Entrances & Exits

I remember a crusty old political operative telling me years ago how people don’t care about substance. His comment was something like the only thing people remember are entrances & exits, everything in the middle is forgotten. Certainly, harsh talk and a rather negative put down about attention spans and people’s ability to remember. Sadly, I’ve met politicos from both parties who have subscribed to that belief and are much more comfortable with a big flashy opening and finish with nothing in the middle. Sort of like an air sandwich – two slices of bread with air in the center – not a lot of substance! The alternative is, of course, rolling up your sleeves and getting into the weeds to craft solutions - it isn’t flashy and entails real work. *** Speaking of flashy endings and air sandwiches – the NH 2011-12 Legislative Session is finally over. At last Wednesday’s session, the General Court dealt with a total of 13 separate vetoes by Governor Lynch. While the majority of the governor’s vetoes were over ridden (e.g. the partial birth abortion bill), several others were sustained such as the medical marijuana bill. In past years, the last day of the session has taken on the feeling similar to the last day of school where old friends say goodbye for the summer, and while that did occur on an individual basis – the custom of long-term retiring representatives going to the podium in Reps Hall to make a farewell address to the full body was for the most part absent. While somewhat stuffy and “old school”, I always found the ritual enjoyable and among the best traditions of the New Hampshire Legislature – it was always nice to hear the perspective of people who weren’t running again. As to why it didn’t occur this year, perhaps the session was too contentious and for those not returning they couldn’t leave fast enough – who knows! Normally the turnover of house members choosing to not run again has been about 25%, and while I don’t have any hard figures I am told that this year the numbers are significantly higher at about 30%. In the NH Senate, which has become a full time job, the numbers are more startling as 10 of the 24 senators are choosing to not run again. This will translate into a definite loss of institutional knowledge in the next Legislature. For those interested - elections for the New Hampshire General Court (Senate & House) will be held in on November 6, 2012. All 24 Senate seats and 400 House seats will be up for election. *** In addition to the last day of the legislature, I had the opportunity last week to re-connect with the community and see what’s going on in Claremont and the region. Actually, I find that going to meetings are an excellent escape from ‘honey-do’s’ and other normal tasks of summer like mowing the lawn and going to the transfer station. One event that did catch my attention was the public hearing about renewing the permit to operate the trash incinerator in Claremont. For the past twenty-five years, this has been one of the most controversial issues in the area and has spawned more discussion and arguably generated as much heat as the actual temperature of the incinerator itself. On one side is the solid waste industry that provides jobs and pays substantial taxes to the City, and on the other are a group of local individuals/activists who have vocally opposed the project at every level. This waste to energy project has been an extremely touchy subject and caused the political ruin of many! Caught in between are the state & federal authorities whose job it is to regulate the incinerator, hence oversee the public hearing on renewing the permit. Among my observations was how the opponents ranged from knowledgeable people who voiced substantive concerns about the permits renewal, to others whose 25 year frustration level at combating the incinerator has noticeably taken its toll. A factor that did shock me was the anecdotal testimony regarding the health impact on people who live south and east of the incinerator. According to the testimony, since the prevailing winds are from the north, the health impact from the incinerator to nearby residents has been devastating. Overall, I thought the individuals conducting the public hearing did so in an extremely professional and patient manner. Residents should also know the public comment period has been extended to July 13. *** Additional community events I had the opportunity to participate in last week were the Farmers Market and the annual meeting of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. The Market is held every Thursday afternoon, during the summer and fall, at Claremont’s Broad Street Park, and I wish them clear skies and a sunny season! The other community event was the annual meeting of the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce who for 95 years have tirelessly worked and remained focused on contributing to Claremont and the region. The energy and hard work of these two groups are excellent examples of substance over hype.