PRIMARY OBSERVATIONS:

ROCKWELL MOMENT:
Norman Rockwell, the 20th Century American painter and illustrator, is famous for capturing everyday American Life on canvas and last Tuesday, as I entered Ward 3 to vote, I experienced my own rockwellian moment! The Disnard School Auditorium had been transfixed into an election precinct with neatly installed voting booths, registration tables, updated checklists and appropriate signage – everything was in place serving as a perfect reflection on everyday American life!

I was especially struck by the sense of tradition and tightness demonstrated by the election officials – not only was everything in tip-top shape, but the election personnel were ready to do their duty. My second observation was that elections’ in Ward 3 Claremont are very much family events. The Ward Clerk (Brenda Saunders) had her granddaughter (Elyse Gagnon) working as a ballot clerk; the two moderators overseeing cast ballots was former County Commissioner Donald Fontaine and his son Don, a retired Claremont police captain; two of the Checklist Supervisors were Ann and Melissa Richmond (mother & daughter); and to round things out, two of the other ballot clerks were sisters (Marcelle Obymako & Claire MacDonald). Then just to make the image complete, their brother (Joe LaPointe) and his wife arrived to vote to make it truly a family event. While I’m sure this was replicated throughout New Hampshire, it was (for me) a moving Rockwell moment and testimony of Americans exercising their right and doing their duty

WIN / LOOSE:
Maggie Hassan and Ovide LaMontagne, after the dust settled last week, emerged as victors and their respective party’s candidate for governor. Former Senator Hassan ended with a strong showing over her nearest rival former Senator Jackie Cilley who had been thought to be rising in the polls during the final weeks. Senator Hassan did exceptionally well in her home county of Rockingham and equally well in Hillsborough County. While Jackie Cilley had some of the most passionate supporters and creative commercials, her opponent’s decision to run a centrist campaign that included a steady approach of fundraising and building an organization proved successful. Locally, Jackie Cilley did very well in Lebanon and won two of the three wards in Claremont, however that was not enough to offset Maggie Hassan’s big win in heavily populated Hillsborough and Rockingham counties. Now a question being asked is will Hassan be able to replace the funds she spent in the primary to beat back the Cilley surge.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side – Ovide LaMontagne easily won the gubernatorial primary over his 35 year old challenger Kevin Smith, who from all accounts appears to have a very promising future in conservative party politics. Lamontagne was described, by MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews, as a class act in the way he handled his defeat to Kelly Ayotte for the United States Senate. His reputation of being a nice and good man is well founded. Ovide is what the old mémères would describe as someone who’s “mother taught him well” – i.e. manners and politeness. An interesting side bar is, if successful, Mr. LaMontagne will be New Hampshire’s first governor elected of French-Canadian ancestry. Although several, over the years, have tried and run for the office (e.g. Bussière, Raiche, Grandmaison), and while franco-americans account for about 35% of the state’s population, New Hampshire has never elected a governor of French-Canadian ancestry. Interestingly, since Franco-Americans have traditionally been democrats, perhaps having a candidate running this time as a republican might make a difference – then again maybe it just says such things as ethnic politics have run their course.

CT VALLEY SCENE:
Representative David Pierce, from Etna, won the democrat nomination for the new State Senate District 5 seat over his challenger former Representative Sandra Harris. While she won her hometown of Claremont, David Pierce made an extremely strong showing in his home community of Hanover.

On the Republican side – Representative Joe Osgood trounced his opponent Cynthia Coolidge Howard to be the Republican Party’s senate nominee in November. Both Pierce and Osgood have pledged to run campaigns based on issues and policies for New Hampshire’s future. Certainly, it has been a long time since we’ve had two candidates with such divergent and opposite views regarding New Hampshire’s future. It should prove to be a very interesting and informative campaign.

PERSONAL NOTE:
When I woke up last Tuesday morning, I was unopposed running for the New Hampshire House of Representatives; however by the end of the day I discovered I now have two opponents – Richard Madigan, a retired banker, and Gerry Donatelli, a musician! While they came up short of securing the necessary write in votes to be placed on the Republican ballot, they did each get 150 residents/voters in Ward 3 to sign a petition in order to be on the November ballot as independent candidates. These petitions were submitted to the NH Secretary of State’s Office a couple of weeks ago.

So while I’m disappointed and torn about not getting an opportunity to run unopposed – having two opponents certainly fits nicely into the American image of a Norman Rockwell moment –that is (of course) assuming that I win in November.
So stay tuned!

VALLEY OBSERVATIONS

Last week was the Democrat National Convention and on Wednesday the featured speaker was my old boss, President Bill Clinton, who many consider the best political orator in the country today. We first met, in Claremont during the fall of 1991, when he came to “test the waters” regarding the NH Primary & running for president. We did a walk thru downtown Claremont and I remember being impressed by this tall, chatty and affable southerner. Noticeably even then, he demonstrated this ability to grow ideas and explain complex issues in everyday language, in a way you never thought he was talking down to you, but deep down you knew he was the smartest guy in the room. Our paths have crossed a few times since he left office and I’ve always been amazed by his ability to recall minor details from events long ago. The last time we spoke was when he came to Claremont a few years ago while campaigning for his wife who was running for president. We were at Stevens High and he leaned over the rope line and said something like when this is all over let’s go back through the downtown and show me what’s new! We retraced our route along Pleasant Street and ended up at the Java Cup – unfortunately unlike ’91, where we had strolled up the street flanked by empty storefronts and few people, this time he was mobbed with fans and well wishers. However, being the consummate politico – President Clinton enjoyed meeting everyone. So watching him last Wednesday in Charlotte – I thought who else could talk for 52 minutes on national television – ad lib half the speech – and keep the nation’s attention talking about economics and government policy! Amazing!

***
This Tuesday - September 11 is primary day in New Hampshire, so everyone needs to get out and vote for their candidate. Republicans have primary races for Executive Council, Governor, and the new State Senate District 5. The republican candidates for Governor are Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith, however long time Executive Councilor Raymond Burton is facing a serious challenge from Jerry Thibodeau who has close ties with the Tea Party faction of the GOP. The State Senate District 5 race has Joe Osgood and Cynthia Coolidge Howard vying for the nomination and opportunity to face off against the democrats in November. Howard is tight with the Tea Party crowd. Among the Democrats, there are three active candidates for governor; Jackie Cilley, Maggie Hassan and Bill Kennedy. They all seem to be good people, however Bill Kennedy may have gotten into the race too late and it seems between Cilley & Hassan. Interestingly, the only contested senate race in New Hampshire, on the democrat side, is here in the Connecticut River Valley between Representative David Pierce & former Rep Sandy Harris. The Charlestown Dems sponsored a forum last week that was very informative. Sharon Francis, a Charlestown resident, served as moderator and did a fantastic job keeping matters focused and positive. The result was a civil, substantive and informative discussion.

***
On Thursday, The County Delegation held a public hearing and special meeting regarding establishing a reserve fund. As Sullivan County’s legislative arm, the thirteen member delegation serves as the “guardian of the county purse,” so our thought was to establish a county reserve fund that would serve as a special fund to assist in capital improvements and avoid any sudden unforeseen spikes/surprises in local property taxes. Basically it would be a rainy day fund for capital projects in Sullivan County where by law, we could add to on a yearly basis. All but one of the delegation’s members supported its creation.

***
Sullivan County lost a good man last week with the death of Francis Edes – former lawyer, judge, legislator, WW2 Vet, musician, activist and most important someone who always looked out for the least among us. I first met Frank in 1980, as a young state employee tasked with establishing alcohol social detox sites around the state. Not only was I an inexperienced kid, but without a clue as what to do! Thankfully, it was guys like Frank who lent their gravitas and made the program a success.
New Hampshire had received federal money to de-criminalize public alcohol intoxication; and the thought was we’d recruit a cadre of unpaid volunteers who we’d train as special EMT’s to provide custodial care and be the first point of contact to turn around lives dependent on alcohol. Not only was I to create these sites, but I was to recruit people to staff them on a nightly basis – 7 days a week – for free! The hotshots in Concord told me to go out and recruit people in recovery, unfortunately my supervisors had forgotten that the second letter of AA stands for anonymous and a non-recovering 20 something (me) didn’t really have much credibility in that world. Here’s where Frank came into play – not only was he willing to go public as someone in recovery, he was willing to reach out to the AA community in the Connecticut River Valley and convince them that the chubby “kid” (me) was OK! FYI – Frank’s obit mentioned how he had 54 years of sobriety! Over the years, I continued to cross paths with Frank usually at various progressive political events and always marveled at his ability to be so gregarious and kind to everyone he met, although he didn’t suffer fools & phony’s lightly. It didn’t matter if you were President Clinton or someone who lived in a box under a bridge – you were treated with the same kindness. While he possessed a multitude of skills, his greatest talent was being an advocate for those most needy amongst us! His stories, laughter and kindness will be missed – RIP.

Ray Gagnon - NH State Rep (Facebook page)

This November’s election will determine if we continue down the path of dismantling vital services & government, or return to a practical common sense approach on how to run the State. If you believe government should make things better – I am asking you to support my re-election. The anti-government crowd in charge of NH has established a highway re-paving plan where state roads will not be paved for 30 years! I have consistently said NO to such foolishness and worked for good roads, safe bridges, quality education and a social service system for the neediest. Republican Speaker Bill O’Brien recently said that if his team is elected in November, they plan to cut 400 million more dollars from the next state budget. Imagine how that will affect the basic functions of state government. Your property taxes will increase from the state’s downshifting and walking away from responsibility resulting in INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES! The present legislature was elected saying they would create jobs & grow the economy – however their first act was to permit concealed guns in the State Capital and on the floor of Reps Hall. I’m not anti-gun, but you don’t bring them to the legislature! They have been hostile to NH Hospitals and social service agencies, as well as public sector workers. I ask that you send me to Concord and I will say NO to this extremist agenda. Government needs to help business grow the economy & create good jobs. Experts agree that sustaining an educated trained workforce is vital to attracting and maintaining businesses and jobs; yet this legislature cut aid to the NH University System by almost 50% causing NH tuition to now be the most costly in America. Their short sighted financial policies have resulted in massive cuts to cities and school districts. This down shifting of costs to local communities will only mean one thing – increased property taxes. Ward 3 Claremont needs to send to Concord someone who won’t support this radical agenda. My record has been one that has worked with everyone regardless of party, but not someone who has been silent regarding legislative overreach. I have a proven record of fiscal common sense: As chair of the Sullivan County Delegation (‘08/10), I was part of the county team that paid off the debt incurred from past irresponsible fiscal management and helped make the County Home solvent.. BACKGROUND: Native of Claremont – Born & raised in Ward 3Married – 1 child (daughter) EDUCATION: St. Mary’s High School St. Francis College – AB History Southern NH University – MS Human Services EMPLOYEMENT: Semi-Retired – Communications Consultant (2002-Present) United States Marshal – 1994-2002 State Employee (DCYF) – 1972-1994 ELECTED OFFICE: Claremont City Council 1986-1992 Mayor – 1991 NH House of Representatives (3 terms) ’06-‘12 For additional information read my weekly column in the e-ticker news and sign up to my blog: http://communitygovernmentstrategies.blogspot.com. Also join my facebook page Ray Gagnon – NH State Rep – My email address is RepGagnon@gmail.com

Elections Québec Style

Contrary to rumors – while I may have been out of the country last week it’s not true that I left because of the Republican National Convention! I believe summer is for reflection and among the memories lately are my almost annual trips to Québec as a child that included visits to extended family with my parents and grandmother. This was the 1950’s where children were to be seen and not heard, resulting in my taking it all in and be amazed how just a few hours north of Claremont NH, life was so different regarding food, pastimes, and language. Growing up in 1950’s Claremont, it was common to hear French spoken, but where it was everywhere (radio, television and newspapers) was very different! Perhaps it’s the hot summer or just getting old, but thoughts of those days have been center stage – to the point where I recently told my wife I was off to Québec and the memories of my youth! Her response was “bon voyage & see yah!” I also shared this plan with my friend Jim Morin who told me about the upcoming provincial elections and how the separatists could possibly win. Furthermore, he’d be willing to go on this journey to visit the towns where so many Claremont families originated from and provide a firsthand view of elections Québec style. My mothers’ family (Beaudoin) like many of her extended family (LaPlante, Gregoire & Garneau) came here from the Eastern Townships – an area just north of the border where the principal city is Sherbrooke. The townships were created by the British after the American Revolution as a buffer zone between the French along the St. Lawrence and the new United States of America. The Townships were quickly settled by expanding French populations to where the names of the towns are the only remaining thing British. In the 19th Century, thousands of French-Canadians were enticed to New England which included hundreds of families from the Eastern Townships to Claremont. I recall a delightful story depicting this migration by my second grade teacher – Miss Laurina Issoire – who told how her father worked, as a lumberjack during the winter in northern NH & VT and would each spring be part of a drive where logs would be floated down the Connecticut River to Bellows Falls VT. Men would actually walk on the water and steer the logs down river. After reaching their destination, they were supposed to return to Canada, but her father, circa 1890’s, walked from Bellows Falls to Claremont, found permanent work and stayed. So being the largest community in the area, Sherbrooke made sense as our first stop and enroute I learned from Jim all about provincial politics and how Quebec uses a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government. The premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the National Assembly and Liberals have been in power since 2003 with Jean Charest from Sherbrooke as Premier. Also, the premier chooses when to call an election, which happened on August 1st. Imagine if our elections only lasted 1 month. The premier called for elections on the first of August with September 4 designated as Election Day! Phone banks, visibility, signs, TV ads, and candidate events are all condensed into 1 month! Polls indicate the elections are close with only 6% separating first place Parti-Québeçois (PQ) with32% from the 3rd place Liberals (PLQ) at 26%. The new conservative party, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), is in 2nd place with 28%. In Sherbrooke, we visited the Separatist and Liberal headquarters. According to the PQ, Mr. Charest a Sherbrooke native is so unpopular at home that even if his party wins on Tuesday, he may lose his seat. Therefore, should his party win but he loses, a liberal member of the National Assembly will resign in order to keep Charest premier. It’s like if the Republicans maintain a majority in the NH House, but Speaker O’Brien loses his race, a GOP representative would step down so O’Brien could remain the speaker. While visiting various headquarters differences became obvious, the PQ supporters we met were working class and in their 30’s, while the Liberal volunteers were middle age (40’s) and appeared more affluent. Separatists had their phone banks humming as you entered the headquarters, while the liberals had their get out the vote operations in the rear, away from public view. Obviously two different styles at play, with two different philosophies in motion. Our next concern was public opinion, so like all good Frenchmen we went to lunch where we met a chatty fellow who said it was too close to call, and re-affirmed the story we had heard about Sherbrook’s displeasure with their present legislator who’s also the present premier. We then went deeper into the province driving through rural towns with familiar names thanks to my mémère and noticed that political signs were only on utility poles and not private property! Later we learned that while people have strong personal opinions – they tend to keep them private. My thought was how can the Separatists be leading, weren’t they trounced in the last election and hadn’t they lost the referendum to secede from Canada? Hadn’t the wind been taken out of their sails, so how’d they bounce back? Apparently their success is attributed to their new leader Mme. Pauline Marois who has been unflatteringly described by one publication as an “old warhorse” of the Parti-Québeçois having worked with René Lévesque in the 1970’s. She was passed over in the past as the PQ wanted leaders that were snazzier and younger; however she’s resurfaced and is credited with bringing the PQ back to its working class roots. So who knows what will happen – but just a few hours north of here, it’ll be a hot time in old Québec on Sept 4th!

IF THEY’RE PUNCHING THIS HARD NOW…

Native corn is starting to become available – blackberries are almost ripe – we’ve had a break in the humidity, so I’m happy to report that life is good! The following are a few random midsummer observations and thoughts relative to politics and community in the Connecticut River Valley, the State and Nation. Presidential Politics: I have an old friend who lives in northern New Hampshire named Jack and although we don’t see each other much, we do keep in touch via emails, Facebook and the occasional lunch in Concord. Among Jack’s many talents is the ability to zero in on a concept and say in a few words something that grows and hours later you find that simple phrase still bouncing in your head. So last week, as I was checking-in on Facebook, I saw that Jack had posted something about the presidential election. His comment was “If they're punching this hard now, it's going to be an ugly September...” Short and to the point! I know we’re a battleground state but I’ve never seen so many political ads in July, as this year. The level of intensity and attack is like two heavyweights standing their ground and slamming punches. Neither candidate is willing to give an inch of ground – and Jack’s right – IT’S ONLY JULY! I first met Jack back during the John Durkin for Senate campaign, in the late 70’s, and while he’s now a free lance writer and has traveled the world and written several books, he continues to be politically on top of things and his observations are always on the mark, saying in a couple of words something profound and always thought provoking. The Dust Bowl at the Hop! Last week I had the pleasure of going up river to the Hopkins Center to view the upcoming PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan on the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. Dayton is an old acquaintance who I first met when I was an aide on the Gallen for Governor Campaign in 1980 and he was the Chief of Staff to the governor. He loyally remained with Governor Gallen for all three terms. However after the Governor’s death – Dayton seemed to move away from active day to day politics, although, like Jack, he’s always stayed involved, if only as an active observer. Dayton now lives down river in Walpole and served as the producer and principal writer for the Dust Bowl documentary and did a splendid job. His ability to listen and identify with the sentiments expressed by common everyday men and women was touching and worth seeing. Not only is this a story of long ago, but the magic is his ability to tell a story that we’re able to relate to today. The biggest thing I took away was how the Dust Bowl was a man-made environmental disaster and had government programs not been introduced – more people would have died and the area would not have recovered. Maybe it should be mandatory viewing for all proponents of the Tea Party. Prosperity & the Connecticut River Valley: Hopefully, if you read the papers and have looked at the political ads – you know that I am supporting Representative David Pierce from Etna to be the new state senator for District 5 that goes from Charlestown in the South, up the Connecticut River, to Hanover in the North. I have worked with David in the NH House for the past 6 years and have always been impressed by his ability to be level headed, stay focused and ability to find common ground. I’m sure he’s the right person for the job and will be able to dedicate the time to what’s become a full time job. Last week, while visiting area businesses with David Pierce, I heard him expound on an idea of how the region could grow and develop economically. Now the idea of locating certain operational functions from Hanover & Lebanon to Claremont where rental space is less expensive isn’t anything new – but having someone run for office with a foot in each part of the Valley is refreshing. Furthermore, both Dartmouth & DHMC bring an amazing amount of intellectual capital to the table. Their scientists and engineers are constantly inventing new technologies that could grow and develop into full fledged companies. While this isn’t a quick process and requires several hurdles and stages before being ready for prime time – the potential for Claremont with its infrastructure and available industrial land and properties could fit nicely into the larger scheme of things. You might think this is farfetched – but isn’t that’s how Hypertherm started, and look at them today! Now, I’m sure that many smart people have thought of this before, and it probably isn’t anything new, but maybe having us all in the same senate district might help to foster and grow this concept into a reality - just a thought. So as I stated in the beginning native corn is becoming available – blackberries are ripening – there’s a break in the humidity, and life is good!

Doors Close & Doors Open

It certainly is not extremely profound to state that people are different – and we each have our own way of processing information and making decisions. For example, my wife is one of those people where things are black & white, right or wrong. She has the ability to stay focused on a goal and block out distractions in order to keep moving forward. I on the other hand tend to see things from a broader perspective and can easily get distracted into what seems to be something totally unconnected to the decision at hand. So keeping that in mind, it shouldn’t seem odd that I’ve spent a great deal of time lately thinking about politics as a way to explain what and why certain things and decisions are made. Basically, I tend to think that opinions cause us to often fall within a political spectrum of beliefs. Again, nothing terribly earth shattering! Wikipedia defines political spectrum “as a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes symbolizing independent political dimensions.” We are all familiar with terms like right (conservative), center (moderate), and left (progressive), however I’m of the opinion that most of us fall into being in the center and thus hopefully able to see parts of both sides of an issue. But there’s more to a spectrum than just these three categories – and I believe that the political spectrum is an oval versus a straight line, where the extremes (right & left) meet and discover they have more in common with the opposing extreme then they had thought. It is like coming full circle where an ultra-extreme libertarian meets up with an ultra-radical anarchist and they find that they are in sync and on the same page. Scary – I know – maybe my wife is right and I do have too much free time on my hands! *** For the most part – I am convinced that NH candidates run for political office with the best of intentions and while they all fit into a political spectrum; their motives are honorable and it’s certainly not for the money. Also, historically those in the center (moderates) reflect the views of most voters and are normally the most successful. Needless to say there are exceptions to this rule, as demonstrated by the present outgoing legislature, however traditionally those elected want to do what they envision as the peoples’ business, which is where it gets tricky. Voters interestingly have the responsibility to identify which candidate best reflect their views (where they fit on the spectrum) and who’ll be the most effective for their community. Unfortunately, in this day of less media focus on statehouse issues, this isn’t as easy as it sounds and can be difficult. FYI – for those candidates who are incumbents or have previously served in the legislature there is a record that is accessible on-line at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/default.htm - the NH Legislature web site. Also there is a new bi-partisan entity called the Live Free Or Die Alliance (www.LiveFreOrDieAlliance.org ) that provides important information about NH issues and promises to provide everything you want to know about NH elected officials and political candidates. This is a non-partisan group of individuals so if you don’t find your candidate has responded, perhaps you should ask why and what don’t they want us to know? Candidates also receive many position questionnaires and, if they are serious they will complete them so as to keep the public informed. The only exceptions are those questionnaires that are un-biased and slanted. However, there are numerous legitimate interest groups that will solicit a candidate’s viewpoint, although some may be narrow and specific in their scope. Hopefully, local and statewide media and community groups will be another tool to better inform us as to where each candidate stands on the issues facing the State. *** So as the door opens relative to the process of picking a new legislature – an old door will be closing. On Wednesday the legislature will meet for the last time, assuming no emergencies or natural disasters arise, to deal with vetoes by the Governor. He has vetoed a total of thirteen bills – eight generated by the Senate and five from the House. The vetoed bills range from HB 149 that would prohibit the federal government from using or maintaining information from NH motor vehicle records, to HB 1607 that would use NH tax dollars to fund private schools and defray the costs of home schooling. Governor Lynch also vetoed SB 289 which requires a person to have a photo ID in order to vote, and SB 372 that establishes an education credit against the Business Profits Tax, which he believes will only down shift more education costs to cities and towns. Also among the vetoed bills to be decided will be SB 409 that legalizes medical marijuana. In total there are 13 bills that were vetoed, which should cause for another full day. But as my very common sense French-Canadian mémère always used to say - when one door closes another opens.

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.