The Town Common has posted video highlights from Thursday night’s Sturbridge Selectmen Debate online at our newspaper web site.

To view the quick view videos broken down by topic, visit:

www.thetantasquatowncommon.com/multimedia

See this week’s paper for complete results.

Gimas said one of the first things she would like to do if elected would be to sit down with Town Administrator James Malloy and see what his intentions are regarding his continued employment. She said someone who can put “100 percent of their heart and soul” into the community.

Ehrhard floated the idea of rethinking the position of Town Planner and had praise for OSV and their turn around, saying the town needs to be more proactive and bring in an economic development coordinator, which will pay or itself in the increase to the tax base.

Gimas wants to see a national search for an economic development coordinator if one is to be hired. She said someone with a “proven track record” needs to be hired and placed a time frame of 6-9 months to see someone hired.

Ehrhard clarified a comment of his that appeared in the Town Common. When saying he would like Sturbridge to be more like Wellesly, he clarified his comment by saying there needs to be a balance of economic development and preservation of its historical character, much like Wellesly, Lexington and Longmeadow have done.

Creamer says in talking with store owners there is a feeling of “every shop owner for themselves” and there’s need to be discussion to create a sense of place

Ehrhard, “Route 20 has had its problems despite of what Sturbridge has done”

He also agrees with Gimas that a economic developer should be hired, and historic lighting would make the area more walkable. He disagrees with Creamer that the power lines would be buried.

Goodwin has called for a “walkable” Main Street to change the appearance of Main Street

Creamer responded by saying its much more complicated than burying the wires below Main Street. He said the Master Plan would be a better avenue to address that.

All four candidates have expressed a desire for controlled growth in town.

Priscilla Gimas has called for the hiring of a director of economic development. Someone who can work full time to preserve the historical significance of town.

James Ehrhard, agrees with Creamer that water connection needs to be brought in to spur development. Also, “retail components of some significance needs to anchor that development,” he says.

STURBRIDGE – Fourth, 5th and 6th grade students spill into the cafeteria excited to face the small stage where 12 students sit – nervously – in folding chairs with nametags at their feet.
Using a tone of voice trademarked by pro wrestling announcers Assistant Principal Jack Canavan introduces the crowd to competitors in Burgess Elementary School’s 2008-2009 Geography Bee.
One 6th grader’s alias, intimidating as it is, may not guarantee a first place finish.
In announcing Dom Boutiette’s name Canavan stretches it further than a Greenland coastline on the Mercator Projection.
“Dommm – the Dominator – Bouuutiettteee,” Canavan says.
Cue wild cheers.
Hand lettered signs with the slogans: “C’mon Conor” “Go Go Christian” and “Logan kick butt” wave from side to side. Students in white t-shirts bearing similar encouragement yell and shout.
This bee is held annually and pits the winners of individual classroom competitions against each other. It’s an opportunity for students to get excited about geography and show their knowledge, Canavan said during the set-up.
But now he calls for quiet. Ground rules must be established. Fabulous prizes require announcement.
Rules first: There will be two rounds, a final and a championship round. Elimination comes after two incorrect answers. When three students remain the second round begins and all are given a clean slate. The three then face off with the same elimination rules of the final round. Later, the first place winner will take a qualifying test. If they pass its off to Clark University and the statewide bee.
Victory at Clark secures an all expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. for the national bee.
Now prizes: Canavan tells the crowd of 4th, 5th and 6th graders what they can win at the national level. There will be a $5,000 college scholarship (wild cheers follow); a $500 cash prize (more frenzied shouts); and a chance to participate in the national bee – hosted by Alex Trebek! (mild confusion ensues).
Let the bee begin.
Paper copies of the lower 48 are passed to each competitor. The states are outlined but not named. However, Plant Hardiness Zones – as determined by the United States Department of Agriculture – are defined.
This set-up confounds the first two contestants. Questions are not fully understood and state names are provided instead of zone numbers.
With Grace Foulis, who sits in the fourth seat, comprehension kicks in.
“Nearly all of Ohio lies in what zone?” Canavan asks.
A moment passes as she consults the map.
“Six,” Gracie says.
“Correct.”
Gracie relaxes and smiles.
The first round of questions ends and students reach down to grab whiteboards and erasable markers. A wrong answer here spells elimination for some.
Canavan asks, “Myrtle Beach is a resort town in what state?”
There is a flurry of scribbling. Markers are put down. Canavan directs the students to reveal their answers. A few are correct. Others name neighboring states.
One answers New Jersey. No word if that was wishful thinking or if the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism has an elementary school student on the payroll.
There are four left. The Dominator, unfortunately, is dominating somewhere offstage.
The next question asks; in what state did Hurricane Ike make landfall? Of the four two answer correctly triggering a face-off between Mason Wildgrube and Frank Tremblay for a third place finish, which Wildbruge earns for knowing that Londonderry is in Ireland.
Two remain. Conor O’Brien and Jason Izzio. It doesn’t take long, a few questions, and Conor wins first place and advances his chance to earn $5,500, a trip to Washington D.C. and a rendezvous with Alex Trebek.
A gold medal is placed on Conor’s neck. He is center stage in front of cheering peers. He raises both arms to the ceiling as the school’s 2008-2009 Geography Bee champion should.
For this moment geography is Conor’s world.

A single individual – whose identity remains unknown – lit the fuse of the rocket that exploded on 16-year-old Sean Lavallee who suffered deep burns to 90 percent of his thigh, which required skin grafts and an extended hospital stay after a July 4 celebration on Walker Pond.

Five months later and no one has stepped forward with an apology or to claim responsibility. And an entire community, the Walker Pond neighborhood, remains silent on the matter, despite being home to many people who have done a great deal of good for Sturbridge and surrounding towns in a variety of ways both public and private.

Hundreds of witnesses were present, but no one saw a thing? Hard to believe.

That’s where the case stands now, the story continues to unfold as
Sean and his father David Brown will testify before a grand jury and tell the court their story.
According to Brown one man, who apparently had been drinking, accidentally dropped the road flare that set off fireworks into the crowd.

Police, fire and town officials all confirmed the display was illegal. The alleged addition of alcohol to the mix can only be described as an act of gross negligence. Keep in mind Sean did not attend an event hosted by teenagers, on some back road, where the booze was bought with a fake I.D. and the fireworks were picked up in New Hampshire the day before.

Adults coordinated, or at the very least condoned, the party on the shores of Walker Pond. These were men and women with careers in professional fields like law and education, yet their reaction to this accident has been juvenile.
The pain, physical and mental, Sean endured can’t be erased, obviously. But it’s not too late for whoever is responsible to step forward, apologize, and accept responsibility. If his conscience doesn’t compel him to own up to his mistake, hopefully the courts will.

And it’s not too late for the Walker Pond Association to apologize for their role – however limited – in the affair.
Denying the facts, even if done skillfully, consistently and with great knowledge of the law, does not make them go away.

For the safety of all, leave the fireworks to the professionals next year.