Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting August 12, 2024

Board of Selectmen Meeting August 12, 2024

On January 24, 2024, I requested through an FOI request all workplace injuries in the Town, Police Department and Board of Education.

My request was delayed by Deputy Town Manager, Tom Fitzgerald, who told me he was very busy, he had to gather the information, and many other delaying tactics over many months.

On August 2, 2024 I finally received a list of injuries and the department, not the 301 reports.

All the time Town Manager Marc Nelson was aware of the delay and did nothing to expedite my request, in violation of the Freedom of Information Act.

OSHA requires 300, 300A and 301 to be filled out with workplace injuries.

According to OSHA Form 301, within 7 calendar days after you receive information that a recordable work-related injury or illness has occurred, you must fill out this form or an equivalent.

According to Public Law 91-596 and 29 CFR 1904, OSHA’s recordkeeping rule, you must keep this form on file for 5 years following the year to which it pertains.

These forms should be readily available to the public.

Background Tom Fitzgerald:

News release Town of Mansfield. Thomas (Tom) Fitzgerald has been selected as the Town Manager’s Office graduate student intern.

Tom is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut. He graduated from UCONN with his

Bachelor’s degree in History in May 2017. Tom begins work in the Town Manager’s Office in Mansfield on July 5th, 2017.

Thomas Fitzgerald in 2020 was employed in the Town Manager’s Office in Simsbury and had an annual salary of $67,210, following Town Manager Maria Capriola from Mansfield.

With the resignation of Town Manager Maria Capriola May 1, 2023, Tom Fitzgerald assumed additional duties, finally promoted to Deputy Town Manager with a salary of $118,450.

At the age of 28, Deputy Town Manager Tom Fitzgerald has continued his level of incompetence.

Throwing money over failed leadership does not create better management.

Town Manager Marc Nelson stated that Tom Fitzgerald is getting training, although much of his mentoring was under the failed management of Town Manager Maria Capriola and nothing has changed.

The residents of Simsbury deserve professional management from the Town Manager’s Office responding to requests in a timely manner, not excuses for poor management.

On August 2, 2024, the New Haven Register published a story on the damage to Simsbury Meadows grounds from the Circus Smirkus event.

“The Circus Smirkus troupe left some deep gauges in the field as it removed equipment and recreational vehicles from its recent show.”

Nelson said he toured the grounds Thursday with other town officials and they determined that the most damage areas will be cordoned off with caution tape….to keep the audience safe for the Let’s Sing Taylor…scheduled for Saturday night.”

The event had limited attendance to 2500 attendees.

“Nelson said the arts center has retained a contractor to handle that and town staff may help out if needed.”

At the time of the interview with the reporter, Town Manager Marc Nelson was aware that David Burr, owner of D.W. Burr Landscaping and Design, Inc. refused to accept the job stating that his regular customers come first and this is the height of the season.

Town staff cordoned off the field with caution tape.

Town staff and others at the time of the interview were aware that the town staff was assigned to roll the field and had a staff person assigned for the entire day.

All costs associated with the restoration of the field will be paid to the town by the performing arts center.

Town Manager Marc Nelson appeared to deliberately mislead the public during the interview process.

“Nelson said that the circus also damaged the field when it came to town last year and he hoped the performing arts center would take that into account if it comes back next year.”

During the hearing process for trailers on town property, Chief Ingvertsen had problems with “limited power to handle RVs.”

Town Manager Marc Nelson has a base salary of $187,500.

The present contract for the Simsbury performing arts center is up for renewal.

The Simsbury performing arts center, a private organization, pays the town $2,500 for the use of the property with unlimited access.

The contract should be re-negotiated to favor of the taxpayers and businesses that are inconvenienced when thousands of people enter the town for events, creating traffic jams, park in business areas and require unlimited police services.

The town should remove the most favorable status for the Simsbury performing arts and draw up a contract that makes them pay for play, enforce the town policies, and pay the town for use of the land.