First Selectman's Report - 05/14/2012

FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT

MAY 14, 2012

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE REPRESENTATIVES OF NORTHEAST UTILITIES FOR TAKING TIME TO SPEAK WITH US THIS EVENING ABOUT THEIR PLANS TO EXPAND THE NORTHEAST SIMSBURY SUBSTATION.

CURRENTLY, THE SUBSTATION IS FED FROM NORTH BLOOMFIELD.  AS YOU HEARD, ONCE THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMPLETED THE SUBSTATION WILL BE FED FROM THE WEST AS WELL, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THE SUBSTATION’S RELIABILITY.  NORTHEAST UTILITIES WILL ALSO BE INSTALLING A NEW TRANSFORMER, BRINGING THE OVERALL COST OF THE PROJECT TO BETWEEN $5 AND $6 MILLION.

NORTHEAST UTILITIES IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE TOWN TO RELOCATE THE SUBSTATION SO THAT THE ROUTE 10 CORRIDOR STUDY’S RECOMMENDATION OF EXTENDING WOLCOTT ROAD CAN BE REALIZED.  WE WILL HEAR MORE TONIGHT ABOUT THE PROPOSED “LAND SWAP” WITH KEYSTONE PARTNERS WHICH WILL MAKE DORSET CROSSING, THE ROUTE 10 CORRIDOR STUDY’S PROPOSAL AND THE IMPROVED SUBSTATION POSSIBLE.

THE RELIABILITY OF OUR POWER GRID IS STILL IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS AFTER LAST OCTOBER’S STORM – AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT NORTHEAST UTILITIES IS TAKING SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL RELIABILITY OF THE SYSTEM.

 

THE REFERENDUM ON THE TOWN BUDGET AND CERTAIN CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL BE HELD TOMORROW, AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE.  THE TOWN’S STAFF, THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND I WORKED HARD TO CONTAIN COSTS – THIS YEAR’S BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUDGET IS A 0.99% INCREASE, CONTINUING A TREND OF BUDGETS WELL BELOW COST OF LIVING INCREASES.  IN SPITE OF THAT, WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO RESTORE HOURS TO THE LIBRARY, ADD A MEAL FOR SENIORS AT ENO HALL AND IMPROVE OUR EMERGENCY READINESS.

THE REFERENDUM WILL BE HELD AT HENRY JAMES MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM 6:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.  ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE.

 

IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BE BORED IN SIMSBURY!  THERE ISN’T TIME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON IN TOWN, BUT I CAN AT LEAST HIGHLIGHT SOME REALLY WONDERFUL EVENTS:

ARTWALK SIMSBURY!  ARTWALK SIMSBURY!, WHICH HAS BEEN SPEARHEADED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE LINDA SCHOFIELD, WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SATURDAY, MAY 19 FROM 11:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M.  THE EVENT WILL FEATURE PAINTERS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS AND ARTISTS OF ALL KINDS – OVER 50 EXHIBITORS WILL DISPLAY THEIR WORKS AND THE EVENT WILL OFFER ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AS WELL.  THE EVENT WILL BE HELD ALONG HOPMEADOW STREET WITHIN A SHORT WALK OF THE CENTER.  I’D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT WILL BENEFIT SIMSBURY ABC HOUSE, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS UNDERPRIVILIGED YOUNG MEN A BETTER CHANCE AT EDUCATION BY GIVING THEM THE CHANCE TO LIVE IN SIMSBURY AND ATTEND OUR EXCEPTIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.

PAW MEADOW GRAND OPENING/STRUT YOUR MUTT FUNDRAISER.   YOU MAY WANT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE ART WALK TO ATTEND THE GRAND OPENING OF PAW MEADOW DOG PARK!  THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF THE PAW MEADOW VOLUNTEERS, HEADED BY NIKKI PERRY AND LINDA JOHNSON, WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR TOWN STAFF, THE DOG PARK IS READY TO OPEN.  THE GRAND OPENING/STRUT YOUR MUTT FUNDRAISER IS ALSO BEING HELD ON THE 19TH FROM 1:00 P.M. TO 4:00 P.M. RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOG PARK.  THERE WILL BE A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 P.M.  I’D LIKE TO THANK THE PAW MEADOW COMMITTEE AND THE MANY GENEROUS DONORS WHO HAVE MADE THIS POSSIBLE.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE.  LAST BUT BY NO MEANS LEAST,  OUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADES – YES, WE HAVE TWO OF THEM! – WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 28TH.   I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SIMSBURY AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THIS EVENT.  THE TARIFFVILLE PARADE WILL ASSEMBLE ON MAIN STREET AT 8:30 A.M. AND WILL CONCLUDE WITH A CEREMONY AT ST. BERNARD’S CEMETERY.  THE DOWNTOWN SIMSBURY PARADE WILL ASSEMBLE ON OWENS BROOK BOULEVARD BY SIMSBURY BANK AT 1:00 P.M. AND WILL CONCLUDE WITH A CEREMONY ON THE PORTICO OF ENO MEMORIAL HALL.  I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO THANK BOB GAUTHIER, HAP POOLE AND THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THIS WILL, AS ALWAYS, BE A MOVING TESTIMONIAL TO THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR THIS COUNTRY.