Dear Milton, Our Mother, Fair Milton, All Hail !

Dear, Milton, Our Mother, Fair Milton, All Hail!

The words above, while quite formal, speak eloquently to my feelings about this community in which I am privileged to live, work, and raise children and grandchildren. They are borrowed from the song, “Our Colors”, written about Milton College in 1911 by William C. Daland.

I reflect often about this community and its influence on me for the past 57 years. It has been incredibly positive for so many reasons. While we have our differences and don’t always see eye, we generally come around to be able to work for the common good.

Foremost in my mind today are two very recent issues of which I am being “nudged” to share my thoughts here. One is very general and very public. The other can be very general but is also very personal and, while a bit embarrassing, needs to be told for reasons which, I believe, will become obvious as you read on.

First the more general issue. I continue to be amazed by the absolutely phenomenal services we residents receive from our public works department. So obvious the past few days is the significant effort to clean up fallen leaves from our streets before major snowfall. Some years, this is unavoidable as we mere humans don’t control when the leaves fall or when the first major snowfall arrives. The resulting mess - frozen leaf-packed snowbanks on the edges of our yards next to the street is nasty. Kudos to Mark Langer and your outstanding staff that make all this work.

The more personal issue concerns my own behavior yesterday. I was driving west on East High Street, very prudently I thought. Recently, prodded by the new “radar signs” that display my speed, I have been concentrating on adhering closely to the 25 MPH limit on almost all our city streets. I understand this, agree with it, and most of the time comply. I believe that these regulations are not “just signs”, as I ‘ve heard some say, but are safety laws for the protection of us all. Many of you would not want to be behind me on the interstate as I set my cruise at the posted limit and then try to stay out of the way in the right lane. I can feel the impatience of many as they literally fly around me. Quite frankly, I feel the impatience from fellow citizens when I am driving 30 on Madison Ave. and 25 on our other streets. But, I digress.

Today, on my westward drive from my house on E. High St. to Hometown Ace, a police car appeared in my rearview mirror, and I felt I was being assessed. I checked my speed but that was okay. Sure enough, the red and blues illuminated, and I pulled over near the Cone Zone. An officer cautiously approached and very politely and professionally asked if I was feeling okay. I replied that I was. He then asked if there was a reason why I had not stopped at the stop sign by the high school and Rainbow Drive. I was flabbergasted as I didn’t even realize I had missed this stop. How many millions of times have I driven this street and always stopped? I hadn’t this day and didn’t even realize it. I do believe they call that “distracted” driving. My mind was elsewhere. I was embarrassed, felt foolish, and more as visions of what might possibly have happened because of my distractedness. Dwell on that thought a bit. We all need to.

I was given a verbal warning and urged to be alert and obey stop signs, especially in school zones during school time.

I was angry but only with myself. I applaud this officer, whose name I failed to get, who did his duty and apprehended me. And he did it in an incredibly professional manner. Chief Marquardt, I applaud you and your staff for all that you do to keep us safe.

Thank you to our city protectors. I am comforted knowing I am being protected (maybe from myself) by your diligence and service.

Next week we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I am so grateful for this vivid reminder of the incredibly rich lives we enjoy in Milton, Our City.

Dear Milton, Our Mother, Fair Milton, All Hail!

#cruzan4milton#WEAREMILTON