Happy 5th Birthday To Grandson Sammy

Happy Birthday To Grandson Sammy

by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle

I have five grandchildren and I am madly in love with all five.

Over the years I have written about each of them, possibly to the point where you readers have been bored to tears. If so, skip the rest of this because I feel the need to again talk about one of them.

My middle grandchild is force of nature we call Sammy. He’s going to be 5 tomorrow, but it’s hard to remember life before he made his appearance. Of all our grandkids, Sam is the one who keeps everyone on their toes. At the same time, he has taught me so much about life, love, and the value and joy of being yourself.

Sammy is a riot. He is one of the funniest kids I’ve ever met. His humor, like pretty much everything else about him, is part of his basic outlook on life. He lives in the moment. He remembers everything you say, both good and bad. And woe to the poor individual who tries to get something by him.

Sam has some issues which pose obstacles for both him and those who love him. They sometimes manifest themselves in behavioral problems, and that can be disruptive to his development and family. Fortunately, with love and help he is overcoming them.

Sam explained some of his issues to me after he got help with them.

“Grandpa, my brain works a little different from everyone else,” he informed me quite seriously.

When I told him that was OK and just made him even more special, he looked at me like I just didn’t quite get it and patiently said, “Grandpa, I have a diagnosis!”

Sam is smart, and he is stubborn. He doesn’t let go easily and can obsess with the best of them. Of course, that can be said of a lot of kids his age. Or my age.

But Sam has a wit beyond his years. Recently we took him and his two brothers to New Hampshire. At one point, I told Sam he couldn’t do something he wanted (a pretty rare occurrence). Sam was not pleased, but I held firm.

“Grandpa, you are pretty grumpy. You need to go to the senior citizen center and make some new friends,” he informed me with great indignance. Grandma’s laughing didn’t help when I tried to feign anger.

Sammy is tremendously loving and empathetic. If you have been sick, Sam never fails to ask if you are feeling better. He recently took the money the Tooth Fairy left him and donated it (his suggestion) to a fund to help sick kids overseas.

The other day Sam saw something called “The Kindness Rocks Project” and was hooked. He and his brother painted rocks and left them for others because, in his words, “people have bad days and we should be nice.” He is a happy child, and I couldn’t be any prouder of him.

So I want to wish a happy 5th birthday to grandson Sammy. He can’t read this now, but he will someday. And maybe then he’ll understand even more just how special he will always be to me.

Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and proud grandfather of five. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

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Overrides Have Been Passing Lately In Area

Overrides Trending In Area - Or Are They?

by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle

In the last 12 months, four different communities in the Sun Chronicle area have passed Proposition 2 1/2 overrides. In this rather fiscally conservative area, that’s something worth noting.

Last August, Seekonk passed a $3 million debt exclusion override to fund new radio equipment. In April, North Attleboro approved a $6.5 million general override to fund their budget and Attleboro voted a huge $260 million debt exclusion to build a new high school. Just this month, Rehoboth voters said yes to a $2 million general override for their regional school system.

Is there something different in the water? (Oops, sorry Norton).

While the passage of overrides is hardly stunning news, in some of these particular communities it was a fairly new experience. Attleboro’s successful override was its first ever, of any type. Rehoboth has a reputation for frugality that is generally unfriendly to overrides. And North Attleboro? I’m pretty sure you could have gotten good odds in Las Vegas if you had wanted to slap a few bucks down on the “no” side of that one.

So now the obvious questions are: Is this a new trend, where communities previously steadfastly opposed to overrides are changing their view? Is it just a coincidence? Did all four just happen to have unique circumstances that led to a new result? And will these votes have any effect on other area towns who might be considering going the override route?

My answer to all of them is — I really have no idea.

However, there are some changes in general over the last year or two that might make overrides more likely to pass. Having said that, every city and town is different. You can’t judge what one might do by the actions of another.

It has been almost 40 years since Prop 2 1/2 came into existence. If a community has never approved a general override during that time and has not seen an absolute explosion of commercial/industrial growth, then they are hurting financially. Their budgets have to be very tight, and their level of services struggling.

That’s not some grand theory or assumption. That’s just math.

Also, the economy has improved. Many believe confidence in the economic future has made people more likely to bite the bullet and pay more in taxes in order to keep important services.

Personally, I have never found an improved economy to be a factor in how people vote on overrides. A falling economy certainly has a negative effect. But I seldom remember anyone saying, “Hey, we are doing better financially — let’s have an override!”

But North Attleboro is hardly a community of spendthrifts. Attleboro is not a wealthy city. You have to have a very real and pressing need to get these good folks to raise their own taxes.

They and others have realized Proposition 2 1/2 is only a guideline. They have faced the fact services and quality of life are important and cost money, both for municipalities and individuals.

Is this a trend spreading through the area? Probably not. But it might be a sign that the long-term effects of the last 40 years are coming to a head.

Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and a longtime local official. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

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Trump Is The One Taking A Knee

Trump Is The One Taking A Knee

by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle

President Trump has questioned the patriotism of players in the NFL who chose to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem. He suggested that owners in the league just say “get that son of a bitch off the field”.

He instructed Vice President Mike Pence to walk out of an NFL game when a handful of players knelt in protest. He suggested others should leave when that happens and stop watching on television. He berated those who in his opinion showed disrespect for the flag, even after it had virtually stopped.

This week, that same “patriot President” stood on foreign soil and disrespected America and the intelligence community that risks its life to protect this country. He said he believed Vladimir Putin, a former KBG agent and Russian president, over his own people. Then he sat in front of the American people and tried to excuse his behavior in a way that was embarrassing and pathetic

Reflect on this past week. The president of the United States traveled to one of our greatest and most reliable allies and insulted their leader. He blasted our NATO friends and put forth untruths about them. He embarrassed his staff and his country to feed his own inflated ego.

Then he went to Helsinki to meet with the man responsible for the Russian attack on the last American election. The man reputed to be responsible for the murders of many journalists, politicians, and political dissidents. The man who leads the country the American intelligence community overwhelmingly agrees was responsible for direct attacks on our democracy.

And there, Trump dispelled all doubt as to where his loyalty rests — and it is not with the land represented by Old Glory.

The man who said people kneeling in protest to bring attention to the plight of citizens facing discrimination should leave America, seemed more at home with the Russian autocrat than those in his government. He respects power and ruthlessness more than compassion and leadership. This was an incredible display of arrogance, political posturing, and selfishness.

The president of the United States should never — ever — stand on foreign soil and take the side of an enemy over his or her own people. President Trump was not defending America on that podium in Helsinki, but rather playing domestic politics in a foreign land. He was putting himself first and advancing his own interests over that of the country he was elected to represent.

This behavior is treasonous. It required an apology. And not the ridiculous, disingenuous dog-and-pony show Trump performed on Tuesday, where he looked like a hostage forced by captors to read a message. In the same sentence where he said he now accepted the findings of the intelligence community, he couldn’t resist ad libbing that it could be wrong.

President Trump betrayed his country this week. He weakened his nation and threatened our national security. He didn’t just take a knee, he dropped down on both knees and humbled himself before the man who opposes everything represented by the American flag and all it represents.

Shame on our president, and those who continue to enable his behavior.

Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and a longtime local official. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

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Foxboro AdCom Wrong To Duck The Public

Foxboro Committee Wrong on TV Issue

by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle

The Foxboro Advisory Committee (AdCom) doesn’t want its meetings televised. You know, the meetings where they publicly discuss and vote on their recommendations to the citizens on town meeting affairs. The town moderator, who runs town meeting and appoints the AdCom, encouraged that decision.

Shame on them. Their stance is self-serving and wrong, and an affront to the people of Foxboro.

It is hard to understand why a town committee would be encouraged to limit the public’s access to them, which is exactly what has happened here. And any AdCom member who truly believes it is in the public interest to keep their meetings off television should consider a new avenue of public service.

Moderator Frank Spillane said though it is debatable, the public may be better off if the meetings are televised. Then he added, “But that’s not my concern, about educating the community. My concern is you looking at all the warrant issues in front of you and making a recommendation to town meeting.”

Not your concern? Does a more informed public not make for a better, though not necessarily easier town meeting? Is the goal here to make government better for the people, or more convenient for those who serve on committees on their behalf?

The comments from some members were even more stunning.

Stephanie McGowan said members might be hesitant to ask certain questions. Member Larry Ooi said “in the end, I’m not saying we would rubber stamp, but it might feel like it.”

Robert Canfield had perhaps the most telling statement of all.

“As a volunteer, I’m not elected and I’m not paid. In those two situations, it’s different to put yourself out there. In the situation where I’m a volunteer, I don’t want people to be able to watch and misinterpret,” he said. “I would rather have them (the public) read notes based on the facts of the discussion.”

“I don’t want people to be able to watch” is not a phrase that should be used in local government.

If you are afraid to make decisions with people watching, you should reconsider being an AdCom member. If you aren’t willing to “put yourself out there,” you shouldn’t be volunteering for that job in the first place.

If the members of the AdCom “don’t want people to be able to watch” and would “rather have them read notes,” then the good residents of Foxboro have reason to question just what the committee is truly worried about.

It seems the moderator and AdCom are more concerned about the comfort level of individual members than the right of the public to observe their democracy in action. If the AdCom cannot work effectively with people watching, it should be disbanded.

If potential television viewers decided to show up at the meetings in person, would the AdCom become unable to function? Are the members truly that sensitive to scrutiny?

In an incredible bit of irony, the AdCom chairman — at the same meeting — asked the moderator for advice on how the committee could become more transparent. There was no TV, so we don’t know if he said this with a straight face.

Hmmm. Maybe he should have suggested televising their meetings.

Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and a local town moderator. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

Bidding Good-bye To "All Mighty Brycey"

Saying Good-bye To Bryce

by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle

Today, the news doesn’t matter. The hell with Donald Trump, the Democrats, the Supreme Court. I don’t care what the stock market did, what celebrity is cheating on their spouse, or whether my property taxes are going to rise.

Today, we celebrate the life of a young Norton boy. A baby who never wanted to be famous. His sister who will grow up without her brother. Their parents — their amazing parents — who have suffered the unthinkable while giving us all a lesson in love and devotion.

Bryce Derosier died last week. He was just 16 months old and suffered from mitochondrial disease. He spent months in the hospital, but was tough enough to return home and spend his final days with his family.

I wrote about “All Mighty Brycie” a few weeks back, recounting the story of his illness and his efforts to defeat it. Now it is time for us to stop concentrating on how he fought, and focus instead on what he taught.

The love this little man generated in his short time on earth is incredible. It speaks to the power we all possess yet seldom use — the power to love and trust unconditionally, to have hope in the face of hopelessness, and to extract what is good and important from whatever limited time we are given in this world.

Bryce brought people together with his smile, his strength, and his love of life. He never gave up, largely because his parents and family never gave up on him. I will always be in awe of how they stepped up and cared for him, advocated for him, and provided him with the very best life he could have. Despite the unimaginable pain they must now feel, they are so lucky to have had this amazing little boy in their lives.

People who never met Bryce loved him. He was symbolic of everything good and right with us as a people. Total strangers donated to help him. His father’s fellow police officers covered his shifts and gave the money to help Bryce and his family. No one asked Bryce’s politics, or his religion, or where he was born. They just fell in love with his smile, his spirit, and his family.

Bryce is survived by his heroic mother Jamie, his brave police officer dad Jeremy, and his beautiful sister Aubriella. He also leaves behind a legion of fans who came to love him, and were so inspired by his courage and determination.

But as we stop and say goodbye to Bryce, we thank him for what he has given us. We thank his parents for sharing with us both Bryce and his story. That takes a special kind of strength and character, which clearly runs deep in this amazing family.

While it is entirely appropriate to mourn, you cannot look at a picture of Bryce and not smile. That is his legacy, what he leaves for his family and friends.

How fortunate we all were to have Bryce Derosier here for a short while to shine his light, and show us all the way.

Bill Gouveia is a local columnist who will hug his kids and grandchildren a little tighter next time. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

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