Board of Selectmen Meeting February 25, 2019

Board of Selectmen Meeting February 25, 2019

At the February 11, 2019 Board of Selectmen Meeting there was an agendas item: Selectmen Action (e) Simsbury Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) Operating Agreement Amendment Request, asking the Board to reduce the Police overtime expenditures duty for concerts causing the SMPAC to lose the ability to promote concerts leading to a loss of revenue. Both Rob Hensley and Linda Schofield testified before the Board that the SMPAC had lost money last year and reducing fees for Police Overtime would increase their ability to contract with concert promoters.

The premise Hensley used to promote a reduction in Police overtime fees to what appeared to be a factitious argument of a three year contract from some unknown promoter, a Town enhancement and a loss in profitability last year was bought into with the Board of Selectmen approval. How can a few thousand dollars be a deal breaker?

The minutes of the February 11, 2019 meeting of the Police Commission state: Commissioner Long put in a request to the Board of Selectmen to table the private duty rate change proposal for the Simsbury Performance Arts Center at tonight’s meeting. The Commission would like to review the details.

Why did the Board of Selectmen deny Mike Long’s request?

Using Police overtime as a contract breaker is a ridiculous argument since the overtime amount fluctuates with the salaries of the police at the concerts and costs increase with additional projected attendance The SMPAC cannot determine the projected costs of a concert to a promoter three years in advance, not even a week in advance. Large for profit concerts have their own security at concerts, in addition to the Simsbury Police, why don’t they take the hit?

As President of the SMPAC and the owner of RH&A, a Wealth Management Company, why can’t Hensley find some clients to underwrite the costs of the concerts instead of the Simsbury taxpayers?

Linda Schofield as a member of the Board of Finance and has continually tried to enhance revenues for the Town. However, in her capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the SMAPC, she appeared to be in conflict with her values.

It appears to me that after lengthy arguments from the Board of Selectmen against giving the reduced Police overtime rate and then voting for the reduction was purely political in nature and not in the best interest of the residents they represent.

Recently there was a full page ad in the Hartford Courant telling people to switch from smoking cigarettes to using JUUL. With the epidemic of vaping among students and the serious consequences of vaping JUUL which is equivalent to smoking 1-2 packs of cigarettes, the Hartford Courant should have denied publishing the ad

As cigarette smoking is diminishing the cigarette company Atria has invested in the JUUL company to continue to deliver nicotine to unsuspecting users and increasing their bottom line.

According to an article in Time magazine Tobacco Giant Altria made a $12.8 billion investment in JUUL.

With a $12.8 billion investment, Altria, the nation’s leading tobacco company, now owns 35% of Juul Labs, maker of the country’s most popular e-cigarette.

Atria Group has been renamed from Phillip Morris, one of the world's largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes ( Marlboro) and related products.

I am concerned that the Hartford Courant allowed the full page ad from JULL.com to be published now that everyone is concerned about the e-cigarette epidemic. The advertisement appears to tell people that if you quit smoking cigarettes and switch to JUUL, an e-cigarette, you can quit smoking cigarettes. Atria Group makes money whether you switch to JUUL or smoke cigarettes; both have nicotine substances and are extremely addictive. The health risks associated with these products could be life threatening.

On Saturday, February 23, Simsbury Dispatch had to call four ambulance services before AMR could respond to the call.

Volunteer Ambulance services are not reliable. The Town should review contracting with AMR with paid professional staff on duty 24/7.

Recently we heard testimony that Gifts of Love has increased financial challenges at the Farm on the Eno Trust.

I would like to propose having a Social Services Sub-Station to deliver Wellness activities to the residents of the apartments on the Eno Trust.

Virginia Connelly has 40 units, Owen Murphy has 70 units and Eno Farms Affordable Housing has 50 units with several family members in the apartments.

The residents of these developments are in need of Social Services in close proximity to their apartments.

A Wellness Center at the Community Farm would be consistent with the Eno Trust, for the poor of Simsbury.

The Town Recycling Center is on the land as part of the Eno Trust. Included in Paine’s contract there should be a donation to Social Services from the revenues collected at the Recycling Center.