Board of Selectmen Meeting June 12, 2017

Board of Selectmen Meeting June 12, 2017

Tomorrow, Tuesday June 13, residents will be voting on the budget proposed by the Town. I would urge everyone to vote “NO” on all budget items. The Town has a line item, “Operating Transfers/Contingency” of $3,055,801 of unrestricted funds as a hedge against the State budget revenue. It is unacceptable to approve a budget with a contingency of over $3 million as a slush fund that they can allocate to any “pie in the sky” expenditure without approval of the taxpayers. This is unacceptable. Voting down the budget will give the Town time to figure out ‘what the hell” is going on in the State. Giving the town cart blanch on our taxpayer funds leads us to a slippery slope of unaccountability. A “NO” vote would give the Town time to reevaluate the expenditures aligned to the State budget. If the budget is voted down last year’s budget expenditures are used for taxes until the budget is approved knowing what corrections are needed when the State has approved their budget and all expenditures and revenues are known. If the budget is approved as forwarded to the Referendum, then the supplemental taxes are just one line item with no accountability. Vote “NO” on Tuesday, June 13 Referendum. Vote “NO” until we know the exact amount of expenditures for the 2017/ 2018 budget.

The Board of Finance at their May 24 meeting approved an addition of over $100,000 expenditures that were cut by the Board of Selectmen. With an uncertain fiscal climate with the State bleeding red in their budget and revenues diminished now and in the future the Board of Finance has failed to take their responsibilities seriously on the fiscal impact of adding expenditures to increase taxes.

First Selectman Lisa Heavner has been consistently concerned about the decorum of speakers during public audience and audience conversations during the Board of Selectmen meetings. However, during the May 24, Board of Finance meeting, First Selectman Lisa Heavner had a lengthy conversation with Board of Selectmen members Elaine Lang and Chris Kelly. Do these rules apply to First Selectman Lisa Heavner?

I am concerned about the decorum of the Finance Director walking in front of the lectern while I was talking and showing files at Public Audience during the Board of Selectmen meeting after the May 24 Board of Finance meeting. He was distributing materials to the Board of Selectmen. Has First Selectman Lisa Heavner discussed decorum with her staff?

I am concerned that the Simsbury Performing Arts Center (PAC) is an organization that has usurped its authority on the rules of access to the town property.

The PAC has continually mosquito sprayed the Simsbury Meadows prior to concerts. The residue remains on the field where children play and on the playground materials that children touch and place their fingers in their mouth. Is it safe to continually spray the surrounding area before each event? There is a proliferation of signs at the entry to the Simsbury Meadows which appears to be in violation of the zoning regulations. The Town is taking on a huge liability with the PAC selling beer and wine at the concerts, having tailgating before the concerts, allowing the use of marijuana although it is illegal and has now introduced camping and campfires on Town property that is an alleged violation of the Zoning regulations that Dave Ryan, Chairman of the Zoning Commission and President of the PAC is instituting. . Is this a conflict? There are allegations that the PAC is allowing a private wedding on Town property on September 29.with Millwright catering the affair. Has the PAC received a permit through the Gathering Permit process for these events?

I recently received an Event Terms Sheet that is filled out for an application to use the PAC facility for an event.

As you can see the event fact sheet does not have any charges that an applicant fills out. The check list does not have any charges listed. It appears that each applicant has the ability to make a deal with Tom Vincent and/or Dave Ryan for the line items. Is this an appropriate business plan?

I am concerned that Sloan Brewster was fired as a 7 year reporter for the Valley Press. It is alleged that First Selectman Lisa Heavner made a phone call to the Publisher of the newspaper with concerns that the story about the budget had some incorrect statements. This was corrected in the following issue. If reporters were fired for writing incorrect information, there would be very few reporters.

It is imperative that we have a free press without any manipulation and threats from political operatives.

Politicians should not influence reporting and the reporters should not shy away from making politicians accountable. There should not have been a rush to judgment in firing Sloan Brewster.