Norwich: Extreme makeover

Our town needs to heal and improve. Here are some points:

 Not be a distressed town. We need to stop being distressed to get funding. 

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. Currently, we do not have an eye toward bringing in business, with the current resources. We need a better chamber of commerce option for techies. We need better negotiators at the table to bring in businesses, offer jobs and boost our economy. 
7. Better Council and Mayor. Being a leader in Norwich is not just about buget 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! We need more water patrol whether by Coast Guard or local.
9. Downtown - The ridiculous notion of bringing people downtown in its current state must end. 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.
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 funding in the 1600s. A lot is being erased or rewritten. Stories and narratives - false, are being perpetrated by implants. The very week Singh took office as councilman in 2021, he used Norwich letterhead to request the removal of the John Mason statue at the capitol. The capitol had funds for removal but decided against this. How can a Norwich Councilman make such a request. He can. But should he?! This is eyeopening as Singh stated the Pequot war was genocide. He fails to mention the slaughter and attack of the settlers by the Pequot and our alliance with Uncas. Instead, Singh requested the statue of our town founder... Singh does not have roots here. 
12. Propaganda - the memorials, murals, signs and more need to be removed immediately from our town. The mural on the parking garage showing a Sikh person who has nothing to do with our town is not "justice" but offensive to other Indians and anyone who realizes this show of - non welcoming propaganda. 
13. Accessibility - the restrooms are not ADA. The Post office - how can Billy 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 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. 

There are many more issues to tackle. Don't get me started about parking! 

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.