First Selectman's Report - 01/09/2012

WITH OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATION NOW COMPLETED, THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY IS MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE “LESSONS LEARNED” ARE MADE PART OF OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS.

WE NOW HAVE LOTS OF DATA TO WORK WITH, THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF TOWN STAFF AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEE, WHICH HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON DECEMBER 15 WHICH GAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US WHAT WORKED WELL AND WHAT COULD WORK BETTER.

WE ALSO HAVE INFORMATION FROM THE STATE, INCLUDING THE WITT ASSOCIATES REPORT WHICH ASSESSED THE PERFORMANCE OF CL&P AND, MORE RECENTLY, THE REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR’S “TWO STORM PANEL” WHICH LOOKED AT THE RESPONSE OF THE STATE, MUNICIPALITIES, CL&P AND OTHER UTILITIES AS WELL.

PART OF OUR REVIEW WILL INCLUDE THE DEBRIS REMOVAL PROCESS.  THE CAPITOL REGION COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (CRCOG) IS CONDUCTING A SURVEY OF ITS TOWNS TO DETERMINE WHAT STEPS THEY TOOK TO ADDRESS DEBRIS REMOVAL AND WHAT “BEST PRACTICES” MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED.

I’M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT SIMSBURY HAS COMPLETED ITS OWN DEBRIS REMOVAL PROCESS.  WE TOOK EVERY STEP POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT WE WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA – WHICH IS CRITICAL AS THE TOTAL COST OF THE DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECT IS LIKELY TO HIT $3.5 MILLION.  WE EXPECT THAT THE CRCOG STUDY WILL SHOW THAT SIMSBURY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF KEEPING THE REMOVAL PRICE DOWN IN ADDITION TO PRESERVING FEMA ELIGIBILITY.

SIMSBURY COLLECTED OVER 270,000 CUBIC YARDS OF DEBRIS – WAY MORE THAN ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS.  BY GOING OUT TO BID ON OUR OWN INSTEAD OF USING THE STATE CONTRACT, SIMSBURY SAVED CLOSE TO $6 MILLION!

WITH MUCH OF THE DATA NOW IN, WE ARE SEEING A CONSISTENT PICTURE:  WHILE THERE ARE CERTAINLY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, AND WE’RE TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE – SIMSBURY’S RESPONSE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ALL CRITICAL RESPECTS, THANKS TO A DEDICATED STAFF AND HUNDREDS OF WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS.