Board of Selectmen Meeting January 13, 2014 My Comments

Board of Selectmen January 13, 2014

Now that we are starting a new year, I would hope that this board would have more accomplishment s than the last.

First Selectman Mary Glassman promised the electors a vote on a Town Manager to give us professional management instead of many knee jerk reactions to complicated issues. Simsbury has evolved, according to First Selectman Mary Glassman into a high maintenance  pseudo Town Manager position with on the job training leaving the position without any authority and no long-term planning.  There was an invoice for Abagail’s  restaurant for $49.48, and an invoice from  First and Last Tavern  restaurant for $97.30.

This board would not be discussing the obstacles placed on the process with the skating center hijacking the process with the Big Y, since the town owns the infrastructure. A professional management staff would have envisioned these obstacles during the site plan approval process and shovels would be on the ground

Recently the Zoning Commission voted to change the zone at 100 Grist Mill to a manufacturing facility for medical marijuana with little discussion on the drastic change to the Character of Simsbury.  William Fiske and Vaughn Marecki  voted against the application. Was anyone concerned that the facility is in close proximity to Simsbury High School and a large residential development? What were they smoking?  Is this the only form of Economic Development Simsbury can entice to our town?  What input did this board have on the vote?  By a show of hands, how many board members have NEVER smoked pot?  Marijuana is a mind altering drug presently being sold to the town as a medical miracle.  The vote is a gateway to changing from medical to recreational use. Does Simsbury want a bunch of pot heads populating our town? According to legal match “Each U.S. State also passes their own marijuana laws, but when these laws are in conflict with the federal rules, the federal rules control.  “Unlike many states, the federal law does not qualify possession by amount. Possession of any amount of marijuana (even a single marijuana cigarette) is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $1,000 on the first offense.”  Do the Feds have to raid the establishment for compliance?  It has been said that the increase in marijuana use will decrease the alcohol consumption, leaving vacant package stores and a reduction in town revenue.  Is this part of the Master Plan for Economic Development?  Will all the designated farms in town be given the authority to grow marijuana?  Has this board had any public dialog with the residents of Simsbury for their input?  Does this board condone the zoning board’s vote for medical marijuana? Anyone convicted of possession of marijuana and other criminal offences cannot get a pistol permit according to State Statute.  During the processing of marijuana plants, are there any byproducts that impact the environment?  This board should demand that the State Consumer Protection Commission reject the application submitted by Curaleaf, LLC from a Greenwich Venture Capital Group.  None of the Charettes or Marketing Studies that were submitted to the town at taxpayer’s expense recommended medical marijuana to improve Simsbury’s Character and increase the tax base. The grand List was reduced from 2010-2011 by $260,907,557 according to town staff. Developing Marijuana facilities is not the appropriate use for  increasing revenues.  I urge this board to do everything in their power to remove this project from the State approval process.

Recently I was watching Bloomberg News and they were interviewing a guest who processes beets for ice removal on roads. According to the speaker beet pulp brine or beet juice blend can melt ice at 55 degrees below zero. It can be incorporated into the salt solution or sprayed on the roads. With a beet brine or juice you can reduce the amount of salt and improve the environment.  The beet application   can be applied to the road prior to icing. According to the speaker, the beets reduce the cost of ice removal by 60-80% as a spray and 30% with granules since less salt is used in the application. This process is being used on the New York Thruway and many other highways throughout the country.  The beets also remove rust from steel and tools used for the  road removal process. I have contacted the Public Works Department about this process and hope that this board encourages the department to initiate the process as soon as possible.  Growing beets and manufacturing it’s by product is certainly a better use of agricultural land than growing marijuana.

I would like to report that the town has enforced some  zoning violations and has collected $2,310 from Warner Nursery and has imposed a fine of $150 a day , commencing on November 21, 2013, on 730 Hopmeadow Street, owned by Dave Richman for “construction of a ramp without benefit of a sight plan.“  As of today, the ramp remains at 730 Hopmeadow Street.  The ramp has been in place for years and the fine for non-compliance continues. I hope that this will be the beginning of continued enforcement.

Recently First Selectman Mary Glassman, Tom Cooke Director of Administrative Services, and Sean Kimball Deputy Director of Administrative Services, went to a conference in Boston, leaving the Selectman’s Office without an administrative staff. First Selectman Glassman spent 1 day at the conference but both Tom Cooke and Sean Kimball remained at the convention for three days costing the taxpayers $889.14.  There were additional charges  of $76.95 for publications and $635 registration fees. How can an entire office leave to go to a convention?  Why was this staff junket paid for by the taxpayers?

There was an incident recently during Simsbury Celebrates where a student sent a text to another student threatening her with bodily harm.  Texting has become a serious issue through the social media. I was told that Superintendent Matt Curtis was taking this issue seriously and it is alleged the student who sent the message was disiplined. Where was the leadership in the high School under the direction of Principal Neil Sullivan? Another parent recently came to the Simsbury Police Department with texting issues.  Parents should explain to their children that sending threatening messages is bullying and has serious consequences. I would recommend that parents and students see the movie “Cyberbullying,” which depicts the serious consequences of texting among students through the social media.