Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting May 22, 2023

Board of Selectmen Meeting May 22, 2023

The budget has passed with an increase of 6.44% and a Mill Rate of 31.82 with 6.8% of the electors voting.

These increases will lower property values, increase rents and financially impact the business community.

At the present time there are 27 residential properties in foreclosure.

There definitely will be sticker shock when Town taxes are received by the taxpayers.

These increases are unsustainable and will eventually affect the community with unintended consequences.

At the present time there are 8 lawsuits against the Town appealing their assessments.

Although the increases affect everyone only the businesses with deep pockets can sustain a lawsuit.

Others just shutter their business, sell properties at a loss or just move out of town.

Another lawsuit against the Town Conservation Commission allegeges serious issues of incompetence by Town Planner George McGregor.

There are allegations that during the Conservation Commission meeting about the Affordable Housing proposal by Vessel Holdings for 80 unit rentals at 442 Hopmeadow Street that there was an illegal vote.

The lawsuit alleges that Town Planner George McGregor, did not know the “number of votes needed to approve a motion.”

The lawsuit alleges, “ Based on the erroneous information provided by Mr. McGregor, the Simsbury IWWA then voted illegally two more times during the meeting with changes to the proposed findings and varying terms and conditions.”

The lawsuit alleges, “ The Simsbury IWWA exceeded its statutory and regulatory authority and acted illegally, unreasonably , arbitrarily and in abuse of the discretion vested in it by failing to adhere to the initial vote properly taken with the quorum present, denying the CC#22-29 Application.”

During the tenure of Town Planner George McGregor, a Deputy Town Planner returned to her original employment, the present Code Enforcement Officer applied for the vacant Deputy Town Planner position and was denied the position but has been giving George McGregor professional support not required in her present position.

The present Code Enforcement Officer has accepted employment in another Town with more advancement.

The recent hire in the Planning Department as Deputy Town Planner under the direction of Town Planner George McGregor is doomed to failure.

Once again the Planning Department with Town Planner George McGregor is a trainwreck with little or no guidance to the Boards and Commissions leading to chaos in determining the needed motions to accept or deny an application.

As a result of what appears to be incompetence by Town Planner George McGregor , the Town is in jeopardy of continued litigation.

Under the umbrella of Town Planner George McGregpr, there has been a proliferation of Food Trucks in Town without any site plan approvals.

The Farmington Valley Health District has given permit approval for 2 restaurant associated Food Trucks, Present Company Food Truck and Millwrights Food Truck in 2022 and 2023. They do not have liqupr permits.

The Planning Department receives a copy of the permit and should have known that the Food Trucks were in violation of the Zoning Regulations but turned a blind eye until Tractor Supply was notified of an illegal Food Truck on their property through a complaint.

Millwrite Food Truck and Present Company Food Truck are presently operating without any site plan amendments.

The Planning Department is presently developing a Zoning Regulation for Food Trucks, a little too late.

Recently the Police Department upgraded their pistols that all Officers wear on their belts.

The new guns were purchased from a manufacture after a lengthy review of manufactures.

The old guns were then sold to a Parro’s Gun Shop to be refurbished and resold.

With a proliferation of guns on the market, is it appropriate for the Police Department to sell the guns to a Gun Dealer or should they be destroyed?

The State of Connecticut has a law denying the public access to the names of people having gun permits.

Several years ago the names of the people with permits were available.

The reasoning at the time was that given the names of people with permits would lead to an increase in burglaries.

To my knowledge, there have been no burglaries with guns taken from homes in Simsbury.

At the time that might have been true but now with the guns are readily available through the internet, gun shops and others, there is no need to continue with the law removing the names of gun owners.

When children go to friends’ homes, parents should be able to access the names of people who might have guns in their home.

Since the State has been reviewing Gun Laws, I would suggest that they review the law that limits the public from names of people owning gun permits.