Board of Selectmen Meeting July 15 , 2019

Board of Selectmen Meeting July 15, 2019

At my request under the Freedom of Information Act, I received grievances from employees in the Sewer Department. Public Works Department, Recreation Department and the Police Department.

The Sewer Department employee had frequent accidents that was not acceptable.

The Highway Department employee was suspended with 5 days suspension without pay.

The Recreation Department employee was notified that” her position with the Town is being eliminated effective July 5, 2019. This grievance questions whether the Town properly notified the Grievant the impending layoff, whether the Town intends to fraction work in a manner that violates the Contract, and, more generally, whether the Town is permitted to eliminate the Grievant’s position.”

The same employee filed another grievance stating that, “Grievant was discriminated against on the basis of her sex, specifically because of pregnancy, childbirth, and /or related medical conditions, such as expressing milk at work, in violation of the Contract’s Article 16 and the Pregnancy discrimination Act of 1978, a federal law, and Connecticut’s Act Concerning Pregnant Women in the Workplace.”

If these allegations are true, this would place the Town with significant liability.

Two Sergeants in the Simsbury Police Department filed grievances in response to identical reprimands that they received.

Both Sergeants were working in the 11 PM to 7 AM shift. Sgt. Corcoran and Sgt. Soule were both long-term Sergeants in the midnight shift without any reprimands or grievances. Why was there a drastic change in the workplace when Sgt. Trombly replaced Sgt. Soule after his retirement?

Both Sgt. Corcoran and Sgt. Trombly were reprimanded for: “Neglect of Duty, Insubordination, and Incompetence.” Are all other shifts without incidents? What triggered this response at the midnight shift?

Sgt. Soule headed the midnight shift for decades while Sgt. Corcoran was trained under the guidance of Sgt. Soule for many years without any issues. After Sgt. Soule retired Sgt. Trombly worked with Sgt, Corcoran without incident. Why has the midnight shift become a rouge organization? Are there different standards for the A shift, 7 AM-3PM and B shift, 3 PM to 11 PM? Could this be retribution?

On Friday July 12, the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center (PAC) promoted another concert where there was, once again parking in the Commuter Parking Lot with signs directing concert attendees to use the Commuter Parking Lot illegally.

I spoke with a person at the DOT who told me that the Simsbury Police should ticket the cars for illegal parking. Nobody was ticketed although the parking lot was full. Henry James Junior High’s parking lot had a few cars. All cars should be directed to the Shuttle Service at the Junior High. This has not been done. Why can the PAC encourage illegal activity?

Saturday July 13, the PAC was erecting the addition to the barn at Simsbury Meadows. It appeared that all the workers were volunteers from the Board of Directors of the PAC. Beer and cold drinks were supplied to the volunteers. Does the Town inspect the addition for compliance to the Building Code?

I recently brought to the Board of Selectmen’s attention the Blighted Barn on the Simsbury Triangle on Barndoor Hills/ Firetown Road. This barn is one of many of the barns that are blighted throughout the Town, I would suggest that the Zoning Enforcement Officer inventory all the barns in Town for compliance to Simsbury’s Blight regulations.

The Parks and Recreation Department is working on a Master Plan to identify the needs of the Community. The focus groups, as usual will be attended by all of the Special Interest groups while the needs of the “Outsiders” will be ignored. Several Pickleball players have asked for Pickleball lines to be painted on the Simsbury Farms courts as this sport has grown in popularity. As of this date, there was resistance from a contract tennis employee and no lines were painted.

The Golfers insist on continuing with the Town management of a facility that lost money year after year. There have been suggestions to have the management of the Golf Course contracted to a Golf management group with expertise and buying power to reduce costs. This will continue to be ignored as the Golf Lobby has the power to control the process.

The PAC has not only taken over the Town’s Simsbury Meadows but has detoured traffic on Iron Horse Boulevard and used the private parking for attendees to their events. The businesses in Town are affected with their lots full from the PAC events, without parking for their customers. This is not Economic Development.

The Bicycle Group has hijacked the process with miles of trails for bicyclists and no rails for trails for Economic Development.

I have no confidence that the Master Plan will reflect the needs of community over the Special Interest Groups.