Board of Selectmen Meeting September 11, 2017

Board of Selectmen Meeting September 11, 2017

The Simsbury Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has antagonized the vendors, taxpayers and businesses in town. The Board of Selectmen created this rogue organization by appointing the oversight Board of Directors of the SPAC that has failed their mission. It is questionable that they qualify for the 501 C (3) tax exempt status.

Now is the time to return Simsbury Meadows to the residents and dismantle the Simsbury Performing Arts Center and return the management to the Simsbury Recreation Department. Dave Ryan, President of the Performing Arts Center and Tom Vincent, Vincent Promotions has used their position to take the town hostage and shake down businesses for donations and then showering them in return with comp tickets for their concerts. First Selectman Lisa Heavner has a few more months of service before the professional Town Manager takes control of the Town and the Simsbury Performing Arts Center. Dave Ryan and Tom Vincent, the Simsbury Board of Directors of the SPAC along with the Board of Selectmen has abdicated their responsibilities in the control and oversight of the concerts with a Trailer Park, Tailgating, illegal Pot smoking and advertising of events.

Many residents are concerned that the entry fee of $5 for Septemberfest is unreasonable. There is an additional charge for all events. It appears that there are no controls or accountability on the collection of money at the entrance. All the money collected goes to the SPAC. The Town receives $2,500 for the season. The Town was charged $1,500 for a tent at Septemberfest.

Ben & Jerry’s was selling ice cream when J. Foster, a Simsbury business was excluded.

It appears that Oktoberfest sponsors have withdrawn their application with the SPAC for an October event due to the unreasonable demands placed on them from Dave Ryan and Tom Vincent.

I would like to inform the Board of Selectmen that I have a hearing on September 21, 2017 with the Freedom of Information Commission, Joan Coe v. Dave Ryan, President, Simsbury Performing Arts Center Board and Simsbury Performing Arts Center Board. I am asking the Freedom of Information Commission to determine that the Simsbury Performing Arts Center is a public agency and all SPAC files are open for inspection by the public.

The Disposition for Summary Judgment that was filed by Attorney Houlihan with the Freedom of Information Commission, who represents Dave Ryan, was denied.

I recently reviewed Attorney Houlihan’s file with the Town and found a file with an invoice for a payment of$2,878.83 on November 23, 2016 for the Acquisition of Streetlight and Poles from CL&P(Eversource).

It appears that Attorney Houlihan was asked to represent the town since the Town Attorney Bob Decrescenzo was conflicted since Updike, Kelly and Spellacy was the Law Firm for Eversource.

The Conflict of Interest form that was filed with the Town by the Town Attorney only showed Ethel Walker School and Silverman Group, nothing on Eversource.

I would like to have the Board of Selectmen file a complaint with the Board of Ethics for a violation of the Code of Ethics by Town Attorney Bob Decrescenzo.

It appears that Steve Mitchell continues to use his special status in Town to ask for a special exception in his application for the Volvo dealership. It is alleged that Steve Mitchell asked First Selectman Lisa Heavner to use her influence to change the application to add a drive-thru at the Service Department.

Why does Steve Mitchell think he has special status?

As of now it appears that Simsbury will be losing $3,600,417 million dollars a 49.7% reduction from State funding. Governor Malloy’s budget has not mentioned anything about the reduction of money for Charter Schools. According to an Article in the Hartford Courant, May 30, 2015, Rich Allies For Charter School: Hedge Fund Managers Back Malloy, Democrats. The article states: “Several Wall Street billionaires who have invested heavily in the expansion of Charter Schools contributed more than $200,000 to Democrats in the 2013-14 election cycle, helping Governor Dannel P. Malloy secure re-election. The campaign contributions last cycle came from board members at and top donors to pro-charter school groups such as the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) , Achievement First Families for Excellent Schools and others that have spent nearly $800,000 lobbying the legislature this year.”

The State can no longer support Charter Schools and Public Schools. We can no longer have two competing services with fewer tax dollars.

Our Legislators and members of the Simsbury Board of Education should demand that Governor Malloy eliminate funding for Charter Schools, return the students to local schools and sell the buildings to private entities and repurpose them for Mental Health and Addictive Services.