Board of Selectmen Meeting February 15, 2018

Board of Selectmen Meeting February 15, 2018

I would like to report that I have filed a Freedom of Information complaint with the Town on January 23, 2018 and another complaint on February 7, 2018 to access all electronic transmissions, private, public or family for access to review Director of Planning and Community Development, Jamie Rabbitt’s interactions with his outside employment as a Town employee and a Public Official.

The contract reads, “You have advised us that you wish to continue your consulting work for towns of Sterling, CT and Pomfret, CT. You have also advised us that you are aware that service to the Town of Simsbury will in all cases takes priority over your service to these towns.” According to the Sterling and Pomfret website, Jamie Rabbitt is on staff.

Since Jamie Rabbitt is on staff in the Towns of Pomfret and Sterling, I will file a complaint with those Towns for access to information not supplied by Simsbury.

Jamie Rabbitt is employed by Simsbury full time as the Director of Town Planning and Community Development with a salary of $ 117,880.

The Town should review Jamie Rabbitt’s contract to see if his outside employment is in conflict and/or overlapping with his employment in Simsbury.

On November 27, 2017, I registered my concerns on the unrealistic requirements Jamie Rabbitt had placed on the approval process for the Storyteller’s Cottage. I stated at that time, “Recently there was much discussion about the application for a Storyteller’s Cottage and a Dumpster placement associated with the house that held up the approval process. This went on for over 6 months, leaving the applicant without a temporary Certificate of Occupancy to start her business under the direction of Jamie Rabbitt Town Planner, while sorting out this problem.”

Under the direction of Jamie Rabbitt, the Zoning Commission approved the placement of the Dumpster on Railroad Street, a Town Road that appears to be inconsistent with the Zoning Regulations. The Dumpster is not contiguous with the property and now shares the rubbish containment with Eno Hall on shared services.

The costs associated with the Dumpster owned by Fiddler’s Green, was approximately $28,000 for“Gold Standard” containment for a “Dumpster Hotel.”

Fiddler’s Green had to post a bond for $22,716 before they could erect the “HOTEL” for the Dumpster. How many other establishments have met these Gold Standards imposed by Jamie Rabbitt on Fiddler’s Green? Does this encourage economic development in Town?

The placement of the Dumpster requires off-site transport of waste from both Fiddler’s Green and Eno Hall and shared parking.

The agreement for shared services is doomed to failure with many requirements for snow removal, parking and cleaning the dumpster open for interpretation.

Jamie Rabbitt’s testimony on the August 7, 2017 Zoning Meeting, stated that the shared agreement is not an indefinite agreement and could be broken, if it doesn’t work. I would urge both parties to use the escape clause.

In my opinion, the Dumpsters should be on-site of each establishment and parking could be resolved with strict adherence to parking regulations and off-site parking on the Commuter Parking Lot with Dial-A-Ride shuttle to Eno Hall during increased activities.

The Town should consider the impact of parking and traffic when approving Gathering Permits and enforce the restrictions that are imposed on various events. The Town should enforce the restrictions of Tailgating and Pot Smoking on Town land during concerts.

Recently there have been many allegations of sexual abuse in the Gymnastic Community, Around 2000, I had many conversations with a figure skater and her family about her allegations of sexual abuse by her coach, Bob Young at the International Skating Center in Simsbury. According to her accounts during my conversations, she alleged many serious accusations of sexual abuse. She told me at the time of her lawsuit against Bob Young, that the Simsbury Police Department did not believe her allegations. During the last conversation I had with her, she stated that she was getting married and wanted to put all this behind her.

During the time of these allegations against Bob Young, Steve Fish, the owner of the International Skating Center in Simsbury, after his own investigation, fired Bob Young.

During the time of the allegations against Bob Young, there were many skaters also alleging sexual abuse.

The Hartford Courant reported on February, 2000, Skating Coach Faces Uncertain Future At Rink; March 2007, Two Skaters Say Ex-Coach Abused Them; April 2007, Story of Abuse Gets Even Worse; April 2007, Skaters’ Charges Detailed In Report; Police Investigated in ’99 But Didn’t Charge Coach.

At this point it appears that Bob Young has not been arrested for his alleged sexual misconduct with the Figure Skaters named in the Hartford Courant reports.

I am sure if the Simsbury Police Department investigation was done today, the allegations would result in a different outcome.