Board of Selectmen Meeting November 9, 2015
I would like to thank everyone who voted for me and believed in my mission to have a Town Manager as the Executive Officer of Simsbury. I will continue to make sure that our government serves the taxpayers, not the special interest groups. I will continue to challenge the authority. I believe that everyone should follow their mission and not be afraid of defeat. Don’t give up because others don’t agree with you. More people should run for office to give the electorate a choice of different views. I hope that this election for First Selectman will be the last and the Charter Revision Commission forwards a Charter with a professional Town Manager for a town vote. I suggest that everyone should be educated in the need for a Town Manager by listening to a You Tube documentary, The Council-Manager form of Local Government. SCTV is also showing this documentary. The Charter Revision Commission is meeting on Thursdays at 5:30 PM in Town Hall. Everyone should bring their comments to the Commission and participate in Simsbury’s Constitution.
I recently reviewed First Selectman Lisa Heavner’s $20,000 of donations for her candidacy and found there are many people who pay to play. The largest donor was Garrity Asphalt with a donation of approximately $2500. Mary Glassman, Nick Mason, Mike Long donated $500 each and David Moore donated $1000. Is this First Selectman Lisa Heavner’s shadow government?
James Rabbitt has been selected to take Hiram Peck’s position as Town Planner. I hope that the selection committee discussed his duties as town liaison to many boards and commissions and that his work day might start at 7:30 AM and continue to 10 PM. Is James Rabbittt becoming the next Energizer bunny? I would urge James Rabbitt to review the overlay zone, WHOZ, that has been applied to two applications and review the detrimental unintended consequences of this zone. I would suggest that before the Zoning Commission votes on these applications, the zone should be removed from the Zoning regulations.
Before the Board of Selectmen votes to give Chestnut Hill Associates a tax abatement of $527,806 over 7 seven years on a speculative project , they should ask for a full report on the complete financing of the project and review the viability of the complete project including the sewer allocation.
First Selectman Lisa Heavner has continually stated that she is for open government but since she has taken office the minutes of meetings have been so scant that all background discussions are minimal with no historical prospective to review at a later date. This should be changed. The Town Attorney receives a retainer of $8,333.32 on a monthly basis. However, the Town Attorney has stopped including his work log attached to his monthly statement as was done in the past for public review. I am asking that our Town Attorney, Bob Decrescenzo, forward these logs to town hall immediately to include it in the town files. There appears to be several thousands of dollars additional charges for the Martin lawsuits.
I am concerned that some Simsbury High School students were purchasing pot brownies on a scheduled bus trip from the High School. During television interviews of students it appeared that they didn’t think that marijuana use was a big deal. I am concerned that students are not aware that this drug is mind- altering and dangerous to their development. . Many students are receiving tickets from the Simsbury Police Department for possession of small amounts marijuana in their vehicles. It is not legal.
Curaleaf, the marijuana factory in Simsbury near the High School gives the students a false sense of acceptability. Curaleaf is presently being evicted from their premises on Grist Mill Lane for non-payment of rent. Grist Mill Partners, LLC v Curaleaf, LLC
There is another lawsuit against Curaleaf, DOUBLING ROAD HOLDINGS, LLC,
and CURALEAF, LLC, v. EILEEN KONIECZNY
Another lawsuit, Town of Simsbury v. Corrine Nevers et al. scheduled for executive session is the Town’s action to receive compensatory damages for overtime pay in the Police Department when officers were injured in a town automobile accident and unable to work. . Is this compensation covered by insurance?
Presently there is a homeless person sleeping on the bench at the Iron Horse Boulevard bus stop cubicle on a daily basis. The police were notified and provided information on facilities and help that was available and ignored. As the weather gets colder this remedy is not acceptable. Should there be a homeless shelter in the Valley?
All of my comments will be posted on Simsbury Patch, Simsbury Forum, Topix and on Twitter @Joan Coe.
