Norwich: Extreme makeover

Our town needs to heal and improve before we can thrive. Here are some points:

 Not be a distressed town. We need to stop being distressed just to get funding. The other two candidates for mayor have some great ideas, based on what they’ve done in the last few years, there are some opportunities for improvements.

Notes on how: 

1. Tech Initiative - soft skills training, tech training, makerspace, job search assistance - navigating the remote and hybrid workplace. Understanding tech culture. From basic Linux to AI and robotics, we need high value assets to start manufacturing, obtain work and move Norwich forward.
2. We need a public news source, not just Facebook and not paywalled.  - Norwich Bulletin reads more like advertisements for the GNACC than articles. We need a non-bias LOCAL news source or sources to document our town: history, crime, events and more. Ideally, a news source without advertisers influencing the content.
3. Transportation - if we cannot get more businesses in immediately, we need a transitional transportation effort to get our townspeople to and from places with better economy. This offers more than the part time job at fast food, lifts the community through the ability to travel safely to and from work and brings those monies into our town to uphold businesses, restaurants, and more.
4. Education - Our children (NPS) cannot read. While this seems to be a BOE issue, it is a town issue as well. We need to educate the children so they do not end up with the inability to read as adults. Funding to assist adult learners to speak English as a second language MUST be redirected toward children who cannot read. The community college holds ESL courses and this could be taken advantage of by Adult ESL learners.
5. Blight - we must reduce the mill rate so citizens are encouraged to raise property values
6. Taxes - we MUST bring businesses into Norwich or keep existing businesses in Norwich to reduce the mill rate. Are you tired of seeing businesses open and then close soon after? Have you tried to open a business here and got a negative response from current leadership?
7. Better Council and Mayor. Being a leader in Norwich is not just about budget concerns. Being a leader is not about Photo Ops (You know who I'm talking about). This town is rich in history. We need to respect Norwich history. We need to change leadership. 
8. Crime - we need to respect and protect our elders and youth and vulnerable population. Currently, this is not happening. With the proposed budget cut of the Senior Center Receptionist, monies for youth reallocated to fund a rehab for the Wharf restaurant bar, we get the message. Youth and seniors must be considered. E-bikes are working! Do we need more water patrol whether by Coast Guard or local. Would reducing crime in the area reduce the need for a multi million dollar facility?
9. Downtown - The narrative is to get more people downtown... for what? The bodega. The cricket or metroPCS. People do realize these types of businesses exist in very poor areas. Do we really want 100 million $ Shakespeare center downtown
10. Bridges - We need to file bridge reports to the state and get the funding for the analysis. The burden and nuisance of casino traffic, including large trucks, over time have caused significant stress on our infrastructure. 
11. Respect our history - Our town was founded in the 1600s. A lot is being erased or rewritten. Stories and narratives - false, are being perpetrated by implants
12. Vandalism - isn’t it about time we cleaned up the vandalism?
13. Accessibility - the restrooms are not ADA. The Post office - how can your neighbor for example, get to the counter in his wheelchair. Art complained he couldn't get transportation to St. Vincent's as it was uphill and bus did not go at the time. Arranging transportation is available but challenging for our disabled citizens.
14. Orgs  - rather than throw hundreds of thousands at orgs, we need to coordinate and requisition positions in the town to handle such things as economic development, events planning, training/development, and fund our parks and rec, library instead of throwing money at these organizations. We need employees who work with museums or in efforts for events rather than relying on third party organizations sharing funding with 4th party organizations.  It’s time to clean up house!
15. Dodd Stadium - don’t you think we need to maintain our properties? We can keep the stadium and make a profit. There are a couple of ways to do this. I won’t go into detail here, but it’s absolutely feasible.

There are many issues to tackle. Don't get me started about parking! We could use some more senior housing, as well as address the affordable housing issue. 

Here, in Norwich, this is a start. Let's put Norwich First! Not just line the pockets of the over 2000 NGOs in the town.