Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting February 27, 2023

Board of Selectmen Meeting February 27, 2023

Since the 1990’s in the Mary Glassman administration, the Town’s Attorney was Bob Decrescenzo. It appears that over the decades the Town Attorney has had a cozy relationship with the various administrations, giving opinions that are not backed in law.

Over the years there have been several RFP’s ( Request for Proposal) from the various Board of Selectmen with Bob Decrescenzo chosen.

Past practice was to have an RFP for legal services every two years, this has not been done.

Over the years there has been little oversight on the performance of Town Attorney Decrescenzo to serve the interests of the Town or give opinions that would serve the administration.

Recently the Silverman Group, owner of the Hartford Insurance land at 200 Hopmeadow Street had a proposal to develop a mixed use plan for apartments and offices.

TJ. Donohue, Attorney for the Silverman Group, proposed a change in the site plan, with the addition of apartments with the failure of the contractual agreement to build office space.

The Town, under the guidance of Town Attorney Decrescenzo was allowed to post a bond for a promise to build the commercial space at a later date and then received an extension of the bond, favoring the Silverman Group and violating the original approved site plan.

It has come to my attention that Town Attorney Decrescenzo was the Silverman Group’s Attorney when representing a land proposal in East Granby.

A report in the Hartford Courant, December 26, 2022 states, “In a meeting in late November, Robert Decrescenzo, Silverman’s attorney, told the economic development commission that the 400,000 square – foot cap just doesn’t work.”

The Silverman Group had a proposal for a 600,000 square – foot development.

Town Attorney Decrescenzo, as a contractual employee of the town is required to file a Conflict-of-Interest form with any conflicts.

On January 12, 2023, months after representing the Silverman Group in East Granby, Decrescenzo filed a form stating that he was representing the Silverman Group, while giving many advisory opinions to the Town representing the Town’s interests with the Silverman Group.

This gives an appearance of a Conflict of Interest that the Land Use Commissions and the Board of Selectmen should review.

The Silverman Group changed their representation from Attorney T.J. Donohue to Simsbury’s Town Attorney Descescenzo for matters in East Granby.

Did the Town approve Attorney Decrescenzo’s representation with the Silverman Group?

On June 5, 2012 there was vote by the residents with Town Attorney Decrescenzo, Selectmen Lisa Heavner and Sean Askham present, that the land lease to the town, under the Eno Trust be changed from moderate income to low and very low-income residents at Eno Farms Affordable Housing.

Since June 2012 nothing the has been done to comply with the land lease, approved by the Town.

The Town has stated recently that Descrescenzo is looking into it.

Does it take decades for the Town to comply with the land lease?

At a December 12, 2022 Board of Selectmen Meeting, Town Manager stated when discussing the issue of the condemned site with many blighted issues and fines in the thousands at 442 Hopmeadow Street, Capriola stated, “we take property owners property rights very seriously.”

Town Manager Maria Capriola and Town Attorney Decrescenzo is concerned about the property rights at 442 Hopmeadow Street but has failed to address the property rights given to the Town in the Eno Trust.

Another Ethics issue with Decrescenzo was noted when Mary Glassman was Frist Selectman where Decrescenzo, under contract with the Town as Town Attorney gave a donation to Glassman’s campaign.

When questioned about the apparent conflict, Descrescenzo stated that Mary Glassman is his friend, knowing it was a conflict.

Town Attorney Decrescenzo was asked by the Town for an opinion on placing political signs on trees.

Decrescenzo stated in a professional opinion that trees do not have First Amendment Rights and should be removed.

Descrescenzo seems to be working for his own enhancement or the wishes of the administration, sometimes in conflict with the residents’ interests.

Many issues before Town Attorney Decrescenzo are not handled in a timely manner.

It is time that the Board of Selectmen ask for an RFP for Town Attorney services.

The Town budget should reflect expenditures for maintenance with elevators that don’t work periodically in Town buildings, roof leaks that cause wet railings and stairs at Town Hall and a parking lot with potholes and insufficient lighting creating hazards to the public.