Board of Selectmen Meeting August 13, 2018

Board of Selectmen Meeting August 13, 2018

On Tuesday, August 14, 2018 there is a Primary for Democrats to choose a

Representative in Congress to replace Elizabeth Esty in the 5th District.

As a resident of Simsbury where Mary Glassman was First Selectman, I cannot vote for her candidacy.

Mary Glassman entered the race for First Selectman in 1991 as a token candidate, taking the place of the Democratic Candidate that was being investigated by the Simsbury Police Department for Child Pornography.

Soon after Mary Glassman won the election, as First Selectman she was Chairman of the Simsbury Housing Partnership that was overseeing the management of the Eno Farms Affordable Housing project in Simsbury and rarely attended the meetings. This property was conveyed to the Town by the Amos Eno Trust, “to be used for the occupation, maintenance, and support of the Town poor.”

The Charities Division of the Attorney General’s Office under the Direction of Richard Blumenthal and overseen by First Selectman Mary Glassman approved a Ground Lease that violated the deed restrictions prohibiting the Town from contracting out the care of the poor to others. First Selectman Mary Glassman ignored all attempts to help the poor.

Mary Glassman had a reputation of hiring only Democrats in positions in the Town and would protect people who donate to the Democratic Party.

Mary Glassman is vindictive.

Mary Glassman is the rainmaker for Pullman & Comley where her husband Andrew Glassman is an attorney in the law firm.

Mary Glassman did not run for reelection in 1999 as a result of a land development application that she thought would be approved and was denied by the land use commission.

Mary Glassman found a job in the State Legislature.

Mary Glassman returned to Simsbury and was First Selectman in 2007 to 2014.

During that time she ran for Lieutenant Governor twice and lost while spending hardly any time as First Selectman.

On December 1. 2014 Mary Glassman resigns over mid-term salary cut after the Board of Selectman cut her pay to $ 75,000 as a result of a consultant’s report that stated Mary Glassman only spent 5% of her time as First Selectman.

Mary Glassman immediately was given a job at CREC for $135,000.

Money that could be used for public education is given to private Charter schools under CREC.

Mary Glassman states that she invested in the Simsbury Schools when the Board of Education is responsible for the school budget, not the First Selectman and the Board of Selectman.

Mary Glassman appears to be in public service to enhance herself not as a public servant helping to improve the quality of life of others.

I will not vote for Mary Glassman in the Primary on August 14, 2018.

As a frequent user of State Route 167 (Bushy Hill Road) I was concerned that the paving job was initiated during the day instead of at night, alleviating the nightmare traffic patterns and delays. After many calls to the Department of Transportation I spoke with a person who was instrumental in the decision to have the work done during the day. I contacted a person from the DOT, in charge of the paving project. I was told the Town was instrumental in deciding whether the paving should be done during the day or evening hours. I questioned Tom Roy, Public Works Director and asked if he was instrumental in making the decision to have the work done in the daytime. At first he denied that he was involved with the decision for daytime activity. However, after I again questioned the DOT, the person told me that Tom Roy was at the meeting at the Highway garage in Avon on June 12, 2018 when the decision was made. When confronted again he admitted to attending the meeting. I was told that the decision was made for daytime activity so that the residents in the area would not be inconvenienced with noise during night. However, when many more people were inconvenienced with delays, dangerous traffic patterns while placing the Police Officers directing traffic in a precarious situation, nighttime paving would be less stressful for all. It appears to me the decision for daytime paving was not in the best interests of all involved. In my opinion, the entire paving job would inconvenience the public less during the night and the continual nightmare on Bushy Hill Road (Route 167) would be alleviated.

Many Town’s have free concerts and other events on town property underwritten by the local businesses.

This poster lists all the businesses that donate to Simsbury Performing Arts events that could be used to sponsor free Town events.

The Town should review the Simsbury PAC contract with the Town and give the Town more authority over events, revenues and structure.

Many towns do not charge entry fees for events. Simsbury should follow their lead.