Ian - before and after basic training

 

Pictures from Rebecca Webb.

Stopped off at the Town Board Meeting tonight.  I had a thumbdrive to deliver to the clerk.  Unfortunately, I also have library duty which ends at 7p.m. - exactly when the board meeting begins.   Therefore I was a little late and the meeting had already begun when I walked in.   An argument was in progress so I decided to sit down and hear what had gotten a couple of people in such a dither.  They live on the road that is a boundry between our town and the town to the south.  The two town boards had decided that it was impractical for the two towns to care for the road just up to the center line. Instead of north/south, they signed an agreement to divvy up the care of the road east/west w/ our town taking the west half.  This couple lives in our town but on the east portion of the road which is the responsibility of the other town.  The 'lady' was particularily foul mouthed in her description of how dusty the road is, that a pile of gravel was left near their driveway, and that the trees that had fallen in the ice storm last year hadn't been cleared up very quickly.  The board chairman explained the agreement and that she should take it up w/ the other town board.  More foul language and asking why should they pay property taxes before they both stormed out of the meeting.  Well that was fun.  After the meeting clerk Chris (who was elected just this year) said the former clerk had explained the job but hadn't said anything about dealing w/ angry constituents.   I found it's best to be quiet and listen to what they are saying.    Why they need to pepper their speech w/ expletives - well - I assume their parents didn't teach them any better, their vocabulary is stunted, and/or they feel swearing gives them power.