Veterans Memorial and O'Connell Plaza

Heavy rain did not dampen the ceremonies on Saturday to dedicate the new Veterans Memorial within the Edward F. O’Connell Memorial Plaza at Town Hall. In an uplifting ceremony coordinated by Selectman Jim Johnson and attended by many veterans and their families, the Town formally dedicated the Memorial and the O’Connell Plaza. Appearing on six separate monuments designed to match the brick and brownstone exterior of Town Hall are over four thousand names of veterans from Winchester who served during our country’s wars. Separate plaques were created for the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Plaque(s) will eventually be created with the names of veterans who served during the recent and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere.

The new Veterans Memorial was a joint project of the Town and private individuals and organizations dedicated to the Town’s veterans. The O’Connell Plaza will serve as the focal point of the Town’s ceremonies on each Memorial Day and Veterans Day and as a place to reflect upon the sacrifices and contributions of those men and women who left Winchester to serve their country.

Let the Games Begin

Today marks the opening games of the Cal Ripken Major/60 World Series being held right here in Winchester, Massachusetts. A number of teams from around the country have qualified for participation in this event, including:

• Rainbow City/Southside, Alabama (Southeast)
• Kingsbridge, New York (Middle Atlantic)
• South Lexington, Kentucky (Ohio Valley)
• Waite Park, Minnesota (Midwest Plains)
• Visalia, California (Pacific Southwest)
• Johnson County, Arkansas (Southwest)
• West Lewis County, Washington (Pacific Northwest)
• Raynham, Massachusetts (Eastern Massachusetts State Champ)
• Burlington, Massachusetts (New England)
• Winchester, Massachusetts (Host Community)

The hosting of the World Series is a tremendous accomplishment that is the result of the efforts of Sachem Youth Baseball and Softball. Led by Bob Nutile, this organization has renovated the West Side Field facility and provided all of the resources necessary to host such a significant event. The entire Winchester community has stepped up with a range of events and activities designed to support the World Series and welcome our guests.

Last evening, a banquet was held welcoming the teams headlined by former Red Sox player and manager Butch Hobson. Opening festivities at the West Side (Nutile Field) were a great success and attended by a number of dignitaries, including the Lieutenant Governor.

Good luck to all the teams!

The EnKa Parade

The annual EnKA parade and carnival took place under relatively good weather this past weekend. This event is an enjoyable opportunity for Winchester to celebrate all of its community groups and organizations and to have fun.

The EnKA Society is a woman's non-profit volunteer organization, devoted to raising funds to contribute to non-profit organizations that serve the people of Winchester.

Stand for Children

The Town of Winchester was prominently represented at the recent Stand for Children rally at the State House. Stand for Children is a leading voice for Massachusetts' children, and the Commonwealth's only statewide grassroots education advocacy group.

The Winchester delegation was comprised of town and school officials and interested parents. It delivered over 7,000 postcards to our state legislators advocating for a fairer distribution of financial aid and for more flexibility in financing and managing the Town’s affairs.

ICMA Conference

I recently attended the International City and County Management Association’s (ICMA) annual conference. This year’s conference was held in Richmond, Virginia. It was fitting to meet in Virginia since 2008 represents the 100th anniversary of the founding of modern city management in the United States. In 1908, the City of Staunton, Virginia hired Charles Ashburner as a city manager, heralding the reform movement in city government and serving as the initial step in the establishment of the council-manager form of government that is so prevalent in the United States today.

Clearly, the focus at this year’s conference was the turmoil in the country’s economy and the credit crunch that has created a crisis in the financial markets. A great deal of uncertainty and concern exists on the impact that this crisis will have on the ability of municipalities to issue bonds and the overall fiscal health of states and localities. The upcoming presidential election was also a timely subject of discussion at the conference.

The ICMA conference is an excellent opportunity to stay up to date on emerging trends in municipal government, to network with other local government managers and to renew one’s commitment and enthusiasm for democratic, ethical and professional service.

The conference in Richmond also represented the end of my tenure on a three-year term on ICMA’s Executive Board. It was my privilege to represent city and town managers from the northeast region of the United States on the Board and to promote professional local government in general.

Shannon Beach

Recently, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) named the former Sandy Beach recreational facility Shannon Beach in honor of the late State Senator Charles Shannon of Winchester. At a ceremony held on September 13 attended by family and friends and numerous state and local officials, Senator Shannon’s legacy of public service was fondly remembered. It is fitting that the beach and recreational facility will be named for Senator Shannon, who dedicated his life to public service and opportunities for youth.

Winchester is with Alicia

Over the last several days, the Winchester community has experienced the ups and downs of our own Alicia Sacramone’s participation at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. We are extremely proud of Alicia’s efforts and accomplishments as one of the world’s top gymnasts. We congratulate her on the silver medal as a member of the United States team. We share her disappointment with a fourth place finish in the vault competition despite her outstanding performance. Most important, we admire her character and sportsmanship as she persevered with adversity on a world stage.

The Town will be organizing appropriate recognition activities in the coming days as Alicia returns home from China. We are very proud of her.

The Champs

Winchester has done it again by having three teams win state championships this spring. The Girls Lacrosse, Boys Tennis and Girls Tennis teams have all reached the ultimate success in sports- becoming the Champs.

Congratulations to all of these teams, their parents and supporters. Your community is proud of you.