Board of Selectmen Meeting June 23, 2014 My Comments

Board of Selectmen June 23, 2014

I am very concerned about the concert creep that we have delegated to a Non-Profit, Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts.  The concerts on June 13 and June 15 brought about 4,000 people to the first concert and about 7,000 people to the other one.  According to the Simsbury Police department they provided 6 police officers to the first concert and 8 police officers at the second one. It also should be noted that USA Security provided about 25-30 security agents for the first concerts and about 35-40 agents for the second concert at the request of the promoters of the bands. I do not have an exact number of security agents because when I was directed to ask Tom Vincent, he wouldn’t give me the exact number because he said that I said he was dumb at the Board of Selectman meetings when he was First Selectman, so he is not obligated to give me the information although it was readily available since his binder was on the table.  I stand by my comments. The approximate figures came from the Simsbury Police Department. Although there are signs at the entrance to the Meadows stating, “ No Smoking on site or parking lots.” Although the sign stated clearly that smoking was prohibited,   it was noted that there was marijuana use, cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption at the concerts.  If possession of marijuana is illegal, how can these concert goers get a free pass?  Why was this illegal activity ignored with all the security on site? Since alcohol consumption is allowed on town property, is the use of marijuana also allowed?  There was an alleged assault at the first concert that is being investigated by the Simsbury Police Department, since the people involved were too drunk to be interviewed at the time.  At the other concert an ambulance was called for alleged excessive drinking.  Several cars were observed in the Town and private  parking lots before the concert began.  Tailgating allows unsupervised alcohol consumption prior to the concerts.  What is the town’s position on tailgating in town parking areas and private parking areas?  It appears that a Recreational Vehicle owned by Bob Hensley, a member of the Performing Arts, was parked in a no parking area on Iron Horse Boulevard during both concerts. Was Bob Hensley using his RV to entertain clients and friends outside the regulations of the concerts that he was supposed to regulate?  Why does Bob Hensley have special status in our town?   I would like to have the Board of Selectmen evaluate the use of the Simsbury Meadows for concerts that bring large crowds to town. Why do the promoters require large numbers of security? Does Simsbury have the capacity to control the crowds and sustain the risks that alcohol consumption, marijuana use and second hand smoke are generated from thousand of concert goers?

The Hartford Courant recently had an article, “Pot Brownie Sickens Student At  Bloomfield School.” Three students at the Metropolitan Learning Center brought “weed brownies” to school where a student had an adverse reaction and was taken to the hospital.  Now that Simsbury has a Marijuana Factory in town,  it appears that there is an increase in motor vehicle tickets for possession of  marijuana with a $150 summons. An  article written by Maureen Dowd, a noted New York Times columnist of her experience with edible Marijuana in Colorado in an article titled, “I AM Dying PLS Help in Denver. “  She writes,” What could go wrong with a bite or two? I’ll have some more. This thing is delicious!  8 bites in and wait, there we go. Pleas help me. I don’t know what day it is. I am pretty sure that I’ve entered some sort of vortex and time has stopped completely. I have checked my watch 400 times in the last three hours but according to my watch no time has passed.” This is her account of how she reacted to legal marijuana. Accepting the Marijuana Factory in Simsbury has violated the Federal laws and has increased the use of marijuana. Will First Selectman Mary Glassman have a Zombie patrol to control the use of Marijuana in town?

Recently there was an article in The Hartford Courant, “Landmark Owners share Big Plans.”  The owner of the building is owned by David Richman, the same person that has been delinquent in paying his taxes, presently has a zoning violation, costing him over $30,000 with a $150 a day fine from November 2013, until the illegal handicapped ramp it is removed from his  building at 730 Hopmeadow Street.  He has had building violations on his building over 10 years.  On October 25, 2010, PeoplesBank filed a property foreclosure on Richman’s building, West Street Storage.  As soon as he purchased the building at 760 Hopmeadow Street  he wanted to flip it by selling it to the town for a Senior Center. The town should not negotiate with David Richman since he has been defiant with the town for years.

I would like to report that I have not heard any decision on the legality of 33 Canal Street as a medical building in an R-15 Zone from Town Attorney, Bob Decrescenzo.  . This is the same home rented to Representative John Hampton.

Once again this board is asked to name a room for a Town resident.  Thomas F. Garrrity Jr’s. family   approached the town with a donation of money for a Fitness Center at Simsbury High School.  Just because Garrity has the ability to donate money for a fitness room should not give him the right to have a name on a room. A donation of money should not be the standard for naming rights. The Town should not be bought by the highest bidder.   Would the Garrity family withdraw their donation if their name was not on the room?  I would urge this board to deny the application for a family name on a room just because they had the ability to donate large sums of money for a specific project.