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Cogitator Sept 12, 2012
GUESTS
Erin Eves from Toll Gate Orthodontics joined us as a guest.
BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES
Happy birthday wishes from the club this week go out to Ron Winde (September 14th), Mike Neville (September 15th), and Bonnie Sauer (September 16th).
CLUB ANNIVERSARY
Where were you on September 11th, 1967? Locally, it turned out to be a pretty important day. Robert Alan Greene joined the Rotary International Club of East Greenwich. Bob went on to become club president during the 1976-1977 year. Through forty five years of Service above Self he has incredibly maintained a perfect attendance record. And every year in December, we thank Bob and Greene Industries for playing such a key role on the club's Citrus delivery day. Happy Rotary anniversary, Bob, from all of us!
NEW MEMBER INDUCTION
Matthew Bussey, an attorney for Martineau and Davis, was inducted by President Ken Colaluca with assistance from past presidents Sally Russell, Ed Neff, and George Popella. Matt's sponsor, Meghan Kruger, also works at Martineau and Davis. Welcome to the club, Matt!
HAPPY BUCKS
-Staci Cormier was glad to receive her first official Rotary badge from John Wolcott.
-George Popella recently enjoyed his first ever ‘duck boat’ ride on Boston’s Charles River. Also, George remembered many years back judging NCAA wrestling matches at Brown University featuring a scrappy and tenacious Lincoln Chafee. Linc’s proud dad (RI Governor and Senator) John Chafee was often in the stands cheering on his son.
-Alan Flynn, during a wonderful trip, traveling by train through the Canadian Rockies en route to Vancouver, had the good fortune of meeting a former Rotary exchange student who at 17 had a life-changing trip to Brazil.
-Janet Essex gave a happy buck for her trip with Jim last week to Maryland. Visiting ‘son #5,’ they were proudly introduced to his son #1. (Congratulations Grandma and Grandpa!)
-Vin Meola, ever the concerned friend (and...enjoying a bit of schadenfreude) , noted that Yankee fan Bob Miller was missing from today’s meeting. Two consecutive absences for Dave Iannuccilli, and now Bob. Oh dear. Memo to all Yankee faithful: come back; it will be OK; there are friends and Sox-fans at Wednesday lunches who will be happy to rub it in…sorry…I meant to say…who will be sympathetic to the Yankee's late season travails. (Sox fans are licensed to deal with this stuff.)
SPEAKER/PROGRAM
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee
Governor Lincoln Chafee studied Classics at Brown University. He was the recipient of Brown’s prestigious Francis Driscoll Award for leadership, scholarship, and athletics.
After college, the young ‘Linc’ Chafee worked as a blacksmith in Canada before soon deciding to follow his dad’s footsteps into the political arena. Before becoming Rhode Island’s governor in 2010, Chafee served four years as a city councilor in Warwick, four years as Warwick’s mayor, and, seven years as a U.S. Senator.
‘Rhode Island has fallen on tough times,’ the governor stated. ‘But we’re working every day to turn it all around. Sometimes, we’re our own worst enemy with negativity.’ Governor Chafee then discussed a chart he brought to the meeting, showing that state revenues are actually increasing of late, working their way back to ‘pre-crash levels.’
He cited that the job of the government is to provide certainty and predictability to private businesses, helping to create confidence that Rhode Island’s economic environment is on solid footing. He noted that state aid to cities and towns was ‘greatly reduced’ under the Carcieri administration, which created large deficits for those municipalities that needed it most (Providence, Central Falls, Woonsocket, and Pawtucket).
The governor is proud of his oversight in dealing with Central Falls’ bankruptcy. He praised two judges, Flanders and Bailey, for their work in helping Central Falls fight its way out of insolvency.
Governor Chafee chided ‘the last administration’ for its ‘Hail Mary’ pass, a guaranteed $75 million loan to Curt Shilling’s video game company, 38 Studios. He was not a supporter of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) loan to 38 Studios, and Chafee says he wasn’t surprised that the company fell into hard times when sales of their first video game didn’t meet estimates.
Chafee was adamant about not using another $10-15 million of film industry tax credits on 38 Studios, a move Shilling thought might save his company. Chafee is proud to have ‘held the line,’ and said audits of the now-defunct company’s financials prove he was correct in withholding those credits. This stance saved Rhode Island from losing even more money, according to the governor.
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) has been in crisis of late. The governor cited morale problems and poor leadership for hugely disproportionate sick-time and disability expenses. Warwick Mayor Avedisian and the state police have been overseeing and investigating RIPTA, trying to root out any recent wrongdoing while also ‘improving efficiencies.’
RI Resource Recovery Corporation has been a bright spot for the state lately. They have encouraged cities and towns in their recycling efforts for years. Now, RIRRC has proudly handed out profit checks to participating communities.
Governor Chafee has been a proponent of using state land now available near Route 195 for the expansion of Brown University’s Engineering School. He feels this would help attract and keep engineering students from all of the country and the world.
New England Patriots fans can now use the new TF Green train station when heading to games at Foxboro.
Finally, the Sakonnet Bridge project, and the subsequent dispute over tolls, proves Rhode Island needs to do a better job of consistently maintaining its infrastructure. Letting bridges fall into disrepair and beyond is 'penny wise and pound foolish.'
http://www.governor.ri.gov/about/
Governor Chafee with Alan Flynn and Sally Russell