Don Lowe First Selectman Column 07/06/26
This weekend’s storm, the worst storm of the summer, also came at the worst time: The evening of our nation’s birthday. Then, the next day, one usually set for recovery, was on a holiday Sunday. And then on Monday, when power restoration should have been in top form, it rained continually, which is bad for working with power lines. This storm event has been very trying but we will get through it. We always do.
Regarding this storm event, I cannot adequately express how proud and grateful I am for our Sherman Volunteer Fire Department, our Publics Works crew, and other Sherman emergency personnel as they worked through the night on July 4th to stabilize our town from the storm’s damage. I’ll repeat what I wrote in a social media post and state that these are good, good people and I am proud to know them. On the evening of July 4, these people handled power outages, storm damage, road closures, mutually assisted a tremendous fire in Pawling, and even jumped on the SVFD rescue boat and answered a rescue call at around 11:30pm in the middle of Candlewood Lake. All of it at the same time. I witnessed them patiently and effectively deal with all of it.
The storm caused a great deal of havoc on marinas on Candlewood Lake. Thankfully, our boat storage area was spared. But the Candlewood Lake Authority is warning boaters that there might be debris yet on the water and buoys might have been blown out of place in certain locations.
July 5 marked the first anniversary of the passing of Matthew J. Hatcher, a Sherman teenager who lost his life from complications of a heart transplant. Everyone who met Michael loved his spirit and his effervescent, hopeful personality. His passing broke this town’s heart, but his memory fills us with the light and the blessing of courage, optimism, and kindness. Michael gave us that, and he gives us that every time we think of this wonderful young man.
Although the storm stole a lot of focus, over the weekend, our great nation celebrated its 250th Year as a nation. While that is certainly a long time, our democracy and its successful proliferation is not guaranteed, nor should it be taken for granted. We are a nation borne of virtuous and honorable principles and July 4th celebrations should always remind us of those principles. Here’s a primary one: “The belief that all individuals possess fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
