Sept 2009

Craig Mongeau - September 2009

My parents taught me when I was young that if I had to yell, then I needed to think of another way to say what I wanted to say. It worked because it forced me to organize my thoughts and ideas better.

I think we may need to do this with our current health care reform discussions. There are strong, passionate opinions on both sides of the issue, but this is getting ridiculous. No one is listening to each other; rather, each is trying to out-intimidate the other, hoping to discourage their elected representative from either voting for or against whatever it is. And it really doesn’t seem that anybody, myself included, knows exactly what either side really wants to do to improve our health care system. I was too young during the civil rights era in the ’60s to know what the public discourse was like then, but this is pretty uncivil right now. We better start listening to each other soon — not just for this issue, but for everything. Our nation really could depend on it.

What we can all agree on is that the 2009 N.Y.S. Highway & Public Works Expo is fast approaching.

This year’s show will be held Wednesday, Oct. 21 at the Americraft Center of Progress building on the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. On page 62 of this issue, check out some highlights of last year’s show.

As has been the case every year, a slew of door prizes will be awarded to lucky guests throughout the day. Two very fortunate expo attendees will each win a grand prize: One will be a pair of tickets to the Nov. 1 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans at Ralph Wilson Stadium, and the other will be two tickets (plus pit passes) to the NASCAR race in Watkins Glen on Aug. 9, 2010. And then’s there the annual Snowplow Roadeo competition. If you think your team has what it takes to be crowned champ, be sure to sign up at the front registration booth as soon as you arrive.

Look in the next issue of Superintendent’s Profile for a complete list if exhibitors and other expo-related information.

Hope to see you there. P