Board of Selectmen Meeting July 9, 2018

Board of Selectmen Meeting July 9, 2018

I would like to report that Jamie Rabbitt, Town Planner and Director of Community Development has resigned his position before it is alleged that he would have been fired. There were many reimbursements that appeared to have not been authorized and there was a Title VII complaint filed against him for job discrimination.

I have once again filed a Freedom of Information complaint to review all his reimbursements from April 2018 to the present and all payments made to him prior to his departure.

Municipal employers should be mindful that employees receiving tax dollars for reimbursements and payments should be reviewed for compliance.

As a result of my review of his expenditures, it was noted that there is no policy in place for purchases with a tax free credit card. Since Municipalities are tax exempt, purchases should not be taxed.

Jamie Rabbitt was reimbursed for purchases with Town funds for over $600 for books related to Planning from Amazon that remains in his office.

These books should be given to the Library as a resource for people interested in Town Planning.

The Hartford Courant recently had a story about Ensign- Bickford Industries, Inc. moving 20 Administrative jobs to Denver. E-B Industries leases the land from Dyno-Nobel. Was the Town aware of their departure? Will there be more moves in the future?

Recently the Zoning Commission had a public hearing on the Curaleaf move to the Eversource building at 34 Hopmeadow Street. The hearing was closed although there were several people giving testimony against the move and issues about the site being contaminated. However, the Zoning Commission closed the hearing although they could have extended the hearing for more testimony. It appeared that this was a done deal before the hearing began.

According to a Title search the property, 34 Hopmeaow Street, was owned by American Sumatra Tobacco Corp. and was sold to Hartford Electric Light. Then sold to Mark Greenberg, Infinity IV, LLC.

There have been historic contamination of land from Tobacco fields and Electric Light Companies and yet there was very little discussion of contamination and no testimony from the DEEP where the property is considered a contaminated site.

In the land records, vol. 562 p. 0893 #25 Environmental Matters describes in length the requirements for testing the site for contamination and requirement for filing findings. Has this been done?

Are the people at the Apartments on Aspen Green in danger of living on a contaminated site?

Testimony at the hearing stated that Curaleaf is a large national organization and a multimillion dollar operation.

Once the infused cookies, vapes, oils etc, with Marijuana, children will eventually ingest these products. Friends and family will have access to these mind-altering drugs. This will lead to Mental Health crises with many unintended consequences.

The Zoning Commission did not consider whether the zone change was a benefit to the community when it will have operations in a large residential neighborhood. Why didn’t the Board of Selectmen give testimony on this major marijuana operation? What was the position of the Community for Care?

Prior to July 4th Steve Antonio was told by the Fire Marshall that he had to get a permit for the fireworks he will be using at his home on July 4.

However, he decided to ignite his fireworks, many of which were illegal, although he was forewarned. Both the Fire Marshall and the Simsbury Police were called when the fireworks started and confiscated 5 Ordinances that were turned over to the Fire Marshall for destruction. Steve Antonio was arrested for illegal fireworks, case # 19501 and is scheduled to appear in the Enfield Court on July 18, 2018.

Recently the Simsbury Police Department was dispatched to a person who had grown up in Simsbury that had overdosed on drugs. They could not resuscitate him. I have asked the Simsbury Police Department to investigate who supplied the drugs to this person and arrest him. Several Town’s have investigated dealers who supply illegal drugs to their residents and arrested them. Several of the dealers are serving many years in prison. The Simsbury Police should use all their available tools to find this person and prosecute him.

The Board of Selectmen has proposed a policy on Carry-out garbage at Town Parks.

However, the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Council recently had a BYOB concert and left the garbage in overloaded garbage containers with garbage strewn over the area. Why is the SMPAC exempt from the carry-out trash policy?

I have filed a complaint with the Zoning Compliance Official alleging that 33 Canal Street in an R-15 Zone is violating the Zoning Regulations by having a Doctor’s Office in the house without the owner as a resident of the home. The second floor has a rental apartment. This is a business, not a residence.