Board of Selectmen Meeting January 14, 2109

Board of Selectmen Meeting January 14, 2019

At the last Board of Selectmen Meeting on December 17, 2018 there was lengthy discussion on the Vaping epidemic impacting school age children.

Selectman Chris Peterson stated that he wasn’t sure that nicotine infused oils in the vaping or Juuling delivery system is addictive.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse answered the question, “Is nicotine addictive?”

It states, YES, Most smokers use tobacco regularly because they are addicted to nicotine.”

John Hopkins Medicine post states, many e-cigarette users get even more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product-you can buy extra strength cartridges, which have a higher concentration of nicotine.”

Yale researchers in addiction medicine are concerned that teens may not know that they could be vaping with nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

Vaping and Juuling is equivalent to smoking 1-2 packs of cigarettes on one nicotine infusion.

All medical evidence contradicts Selectman Chris Peterson’s views on nicotine addiction when Vaping or Juuling.

Continuing the discussion, Selectman and Chairman of Community for Care, Cheryl Cook stated, “you can buy more dangerous substances in our High School than anybody here can possibly imagine.”

Many of the dangerous substances that are circulated in the schools are pills that are prescribed by physicians for anxiety, depression and pain that are in many homes. Medicine cabinets and other areas in the homes are filled with prescriptions that are in plain sight for children to use and/or take to school for distribution. These pills are small and easily transferrable without detection.

Where is the conversation about pill addiction and distribution?

The conversation should be on the societal dependence on mind-altering drugs. Physicians should not prescribe mind-altering drugs for anxiety, depression and pain for every malady that are addressed with their patients.

If society believes that using mind-altering drugs to cure all maladies is acceptable, we will all be living in a Zombie society that will decay with time.

There is a very enlightening documentary on Neflix called “HAPPY.” It is very enlightening to find out what makes people happy.

There has been discussion in the past about the lack of response of volunteers to deliver timely responses on calls for ambulance service. There are shortages of volunteers in delivery of services that once were the backbone of society.

Volunteerism is at an all time low and need of ambulance service is at an all time high. Therefore, the Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance Service is a model built on past history and must be changed.

As result of my observations, I had a conversation with the Town Manager of Avon, Branson Robertson, about Avon’s delivery of ambulance services with American Medical Response of Connecticut, Inc. ( AMR), July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Brandon stated that he was very satisfied with their services with paid staff on duty at all times. Avon and Farmington use AMR for their ambulance delivery.

I asked Brandon to forward a copy of Avon’s AMR contract to me and a copy to Simsbury’s Town Manager Maria Capriola. I forwarded the contract to Chief of Police Nick Boulter. The contract is 10 pages.

The obligations of AMR is to provide service 24-hours-per day and 7-days a week. AMR will have one fully staffed Advanced Life Support Level ambulance dedicated to responding to calls in the Town 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The obligations of the Town is to provide a building for the AMR staff, equipment, restrooms, parking areas, an area to wash vehicles and the use of Town gasoline to be reimbursed by AMR.

There is a performance review provided by an EMS Management Committee that is made up of two members and one alternate from the Town that meets semi-annually. AMR provides a monthly activity report.

According to the contract there is no financial impact to the Town.

The Simsbury taxpayers have been taxed for the Simsbury Farms Golf Course that continually has shortfalls with expenditures exceeding revenues. Golf courses are finding challenges that need professional management.

Simsbury’s Director of Finance report on Simsbury Farms overview states: The Simsbury Farms Fund expenditures exceeded revenues by $424,454 as of December 31, 2018.

The Simsbury Farms Golf Course Improvements, Fund 524, is showing a negative over budget balance of $9,609 for work performed on the fifth hole of the Golf Course. This work is being reimbursed by the Simsbury Farms Men’s club.

This report exemplifies the need for professional management to control expenditures and increase revenues on the Golf Course.

I would urge the Town to send out an RFP to contract the Simsbury Farms Golf Course to a professional management team.

Filling positions on Commissions have become a challenge with a party affiliation required, giving only 1/3 of the voters a chance to serve. I would suggest that voters change their party affiliation to serve the Town. This would give registered unaffiliated a chance to participate.