Board of Selectmen Meeting November 13, 2017

Board of Selectmen Meeting November 13, 2017

We are presently at the end of a 30 year journey with the appointment of a professional Town Manager.

Since this is precedent setting I think we should have a ceremony by passing the torch, in keeping with the Winter Olympics, from First Selectman Lisa Heavner to the appointed Town Manager.

I would hope that First Selectman Lisa Heavner would put to rest her position that this appointment is an experiment. Although First Selectman Lisa Heavner has continued to grieve over the appointment of a professional Town Manager she should pass the torch by accepting the reality that over 6 thousand residents voted for a professional Town Manager.

I am concerned that the Town Manager Executive Search Committee includes the Deputy Director of Administrative Services, Melissa Appleby, who will continue as an employee when the Town Manager is appointed. It is odd that an employee is an active participant in the selection of her boss.

The appointed Town Manager will acquire a 4 page job description that is overwhelming in accountability. I am concerned that residency in Simsbury has been omitted from the job description of the Town Manager. Residency in the Town is the requirement of many Town Managers, giving the person the ability to become an integral part of the community.

I would like to congratulate Eric Wellman on his unexpected win over Selectman Mike Paine. We will have a young, energetic person to represent the face of Simsbury in the position of First Selectman.

On November 5, 2017 Attorney Houlihan, a political operative, wrote a letter to the Zoning Enforcement Officer regarding the Red Stone Pub’s violations of the Zoning Regulations at their Oktoberfest event on October 14, 2017.

After being told that there was an Oktobertfest event at the Red Stone Pub with tents, alcohol and a band on the parking lot of the Red Stone Pub, I asked the Zoning Official if they had a Gathering Permit for the Oktoberfest event. I was told they did not and they were in violation of the Zoning Regulations.

On November 6, 2017, Attorney Houlihan filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act, requesting all information pertaining to the production of information leading to the violation of the Zoning Regulations.

With many postings on public media, and eyewitness accounts, the Zoning Enforcement Officer did her job with letters of violation.

Attorney Houlihan, as a political operative cannot change the public record and should be ashamed of his conduct in requiring many employee hours of gathering information to defend his client, Marc Lubetken, owner of the Red Stone Pub’s alleged illegal behavior.

It appears that Simsbury is losing several businesses. The Duncan Donuts shop in Andy’s Plaza will be closing and become incorporated in the new Duncan Donuts in the Antonio Plaza, when complete. The Urgent Care facility in the north end at 30 Dorset Crossing will be closing and the Little City Pizza will close in Simsbury and move to another town.

Simsbury has many vacant retail spaces that might be attributed to a 39.9 mill rate. Simsbury has the highest mill rate in the Valley and must be reduced to become competitive.

The War Memorial at the Library now has a plaque with the correct spelling and is less slippery. However there are plaques with dates from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War and the Global War on Terror 2001-. What is the Global War on Terror? Who is participating in it and when will it end?

There is an Agenda item under Selectmen Action l) Simsbury Regional Probate Court FY18 Capital Request. Judge Becker’s letter states, “The Simsbury Regional Probate Court recently received threats from an individual in the community. The individual has been making harassing calls and visits to the Court for some time, but recently he has threatened to perpetrate violence upon the Court staff”.

Judge Becker, as a result of these actions has requested security upgrades at the Simsbury Regional Probate Office. In consultation with Simsbury Director of Public Works Tom Roy, the Simsbury Regional Probate Office has obtained estimates for the installation of a sliding glass window (bullet proof) to be installed over the Court’s counter.

With all the discussion about gun possession and safety, the Simsbury Police Department have over 80 gun permits taken out in 2017.

Many years ago the public had access to the owners of gun permits. There was a change in law prohibiting access. Since Connecticut is an Open Carry State, I would like to have the law rescinded so the public would have oversight on people with permits for the safety of the community.

Since I have acquired and piloted a Drone, I feel the Town and the Police Department could use a Drone for surveillance and tracking people lost in the river and hiking trails.