A Good Place To Start
By Colleen Gundlach
I am a big fan of Charles A. Monagan.  This long-time editor of Connecticut Magazine always seems to have his finger on the pulse of the state, and often irreverently tackles the tough issues in his “the tip” column each month.
His “tip” for the March issue deals with Connecticut’s identity.  “Self-identity has never been our strong suit in Connecticut – not now, not ever,” he says. “For our long life as a colony and state, we have toiled earnestly between we’re better-than-you New York (‘the city that never sleeps’) and self-absorbed Boston (‘the hub of the universe’), taking much from both but in the end taking up with neither.  We are a small state, easily overlooked.”
Could we say the same about Norfolk?  In our history, Norfolk has been the place where the New Yorkers (and to a lesser extent the Bostonians) have come to find respite from hectic city life and get away for a weekend or a summer and end up staying. From the beginning, our town has been populated by people looking for a better, more peaceful life in a bucolic setting.  Norfolk has, indeed, taken much from both Boston and New York, as Monagan says, but we have taken up with neither.  And that can be a good thing.
Norfolk has always been a very independent  town.  Look at the last election.  While the rest of the county voted red, we remained blue.  Look at education.  We have fiercely and successfully protected our high quality, autonomous Botelle School in the face of increasing external and legislative pressure. Look at our economy.  While other towns have given in to big box stores and fast food chains to offset their increasing tax rates, Norfolk’s governing  boards have been skillful enough to be able to keep our mill rate lower  many other surrounding towns, even those with big boxes.  In this case, being a small town “easily overlooked” is a good thing, as applied to national chain stores.
Maintaining our independence locally, as nationally, comes from participating in the decision making process.  Norfolk boards and commissions have been working over the last few months to develop budgets that will attempt to hold the line on costs while providing needed services.  Our responsibility as town residents over the coming months will be to read and understand these budgets and contribute to the upcoming budget discussions.  The town budget hearing and annual meeting to vote on the town’s financial plan will be held in the coming weeks.  An educated vote on these issues can only come from knowing and understanding the budget being considered, and the town budget hearing is the place to gain that understanding.
Norfolk boasts astounding artistic, musical, literary, and historical talents and activities, much like New York and Boston, but on a smaller scale.  We have taken much from both cities in terms of people, ideas and culture, but have been able to be, in Monagan’s words, “taken up with neither.”   The ability to maintain this best-of-both-worlds is through understanding  the town’s needs,  and voting accordingly.  The town budget hearing is a good place to start.