Joan Coe
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Platinum Board Member
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BOARD OF SELECTMEN - PUBLIC AUDIENCE - SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 - 2008/09/22 21:04
Board of Selectmen – September 22, 2008
Now that $15,000 has been appropriated for a survey to get input from the residents, I would like to know if included in the survey is the position of Town Manager. Since the Democrats ran on that platform and has skirted the issue since they were elected, wouldn’t that issue be important for input? When will the survey become available to the public? Another pressing issue is the gridlock of traffic every weekday morning during the morning rush hour. Is this issue one of the questions? Has the survey included the issue of the town not providing cell phone reception throughout the town? Not being able to use your cell phone at work makes Simsbury behind the curve when trying to encourage more economic development.
Several years ago there was an issue regarding the past coach of the football team hitting members of the team Although parents had written to the board of education describing the issue the past Superintendent, past Principal of the High School and the entire elected board of education refused to admit for over a year that the incident occurred. Finally, after an article in the Hartford Advocate with quotes from students and parents did the past Superintendent admit that something had happened, calling the incident a “cuffing” and the coach received a verbal reprimand. Now there is another incident, this time bullying by a Varsity player from the boy’s baseball team against another team member and continued with the coach, the Superintendent, the High School Principal, past Vice Principal and Director of Human Resources aware of the bullying issue and ignoring their own policies on bullying.
The parent alerted the board of education through emails and letters that his child was bullied over 21/2 years that escalated to such an extreme that the child was finally withdrawn from Simsbury High School because the board of education administration was unable to provide the student with a safe environment in school. The student is now attending New Britain High School which is a safer environment for that student than Simsbury High School. Not only did the administration not admit that the bullying had occurred but refused to pay for the student to leave a hostile school environment and enroll in another school. It appears to me that the Simsbury High School administration is willing to sacrifice a student’s safety in order to protect a Super Jock who bullies with an alleged admission of anger management problems. How can we turn our heads when a student who was bullied not only becomes a victim but is continually victimized by an uncaring administration where the bully is rewarded by participating in school sponsored Varsity sports?
Since most of the town budget goes toward personnel, I cannot understand how this administration can pay Captian Sevetz over $100,000 with salary and benefits with his lack of ability to interact with members of the Simsbury Police Department. His tasks have been diminished over the years as he was unable to manage any of the departments in the police department. His administrative duties over the years were to oversee the detective division, patrol, dispatch and records. All of these duties are now assigned to Captain Catania since Sevetz failed on all these assignments. It is alleged that Sevetz has also had problems with a data processing employee who works for him. How can we pay Sevetz over $100,000 in a management position when Sevetz cannot manage anything? On Captain Sevetz’s job performance he received needs improvement on managerial competence, leadership ability, and dedication and commitment, this after 30 years of service. Is this performance worth over $100,000 of taxpayer money?
Recently I had some discussion with town staff about the zoning violations at 499 Hopmeadow Street and other buildings in a R-15 residential zone that are being used as medical buildings. All these buildings were once used as residential homes and over time the residents moved out and the medical offices remained, in violation of the zoning regulations. Letters have been sent to the owners of the buildings that they must conform to the zoning regulations. However, without any timelines there is no emergency in either selling the building or moving the medical offices to comply with the regulations. When does the town start to impose fines for these violations?
After reviewing the town’s website I noticed that the police commission minutes are not posted which against State Law. Who is in charge of enforcing state compliance?
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority ( CHFA) vs Eno Farms Cooperative Association is in the process of foreclosing on the Eno Farms Affordable Housing. The trial date for the foreclosure proceeding is October 21, 2008. Konover Development is the receiver for CHFA. Although this proceeding is between CHFA and Eno Farms Cooperative Association, the town owns the ground lease and the Eno Trust, for the poor of Simsbury. Why has the town not asked for intervener status to protect the town? Has the Trust division of the Attorney General’s Office given the court any guidance on a settlement? Since there will be a court settlement with both financial and trust implications, will the development remain under the stipulations of the Eno Trust and remain rental units for the poor? What stipulations have been proposed as part of the settlement? Will the Simsbury taxpayers have to repay the $5 million mortgage that CHFA holds? When will First Selectman Mary Glassman tell the taxpayers about their exposure to this lawsuit?
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