Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting August 10, 2026

Board of Selectmen Meeting August 10, 2026

I would like to report that although Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio filed a no trespass report with the Simsbury Police against me, I have not been arrested or detained by the Simsbury Police, so far.

The court has not issued a restraining order against me.

It appears that my comments at the last Board of Selectmen meeting and the posting on twitter@joancoe to Boycott Antonio Restaurant and the Hideaway Bar has resulted in fewer people going to these establishments.

The Boycott will be lifted when Deputy First Selectman removes the no trespass action at the Simsbury Police Department.

Recently, the Simsbury Code Compliance Officer fined the Plan B restaurant on Railroad Street.

The notice reads, “On January 8, 2025, the Notice of Violation was issued alerting you of the order to repair or replace the dumpster enclosure in order to provide adequate screening from Phelps Lane and relocate all dumpsters inside said enclosure. You have failed to take corrective action, appeal the order, or request an extension. This citation carries a fine of $150 per day which began on February 17, 2026. To date you owe $4,650. Fines will continue to accrue in force until the violations are cleared.”

Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio had zoning violations and the communications were through telephone calls.

The Zoning Compliance Officer reviewed my complaints about the sign on Deputy First Selectman’s Restaurant property “, Call Your Mother” and at first determined that the sign was not included on the original site plan and constituted a violation.

Then after questioning the issue about compliance and violations, the Code Compliance Officer stated, “Our department reviewed the matter and determined the following: the “sign” does not qualify as a sign as it does not advertise anything.”

It would appear that there is special treatment for some and not for others.

The use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) should be implemented with Simsbury town staff.

It drastically improves administrative efficiency, reduces financial losses and enhances public service delivery.

By automating routine burdens, Simsbury can scale their operations to do more with fewer resources.

Town Manager Marc Nelson should be encouraging staff to use AI to increase efficacies.

However, Town Manager Marc Nelson has concerns about implementing the use of AI throughout the workforce without controls.

Town Manager Marc Nelson should use every tool available for efficiencies in workplace.

Rumor has it that First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis will not be running for another term.

It has been rumored that Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio is interested in running for First.

If this is true, Steve Antonio should send a letter to the Board of Ethics for an advisory opinion on inherent conflicts during his tenure in office.

The Democrat Party should canvass the town for a well-qualified person to run for the position of First Selectman as there is time to find a replacement.

The First Selectman along with the Board of Selectmen are primarily responsible for setting public policy, managing the local budget, and ensuring the delivery of critical public services.

It should be the responsibility of our elected officials to oversee state legislation that effect the community.

The zoning regulations were hijacked by special interest lobbyists to enact the Affordable Legislation Act, Section 8-30g that allows builders to bypass local town zoning rules.

The stringent requirements imposed on the town have not only drastically increased the housing stock but placed an undue burden on the community.

A database should be established with an inventory of all affordable units in town with yearly reports to the town.

Our elected officials should find a mechanism to reverse these laws by whatever means possible.

Our elected officials have not protected the town with an increase of Solar Panels on fragile land on Nod Road, Zoned Residential.

Solar Panels deplete farmland’s rich soil and fragmenting local animal and plant habitats.

The panels are weather reliant.

Disposing of the panels can cause environmental issues.

Once again, our elected officials have allowed special vocal interest groups to develop legislation that negatively impacts the town.

The International Skating Center in Simsbury has not been paying their fair share of taxes.

Presently they pay $90,000 in lieu pf taxes when they own a multimillion-dollar building.

The payment in lieu of taxes were used as a mechanism to give the original owners some latitude in the fledgling business at its inception.

The business had changed hands over the years and the present owners have expanded the business and should be required to pay the full value of the building in taxes.

The town should renegotiate the lease agreement with the ISCC.

The taxpayers should not be subsidizing a well-established business with special treatment.