Board of Selectmen Meeting May 13, 2019

Board of Selectmen Meeting May 13, 2019

On Tuesday, May 14, 2019 the taxpayers will vote at the Budget Referendum with an increase in spending and an increase in the Mill Rate.

Now that the Town is under the management of a Professional Town Manager, the expectations were that the budget would be streamlined with a reduction in expenditures. The Board of Selectmen spending budget increased 14.03%.

After hours of Board of Finance Meetings, many operating expenses were paid with cash from overtaxing the taxpayers in prior years with many favorable assumptions. The budget submission included: Increase investment income by $150,00; Transfer $1,500,000 from Assigned Fund Balance to unassigned Fund Balance; Transfer $850,000 from General Fund unassigned fund b balance to the Health Insurance Service; Utilize an assumption of 6.75% for the pension plans and other Post Employment Benefit Plan; Transfer $130,000 out of the CNR 5 year Payback and into the Police operating budget for Police Vehicles; Replace $606,500 in cash financing for paving with bonding financing. The Greenway Improvements in the amount of $100,000 to be funded by cash. Approve Highway Pavement Management in the $1,185,000 to be funded with some cash. Sidewalk Resurfacing in the amount of $200,000 to be funded with cash. Accounting system in the amount of $350,000 to be funded with cash.

There is another $1,000,000 in unassigned funds to be used as a slush fund.

The Board of Education has presented a budget with a 2.50% increase. The per pupil expenditure is $17,147.

The Board of Education $200,000 School Facilities and Master Plan & Reconfiguration Study has shown enrollment trends decreasing over the years. Elementary schools declined 27.2%; Middle School declined 28.2% High School enrollment declined 12.4%. An on-site walkthrough, general observations and analysis of conditions found significant deficiencies that require immediate remediation in all schools that require attention in a scale of 1 to 5 that will require significant expenditures in the future.

The present Mill Rate is 36.42 and 1.17 Mill Rate for the Fire Department. The total Mill Rate is 37.59. If this budget is approved the Mill Rate will be increased to 37.32 with an increase for the Fire Department that has not been set.

According to the Hartford Courant the Real Estate values of Simsbury homes by section in 2018 and 2017, Tariffville declined 50.0%,44.5%; Weatogue declined 57.9%, 8,8%; West Simsbury declined 9.1%,1.39%; Simsbury increased 2.6%,1.3%.

The Board of Selectmen has voted for abatements, reductions and waivers of fees, reducing future revenues from many businesses and private organizations.

All the fiscal indicators for Simsbury lead one to believe that we are no longer competitive for economic development, budgets will increase in the future and the taxpayers will continue to “feed the monster” unless we hold our elected officials accountable and reject the inflated budgets.

With a professional Town Manager in Simsbury one would conclude that professional management would streamline the budget and Boards and Commissions, not increase them.

According to Town staff we have over 40 standing appointed and elected Boards and Commissions with many sub-committees to recommend policy to the Board of Selectmen. This has become a logistical nightmare and extremely time consuming.

There has been an increase in grievances in several departments with two Police Sergeants receiving identical reprimands.

After bringing concerns over the increase in Zoning Violations with a proliferation of signs on the week-end, the Planning Staff suggested that the Zoning Compliance Officer use the 35 hours of work on a flex schedule to work occasionally on week-ends. This should increase compliance.

Now that Deputy First Selectman Chris Kelly will not be running for reelection, I would like to be assured that there would be a comparable replacement to take his place. There are several people interested in being nominated to the position in the Democratic Party. Recently Elaine Lang’s name was mentioned. Elaine Lang was involved in a two-car motor vehicle accident on April 26, 2019 where she was arrested for failure to drive in a proper lane and driving under the influence. Both cars were towed. Lang was given a “standardized field sobriety test” and failed the test. There is no mention of the use of a breathalyzer or alcohol levels. However, it would appear to me with all of her accomplishments and service, her judgement and decisions are questionable and she should not be nominated as a candidate for the Board of Selectmen.

Tom Tyburski was approached to line the tennis courts at Simsbury Farms for Pickleball. Pickleball has become the most active recreational sport.

However, Bill Donahue, a contracted tennis instructor has vehemently opposed lining the courts. Tennis is a recreational sport as is Pickleball. Players can distinguish between Tennis lines and Pickleball lines when playing. Many Towns have lined their tennis courts for Pickleball with increased play. Bill Donahue should not bully the Recreation Department into denying the public a growing recreational sport.