Board of Selectmen Meeting My Comments May 29, 2013

Board of Selectmen May 29, 2013 I am very concerned with the decision making ability of the Board of Selectmen and the leadership that is lacking. This year this board will be asking the Simsbury voters for their votes and none of these elected officials should be reelected, but they will continue to serve because there are no term limits. This  position has become a popularity contest not what you bring to the position to improve Simsbury. It is time that Simsbury changes the Charter and places term limits for every elected office. The political parties refuse to ask the residents for a vote on professional management although every consultant has stated Simsbury should have a Town Manager.  Since we cannot have professional management it is time to have term limits. Public service was never intended to be a career. It is time for Term Limits for all elected officials. This board is required to have public audience by law, for citizen concerns and this board continues to look bored and disconnected. There is no interaction during this process and everything is discounted as an annoyance. The citizens of Simsbury see this disconnect during each meeting with an attitude that discourages the public to come forward. In the end nothing gets done. The only people voting for the budgets are politically connected people who get their share of public money. This board forwarded a Charter for a vote although they rejected many of the changes. In order not to offend anyone and get reelected they don’t make controversial decisions. Term limits will eliminate the need to please. We now have a do nothing board. All the powers of the Town Meeting with powers to approve $3 million of taxable items is given to the elected Board of selectmen and Finance Board.  They approved over $200,000 to Design a Senior Center when nobody knows what, where, and how it should be used. There still is no consensus on the need for a Senior Center with a price tag of $8 million. The First Selectman position has been changed in the Charter to have all the powers transferred to a pseudo non-elected administrator. However, the salary of the First Selectman remains over $120,000. These changes in the Charter were done due to the apathy of the Simsbury taxpayers.  All property in Simsbury was devalued on average 15% and the taxes continue to increase. Simsbury will not be able to attract business if our mill rate is 38.51 and Avon is 26.32 Mills. The performing Arts Commission has been guided by making money over the selection of appriate concerts. The Flaming Lips concert would bring many people to Simsbury and money would be made. However, nobody seemed to care that this group promotes drugs, sex and nudity. Chairman of the PAC,  Bob Henley, has come before this board asserting that he is making money for the town with these concerts. Is the good old buck more important than family values? Bob Hensley should be removed as Chairman of the PAC since his values are inconsistent with the residents of Simsbury. Recently there was an article in the Hartford Courant, Drunken Concertgoers Big Problem At Hospitals. It states,  “ the problem of drunken concertgoers clogging hospital emergency departments has reached the level of a public health issue.”  Why vote for concerts that would bring a large crowd that we cannot control? Why has the Board of Selectmen approved Flaming Lips without due diligence. The only person aware of the problems that could occur and we were unable to control is Chief Ingertsen who did not approve the gathering permit knowing the concerns of this type of concert that both the PAC and Board of Selectmen ignored. On Saturday, May 18, the Bike Group gathered on the State commuter lot on Route 185 and Rote 10. They set up tents with bicycles and accessories supplied by Bike businesses and others.  The State parking lot clearly states,”No Sale or Distribution of Goods or Services. Violators will be subject to prosecution under Chapter 242 C.G.S Sec 13b-29 Commissioner of Transportation. Sec. 13b-29. Commuter parking facilities. Regulations. Any such parking facilities which are not regulated by municipalities on October 1, 1983, may be used only for routine, temporary parking by persons using carpool or vanpool vehicles or mass transportation facilities. The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 governing the use of such parking facilities. Violation of any provision of any such regulations shall be an infraction. The Bike Group violated the law and is presently being investigated by the DOT. According to my conversation with the DOT, this group was told to go to the back of the parking lot not to block the entrance with town saw horses and not to set up tents in the front of the commuter lot and have nothing inconsistent with the policies of the State. There was sale and distribution of goods and services. How can the Town give a gathering permit to a group that is using State property? Did the State give them permission to include the State insurance policy for indemnity? How can the town give this group a gathering permit in violation of State law?  How can the State give permission to the Bike Group to use the State Commuter lot in violation of State law?  The town is saying the State gave approval and the State says they were not told the truth on how the Bike group was promoting Bike Month. Does the end justify the means? These pictures don’t lie. The State DOT is in the process of investigating my concerns; in conclusion, there was a violation of law.  This is not the first time that the bicycle group has thwarted the rules of law by ignoring the permitting process for the placement of the rusty bicycle sculpture, landscaping and lights on the town land where it is placed. Why has First Selectman Mary Glassman allowed this activity without any intervention and addressed the group at the erection of the plaque, embracing this activity on town land. Both Director of public Works, Tom Roy and  Engineer Rich Sawitzke are named on the plaque as committee members. How can First Selectman Mary Glassman allow these employees to devote all their time to the bike group without asking for payment of their time and services. Why has First Selectman Mary Glassman used town money to promote a private organization? Recently an illegal bike sign was located on the Rusty Bicycle site. When is enough enough? I would like to report that the residents living at Eno Farms Affordable Housing have been sent notices that their rent will be increased. Since the town is responsible for taking care of the poor at this complex, what has the town done to intervene?