Board of Selectmen August 8, 2016

Board of Selectmen Meeting August 8, 2016

After listening to the discussion at the July 11, 2016 Board of Selectmen Meeting on the Charter as presented to them with a Town Manager as the CEO of Simsbury, I was shocked at the unprofessional, childish display of First Selectman Lisa Heavener’s rant against having a professional Town Manager in the Town Charter. She filibustered continually about grieving for a change to a professional Town Manager. First Selectman Lisa Heavner is a prime example of why Simsbury should have a CEO in the position of a Town Manager as opposed to a “soccer mom,” with no experience in public policy. First Selectman Lisa Heavner was concerned about hateful speech during public audience because she believes that questioning her unprofessional management skills is hateful speech. Having an agenda item, Public Audience at all Board of Selectmen meetings is governed by a court order not by First Selectman Lisa Heavner. First Selectman, Lisa Heavner should be aware that speech is protected by the Constitution and everyone has a right to express their views in a public forum. The resolution is displayed in the Main Meeting Room of Town Hall under court order for all Selectmen to follow.

The reason why nothing gets accomplished is because First Selectman Lisa Heavner believes that being liked by everyone is more important than providing leadership skills to move projects forward. First Selectman Lisa Heavner is and has been vehemently opposed to a Town Manager although she lied when she stated that she was undecided about the form of government, as displayed in her eulogy for the demise of the First Selectman form of government.

It is interesting to note that three previous First Selectman, Peggy Shanks, Anita Mielert and Mary Glassman all gave testimony in favor of a professional Town Manager.

As a concerned resident of Simsbury, I am vehemently opposed to the acceptance of the Board of Selectmen to allow the performance of the Slightly Stupid concert that promotes marijuana use. All the gathering permits go through a vetting process and this concert was approved by all oversight committees. Promoting the use of marijuana on town property is a dangerous road to increase revenue. This is shameful. Since Marijuana use is illegal, all of the officials that approved this concert is promoting illegal use of marijuana and placing the town at risk. There were many police interventions after the concert and one person had to be transported to Granby. Did First Selectman Lisa Heavner welcome the Slightly Stupid concert followers to the concert as she did at the Hartford Symphony?

Many of our police officers were working at the concert and inhaling the second hand smoke from over 3,000 concert participants encouraged to “light up.” After the concert, I would assert that none of these officers could pass a drug test. Many officers, after leaving the concert continued to their midnight shift after inhaling marijuana smoke and having the smell of marijuana on their uniforms. Can you imagine having an officer coming to your home smelling of marijuana?

I would suggest that we change the name of Simsbury to SINSBURY, the land where illegal activity is encouraged. Would this renaming increase economic development? There are increased calls to the police department for dangerous alcohol consumption, increased citations for marijuana use and arrests for other addictive substances. What are we teaching our youth? The character of Simsbury has changed over the years with acceptance of increased uncontrolled use of alcohol, marijuana and whatever on town property. Simsbury has a Marijuana factory and an alcohol distillery. Simsbury is a dysfunctional community with encouragement of illegal marijuana use and alcoholism that destroys families.

Once again this board is asked to accept a gift of solar panels from C-Tec Solar. This is the same company that placed solar panels on the International Skating Center. After they were denied abatement for payment of their property tax that First Selectman Lisa Heavner favored. This abatement was denied and to date they have not paid $20,560.84 on their property taxes and now also pay collection fees for the Marshall’s intervention. How can C-Tec Solar do business with the town when their taxes have not been paid? Are they getting special treatment as Mary Glassman’s neighbor? Past practice has been that companies cannot do business with the town if they have unpaid taxes. Is First Selectman Lisa Heavner going to filibuster for the gift?

I would urge this board to eliminate the stipend for the First Selectman and follow Avon, Farmington and West Hartford with no payment for a political position. Paying a First Selectman a salary could be a deal breaker for a change to a professional Town Manager position.

All of my comments will be posted on Simsbury Patch, Twitter@Joan coe, News Feed on Facebook and Simsbury Forum/Topix

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