Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting January 27, 2025

Board of Selectmen Meeting January 27, 2025

I would like to address the “Fleecing of Simsbury Taxpayers.”

2 Farms Village Road, the property next to the High School has been up for sale for over 3 years and is presently vacant.

At the last meeting, Deputy Selectman Steve Antonio eloquently stated as a major property owner in Town, understanding property values, gave his opinion on not purchasing the property.

Deputy Selectman Steve Antonio stated that Commercial buildings are presently 20.4% vacant, reducing the value.

Both Selectman Kevin Beal and Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio both voted No on the approval of the project going forward as a negotiated disaster, mindful of the consequences of an open checkbook on the taxpayers of the Town.

Both Kevin Beal and Steve Antonio have a common-sense approach to budgeting.

First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis, Diana Yesley, Heather Goetz, and Curtis Looney approved the process to “Go Along to Get Along,” at the expense of the taxpayers’ burden of increased taxes on a failed project.

These four Selectmen voting for this project with no merit and fictitious numbers should not be reelected to a position of leadership when their terms expire.

This has nothing to do with Special Education but paying for an overpriced building that they themselves would never approve if they were purchasing any Real Estate.

Values on Commercial property have been greatly reduced leading to Town Manager Marc Nelson’s assertion that he made a great deal is a fallacy.

This is a far cry from “The Art of a Deal.”

Asking the taxpayers to buy a mirage with more moving parts than a satellite appears to believe that the taxpayers will approve any project with phony numbers to justify a failed purchase.

It is time to “JUST SAY NO.”

Two pages of Assessor documents that I posted on twitter@joancoe, show that the market value as determined in the last revaluation in 10/1/22 is $635,500 for 2 Farms Village Road.

Purchasing the property in phases over the years only prove that the numbers are fungible and should not be presented as fact.

The marketing of this overpriced property is presented as a “SPEND TO SAVE” project for Special Education containment of students with reduced out-placement costs is inconsistent with students who have disabilities beyond our controls with additional costs of over millions of dollars that are required expenditures.

This too is fallacy with creative projections on reduction in spending on Special Education that is out of their control.

The loss of property taxes and conveyance taxes with a barter system with the owners for improvements is an unknown cost to saving.

Requirements for security, elevator, heating and a lunchroom are not included in the costs.

The Board of Selectmen should withdraw this proposal for the purchase of the building and remove this proposal from forwarding to the Board of Finance until a different model for Special Education is created that is fair and equitable.

As Simsbury moves forward with a Charter Revision Commission, I would like to propose that they consider having Town Council as an employee of the Town with an office in Town Hall.

Included in the requirements for an Attorney to the Town should include Grant writing for acquiring revenues to reduce taxes.

The projection for the cost of an Attorney is $175,000.

Presently Bob DeCrescenzo is under contract with a salary of $110,000, additional $25K for advice to the Charter Commission, and an additional fee that is hourly rates when advising on a litigious project that is over 50 hours of time.

All the software needed to access information and legal opinions is available online, therefore no need for a Corporate Attorney.

The developer on Iron Horse Boulevard, has taken out permits for the building of 32 Units.

These apartments are in proximity with the Simsbury Meadows where concerts perform throughout the summer and traffic is extensive.

There will be an impact to fragile land that is in the flood plain.

Many residents have complained about speeding in their neighborhood.

Police patrols have increased to slow traffic and are able to pull over cars that are exceeding the speed limit.

The Police usually give a written or verbal warning to the driver.

However, when the Police pull over the car they ask for Insurance and Registration.

There appears to be many town residents and others according to incident reports and arrests, have not renewed their registration and/or insurance.

This appears to have increased over time questioning whether the economy with increased costs for daily activities where people are not keeping up with payments for registration and insurance.

Getting into a car accident with an uninsured driver is a costly loss of reimbursement to the victim of the loss.