Board of Selectmen Public Hearing 02/25/2013

CALL TO ORDER

The Public Hearing of the Board of Selectmen was called to order at 7:08 p.m in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices.  Present were First Selectman Mary Glassman; Board members Nancy Haase, Moira Wertheimer, Lisa Heavner, Shannon Knall and Sean Askham.  Others in attendance included Tom Cooke, Hiram Peck, Colleen O’Connor, Attorney DeCrescenzo and other interested partes.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

PUBLIC HEARING

a) To receive public comment concerning the proposed Resolution for the Sale of Pharos Farm

Robert Kalechman, 971 Hopmeadow Street, said he has no problems with the Land Trust being the purveyor of Pharos Farm.  However, he does have a big concern about when the land gets turned over.  Do the people still have a say about the property?  He said Land Trusts are good, but some of the salaries are just crazy.  As a citizen, he might want to walk that property and he just wants the wording checked so the citizens have some rights to the property too.  He feels this property was left to the citizens and they should be able to use it.

Helen Peterson, 20 Longview Drive, supports this project.  She feels it is a very important and appropriate project.  She feels that partnering with the Land Trust is a good opportunity. 

Ms. Peterson said, at the last hearing, she addressed the Board regarding the funds that will come to the Town when the Town closes with the Land Trust and Mr. Hall.  They will be by grants to preserve farmland and working farms and the balance by gifts directly from residents and taxpayers.  The residents have done a wonderful job to address the importance of open land and farm preservation.  She feels the time has come to step up to the plate and fund the ordinance. 
Ms. Peterson would like to establish a maintenance fund necessary to take care of these treasures so there is no burden to the tax payers.

Ms. Peterson said she will ask the Open Space Committee to address this issue formally and she encourages resident input. 

Joan Coe, 26 Whitcomb Drive, said she is concerned about the land being purchased by the Town for playing fields and now for farming.  She feels the Town should not act as broker for the Land Trust. 

Ms. Coe has some concerns about chemicals on the land.  Also, now the Town will lose control of the land.  She wants to know who will pay for this blighted land to be cleaned up.  She is also concerned about a barn being built on the property.  She asked that the Board not vote on the sale and feels the property should remain in the hands of the taxpayers.

There was no further comment from the public.

Mr. Askham made a motion to adjourn the Public Hearing at 7:20 p.m.  Ms. Haase seconded the motion.  All were in favor and the motion passed.

b) To receive public comment concerning the proposed Land Use Fee revisions

There was no public comment.

Ms. Haase made a motion to adjourn at 7:21 p.m.  Ms. Heavner seconded the motion.  All were in favor and the motion passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary A. Glassman, First Selectman