Joan Coe
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Platinum Board Member
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BOARD OF SELECTMEN-MARCH 10, 2008-PUBLIC AUDIENCE - 2008/03/10 21:33
Board of Selectmen – March 10, 2008
Several people came up to me recently stating that they observed that I am still being ignored when I present my public audience comments and questions. The questions always remain unanswered in the public forum and leads one to believe that this board is no different from any of the other boards, public servants without accountability. When is this board going to respond to comments made by the public? Why should I vote for anyone who makes promises while campaigning and then ignores the one issue that was of primary concern to the voters, having a Town Manager form of government? When is this issue going to be placed on the agenda?
I would like to report that the FOI complaint, Mathena v. Chief of Police, Town of Simsbury, FIC2007-447 has reached a final 26 page decision in favor of the complainant, which is public information. This relates to a three town, Simsbury PD, West Hartford PD and Bloomfield PD investigation into allegations of misconduct of Captain Sevetz of the Simsbury Police Department. The decision stated, “ It is further concluded that the respondent violated,§§1-210(a)(1) and 1-212(a),G.S., by failing to provide the complainants with redacted copies of the requested records, described in paragraph 2, above, and with copies of the pages in which no information is exempt from disclosure.
1. “The respondent ( Chief, Town of Simsbury) shall forthwith provide to the complainant free of charge a copy of the requested records as directed in paragraph 35, above.” There is also a two page affidavit from Eric Turner, a member of the Connecticut Bar and currently employed as Director of Public Education for the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission justifying the release of the documents. The final decision is also a matter of public record.
I would urge this board to vote no to authorize a transfer from reserves of $125,000 for the purpose of funding the Airport Study. At the last meeting there was heated discussion on funding for a Charrette that was denied because members of the Republican Party played politics with Smart Growth for Simsbury. Part of the denial was that money should not be used for studies but should be allocated for maintenance of existing buildings. Why is this money more important than money for the Charrette? Vote no on this budget transfer of $125,000.
Tuesday, March 11, there is going to be a public hearing on Capital Expenditures at Simsbury High School at 7:30 PM. The Meadowood land purchase of approximately 75 acres, Firetown/Barndoor Land purchase for $2,750,000 is an agenda item for discussion. This piece of land is an important acquisition and should be approved by the voters because it is a contiguous land mass connecting the McLean Game Refuge and Great Pond. Great Pond offers hiking and walking trails. The 296 acre forest also serves as a nesting place for a variety of birds and waterfowl. The McLean Game Refuge is named after the former Governor and United States Senator George P. McLean. The 3,400 acre preserve contains four hiking trails that wind their way through Simsbury and Granby. It was established for the protection and preservation of indigenous plants and wildlife. George McLean had the foresight to protect the wild animals and birds and give this land to Simsbury to enjoy for posterity. Great Pond was another donation to Simsbury. Our contribution, although small will increase the land mass between these two pristine properties.
. The Firetown/Barndoor land purchase is land that is also on an aquifer that serves the north end of town and has in the past been contaminated with EDB and Vorlex. GZA, an environmental company was hired by the town to test the soil for contaminants. However, according to the report submitted to the Town by GZA stating, “Due to the shortness of time, GZA opted for only total pesticides, which results are compared against the Residential Direct Exposure Criteria.” I feel that more testing should be required on specific contaminants to that site that have been identified in the soil and the aquifer in the past. There is also a vernal pool on the property with many wood frogs and mole salamanders that use this body of water for breeding. This will be placed as a referendum item along with the operating budgets. I urge everyone to vote yes to preserve the land at the referendum.
Presently the Pool and Patio Barn at 155 Hopmeadow Street is closed for the winter and will reopen soon. However, there appears to be serious building code violations on this building since it was converted from a tobacco barn. Prior to its opening, I would like to have the building official review the files on this property and ask the owners to bring this building into compliance.
I have reviewed the gift policy of the board of education and found nothing in the policy that allows a business to use the Junior High for an extended amount of time for disaster relief in exchange for “smart boards” that were given to the schools by Darwin Professional Underwriters where Jack Sennott is the CFO. There is a need to clarify the policy for disaster relief as to who is responsible in a disaster and which entity of the town has jurisdiction to make these decisions. I would assume that a disaster relief agency would be designated under a Homeland Security policy and not under the jurisdiction of the board of education. Can someone clarify who is the lead agency during a disaster?
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