Simsbury Selectmen Send Charter Revision Plan Back To Commission

SIMSBURY, CT — The town's ongoing look at its governing document is now back to the commission charged with formulating a proposed revision plan.

The Simsbury Board of Selectmen voted March 9 to send portions of the 2025 Simsbury Charter Revision Commission’s draft report back for further clarification, highlighting unresolved questions about governance structure, board oversight, and commission roles.

The charter is a major municipal document that, essentially, outlines how the Town of Simsbury operates.

For example, a major charter change nearly a decade ago brought Simsbury its current town manager-board of selectmen form of government.

This charter change represents a major review of that charter change.

The board unanimously approved a motion to forward a list of recommended changes to the commission following weeks of review and a public hearing that closed March 2.

Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis said the board generally supports much of the draft, but identified several areas needing refinement.

Among them is Section 403, which governs how boards and commissions interact with town staff.

Board member Mike Paine raised concerns that the language could allow commissions to direct staff without going through the town manager.

“Everything should go through the town manager,” Paine said.

The board agreed to ask the commission for clearer language.

Oversight and authority questions

The debate also centered on the role of the first selectman in supervising the town manager under Section 404.

Board member Kevin Beal said the draft does not clearly reflect that the first selectman acts with the authority of the full board.

He proposed adding language to ensure actions are taken “with the concurrence of the board of selectmen,” emphasizing that authority should reflect the will of the majority.

Mackstutis said she believed the revised language already improved clarity, but the board ultimately agreed to request further review.

The board also backed a recommendation, supported by Simsbury Town Attorney Bob DeCrescenzo, to add “as required by law” to a section limiting the first selectman’s compensation and benefits.

Economic Development Commission/charter structure

One of the more debated topics was whether to remove certain boards and commissions from the charter and instead establish them by ordinance.

Mackstutis noted pushback from the public about removing the Simsbury Economic Development Commission (EDC) from the charter.

While some members saw value in shifting commissions to ordinances for flexibility, the board reached consensus to keep existing commissions in place for now.

However, selectmen voted to send the EDC issue back to the charter revision commission for further consideration.

DeCrescenzo said only a limited number of bodies—such as inland wetlands and building code appeals—are required by state law to remain in the charter.

Terms of office and governance structure

The length and structure of elected officials’ terms prompted extended discussion but no immediate changes.

Several selectmen, including Curtis Looney and Diana Yeisley, expressed support for staggered four-year terms for the board of selectmen, citing steep learning curves for new members.

“It is a tough process to understand how the budget works,” Looney said.

Yeisley added that staggered terms could help maintain continuity on long-term projects.

Despite those concerns, the board opted to leave the commission’s recommendations unchanged for now, while separately asking for additional review of term-related questions.

The commission also declined to recommend changes to the town’s form of government or titles, such as renaming the first selectman role.

DeCrescenzo said titles are less important than clearly defined responsibilities.

Additional revisions/clarifications

The board agreed to request further review or clarification on several other sections, including:

• Grant authority language allowing delegation to the town manager
• Notification requirements when the town manager restructures departments
• Language related to union negotiations and Simsbury Board of Finance involvement

Other elements—including referendum triggers, election rules, and budget timelines—were left unchanged.

The board also accepted the commission’s recommendation to keep inland wetlands and conservation functions combined, despite concerns that regulatory work can overshadow conservation efforts.

Public input

At the March 2 public hearing, residents weighed in on several charter issues.

Diane Nash of Merrywood Drive praised the commission’s process but urged officials not to change titles in a way that could confuse residents.

“The town manager is the chief administrative officer, and the first selectman and the board are the governing officers,” Nash said.

Lori Boyko of Oakhurst Road called for clearer language on who has authority to create boards and commissions and supported moving the EDC out of the charter into an ordinance.

Ellen Gilbert of Hopmeadow Street suggested improving public awareness of meetings through signage around town.

Next steps

Under state law, selectmen can accept or reject the commission’s final report but cannot modify it directly.

After receiving a revised report, the board will determine which elements to send to voters as referendum questions.

Officials said multiple questions are likely, allowing residents to weigh in on specific changes rather than the charter as a whole.

For the minutes of the March 9 Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting, click on this link.

For the minutes of the March 2 Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting, click on this link.

From Feb. 17: 'Simsbury Selectmen To Get Busy On New Charter'