We have heard from Woodstock Municipal Manager Phil Swanson and Woodstock Emergency Services Manager L.D. Sutherland, Jr. that Swanson has been invited to a private meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin tomorrow along with Hartford Police, Fire and Emergency Officials.
The meeting, which is to take place at the Hartford Emergency Services Station, has apparently been organized by Quechee Sen. John Campbell, with Woodstock’s Rep. Alison Clarkson.
The goal is to talk with the Governor about a recent rash of fatal and near-fatal accidents on Route 4 spanning from Interstate 89, Quechee, Taftsville to Woodstock all the way Bridgewater.
It’s not known if the Governor will be coming to Hartford Public Safety with concrete details (and/or money?) to fix Rt. 4’s narrow shoulders, deep divots, lack of lines and multi-changing speed limits or whether he will make some other announcement.
When we spoke with Fire Chief Sutherland today, who has since clarified he was not specifically invited and doesn’t need to go to the meeting, he said he hoped the Governor’s visit wasn’t just talk and politics.
Sutherland, not mincing too many words, said he doesn’t care what the talk is about, he just wants action, which to him means making immediate improvements, getting Rt. 4 fixed sooner than later, “Get it done!”
“You know, ” he added, “We may have lost two more people today – they have serious injuries.”
Sutherland’s reference was to this morning’s two-vehicle accident near the Quechee Mobil station in which both drivers had to be extricated from their vehicles. Hartford Police reported both women transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center with one listed in critical condition.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 