reduce the amount of the plant related radioactivity on the site to a level that allows the site to be released for future use. The major benefit of decommissioning will be the restoration of the site for other purposes. The process is expected to be completed this year, but one thing will remain: spent nuclear fuel. Although the U.S. Department of Energy is legally responsible for its removal, opposition to the planned long-term storage facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, leaves the fuel here for the indefinite future. Marty Klein's concerns about the continuing presence of that fuel prompted a visit to Connecticut Yankee by Klein, myself, and other officials representing Killingworth, Chester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Middletown and Portland. Bob Mitchell, Connecticut Yankee's Fuel Storage Manager and Unit Manager, explained that the fuel has been moved from a wet fuel pool to a new, dry cask system. The system consists of 43 vertical storage casks positioned on a reinforced concrete storage pad. Each cask consists of a 5/8" thick stainless steel storage canister surrounded by a 21" thick concrete shell and capped by a welded, shielded plug and concrete lid. At 125.9 tons fully loaded, 128" in diameter and 16' tall, the casks can withstand extreme conditions of flooding, fire, explosion, earthquake, and tornado - as well as direct impact from a 747 aircraft. Their design enables them to contain radiation while permitting heat to escape. Located a distance from the reactor site, the storage area features extensive security measures, Mitchell told the group. These include fencing, electronic surveillance, armed guards, concrete barriers and a vehicle barrier system that can stop a fully loaded dump truck at 40 mph. Mitchell emphasized that nobody wants the fuel to remain where it is. However, until the federal government fulfills its obligation to remove it, he assured the group that its safety - and the safety of local residents - will always come first. While the overall experience was informative, Mr. Klein expressed concerns that reflect the uncertain nature of today's world. He would like to see an upgrading of security measures to better guarantee the safety of the surrounding towns. January 31, 2006 The Killingworth Board of Selectmen recently voted unanimously to approve a resolution opposing the industrial complex proposed by Broadwater Energy for Long Island Sound. They thereby joined a growing list of shoreline towns and political officials speaking out against the project. Pat Smulders, a member of the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee brought the issue before the Board of Selectmen after attending a meeting of the Shoreline League of Democratic Women. This was an informational meeting at which Attorney General Richard Blumenthal addressed the dangers the facility would pose to the region. The Liquefied Natural Gas Facility is a joint venture of TransCanada Corp and Royal Dutch/ Shell. As projected, it would be a $700 million floating gas plant eleven miles south of Branford Harbor and 9 miles north of Wading River on the Long Island shore. As large as the Queen Mary II, it would be lit up at all times. It would require designating a large portion of the Sound around it off limits to the public for safety reasons. The no boat, no use zone would also extend around any LNG tanker moving into the Sound at any given time. The Broadwater terminal, if built, would be more than twice as large as any liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the United States and the first in the world ever to be located off shore. It would, in effect, be an experiment in offshore LNG storage in an area that has twenty million people residing within a 50 mile radius. Unfortunately, hardly inadvertently, the Energy Bill recently passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the power to overrule state and local objections to the placement of such LNG platforms. The storage facility is about a mile over the New York State line. Connecticut leaders say that this puts them at a disadvantage because permits and plan approvals will fall under the jurisdiction of New York officials. Governor Rell is seeking a formal role with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the approval of the Broadwater facility on the basis that it will impact Connecticut in many of the same ways it will New York. Many of the objections to the Broadwater Energy plan outlined in the Killingworth Board of Selectmen's resolution are understandably environmental. They include issues as diverse as the visual and noise impacts of the facility, water quality in the immediate area and potential gas spills. A recent article in the Connecticut Post stated that the Coast Guard feels it is being shortchanged about many of the safety and security details of the proposed terminal. They will be responsible for safety and security assessments and are asking for more information about crucial areas of the project. It is not reassuring to read that the Coast Guard does not yet have access to information it needs. The Broadwater LNG project for our Sound is one of those issues that concern us all. The energy industry has its friends in Washington; we must make sure that our elected representatives hear from us too. We still get to elect them, or not. January 3, 2006 Seven special coaches from Killingworth were expected to receive the "Secretary of State's 2005 Public Service Award" on December 16. They are; Lou Annino Jr., Eric Auer, Shelly Cumpstone, Diane Flynn, Hilary Kumnick, Bill Silas and Ed Sipples. In very inclement weather, I made the 126 mile round trip to UCONN, only to find that the ceremony had been cancelled. The purpose of this column was supposed to describe that ceremony, but since it did not take place, I'd like, instead, to describe some highlights of my coaching days and encourage others to volunteer to coach young children. First, I never expected any public recognition like what was scheduled to happen on December 16th . What I did expect, was to receive a roster of children that I didn't know, at the beginning of each season. As a coach, one quickly learns that each child has strengths and weaknesses to offer to the team effort. Some children are very timid and shy; others are very aggressive; sometimes a kid is "out of control"; but most kids just want to play and have fun. My goal was always to teach each of my players some new skills or in some cases, just teach them the rules of the sport so that at the end of the season, each player would improve in some way. The process of interacting with each player, at their own level, is what I remember most. If I now run into one of them on the street (I'm so old, they are all grown up) they remember those days and are very appreciative. My first vivid memory was a young girl (one of only two ) on an otherwise all boys, hardball, baseball team. She had previously been hit and hurt by a pitched ball. She moved her front foot far away from the plate whenever the pitcher delivered the ball. She didn't want to get hit again. It took all season, but she conquered her fear, ended up staying in the batters' box, and actually got base hits. More importantly, she learned a life lesson, how to deal with a fear and overcome it! Another experience was with a young boy who was the best basketball player on our team. He probably was the only player on this particular year's team that possessed strong skills and talent. The first couple of games he did quite well, but opposing teams quickly learned that if they could shut him down, the rest of our team couldn't do much and they could win the game. He started to get very frustrated, tried to single-handedly do too much and we kept losing games. We worked on some new plays that involved other "weaker players". Eventually, these "weak" players started scoring. The opposing team had to stop concentrating on our star player and he was happier. It was a big confidence booster for the other players because they knew they were now important contributors to the success of our team. It was a win/win situation for these individuals and a life lesson. By working towards a common goal, the group effort is more successful than one individual's efforts, even if he is a star! Another memory involves the word "fervor". I coached a young girls' basketball team one year that lacked intensity and aggressiveness. When the going got tough, they sort of folded. I latched onto the word "fervor" and introduced it to them as a cheer/cry when we broke out of a team huddle. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was a new vocabulary word for some of my players. They came to learn what it meant and they embraced it. Several years later, I was talking to the Mom of one of these players and the still young daughter said, "Mr. Sipples, I'll never forget that word of yours, "FIFI" or whatever, to get us charged up". I still enjoy telling that story. I have many fond memories of my coaching days. I certainly got to know many of my daughters' friends well and to participate in this aspect of their growing up. In today's fast paced society, with both Mom and Dad working long hours, it isn't easy finding the time to volunteer. But the kids need people like you and me to help them experience life's positive lessons. Look long and hard at your current schedule and see if you too can volunteer some of your precious time to this worthy and valiant cause. I'm glad I did, and I hope you can someday say the same thing, maybe because you made it a resolution for the new year in 2006. (Ed Sipples is a newly elected selectman in Killingworth and served many years with the Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department, the Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission and most recently, the Field Study Committee.) |
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