Its Official, I'm a Politician...

It is a rare moment I am brought to the point of near speechlessness but at least for a few moments last night I was. I did it, I really did it, went out of my comfort zone.

http://www.courant.com/community/enfield/hc-enfield-thompsonville-fire-commissioner-nominat-20140409,0,1607938.story

http://www.journalinquirer.com/towns/enfield/candidates-seek-seats-on-thompsonville-fire-commission/article_6f09cc66-c0b8-11e3-b3cf-0019bb2963f4.html

"Those that cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana

 

Part of the process of growing the CTTFD was learning about the rich history of the Thompsonville Fire Department.

ANNUAL MEETING FIRE DISTRICT

One of the Liveliest Sessions Ever Held

"Mr. Davis reported that he found the books to be all right, except Mr. Broderick's method of bookkeeping seemed to be original with him. Mr. Broderick replied his method in bookkeeping was the same method as had been in use in keeping the treasurer's account for the last 22 years."

I'm not sure of the year but the above news clipping could be a fire district meeting in the year 2014. With just a slight rephrasing the news article today would read...

ANNUAL MEETING FIRE DISTRICT

One of the Liveliest Sessions Ever Held

"Mr. Cross reported that he found the books to be all right, except Chief Alaimo's method of bookkeeping seemed to be original with him. Chief Alaimo replied his method in bookkeeping was the same method as had been in use in keeping the treasurer's account for the last 22 years."

I of all people understand hanging on to the past, I'm the record keeper, the seeker of my ancestors, I have spent the last many years trying to preserve the best of Enfield/Thompsonville's past.  History is part of growing, but to become a better entity you need to leave the things in the past that don't work... not hang onto them like a comfortable old faded  pair of jeans; where your rear end hangs out the back because they are torn.

The days of "That's how it's always been done" has to change. Again, it's that pair of old torn jeans you just can't seem to throw out... trust me, no one wants to see your fanny. There comes a time when you go out and find a new pair of jeans, that you realize the old pair is no longer of use.
We as individuals, the District, the town and the world need to change with the times to prosper.

"Mr. Broderick moved that the district commission be instructed to draft a set of by-laws which would be entrusted to our Representatives in the Legislature and to have it legalized."

Say what???? Bylaws, what bylaws???? No, seriously; one hundred years of bylaws being spoken of and no final action taken???  This is something I will need to look into. What happened to those bylaws and what stopped them from going to the Legislature??? Curiouser-and-Curiouser.

There is nothing more dangerous than a government without guidelines and rules. How is it the TFD has survived 175 years without any rules, aka bylaws? This little empire onto it's own that the TFD is, happens to be very complicated thing though the Act that governs this fiefdom is simple and of little substance.





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