First Selectman's Report - 10/12/2011

THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF THE POWER OF VOLUNTEERISM THAN 60B AND 60C, OLD FARMS ROAD.  THESE TWO PROPERTIES WERE IN HORRIBLE SHAPE, BOTH OF THEM WITH SIGNIFICANT WATER DAMAGE AND BADLY IN NEED OF MAJOR REPAIRS.  ONE OF THEM HAD MOST RECENTLY BEEN USED JUST FOR STORAGE.  NEITHER OF THEM WERE REALLY HABITABLE.

THAT WAS BEFORE OUR FRIENDS AT THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST WENT TO WORK.  PARISHIONERS FROM FIRST CHURCH CONTRIBUTED ROUGHLY 600 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK, EXPERTISE AND EVEN FUNDING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE TWO PROPERTIES WERE TRANSFORMED INTO TRULY BEAUTIFUL HOMES.

AND THE BEST PART IS THAT THESE TWO PROPERTIES WILL BECOME PART OF THE TOWN’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK.  WE WILL HAVE SOME NEW RESIDENTS MOVING IN ON NOVEMBER 1^ST, THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF FIRST CHURCH AND ITS VOLUNTEERS.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THIS PROJECT TOGETHER LAST NIGHT, AND GOT TO SEE UP CLOSE JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THESE PROPERTIES ARE.  I’D LIKE TO THANK JONATHAN MORGAN, ALISON BUTRICK PATTON, STEVE OSBORN, DAVE WADHAMS AND ALL OF THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO SAW THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT THROUGH TO ITS CONCLUSION.  THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY IS INDEED LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH PARTNERS.

THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND CHAIRWOMAN SUSAN MASINO HOSTED A SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL “WALK TO SCHOOL DAY” LAST WEEK, WITH 158 CHILDREN AND DOZENS OF PARENTS PARTICIPATING.

CHILDREN GATHERED AT 8 DIFFERENT DEPARTURE POINTS AND EITHER WALKED OR BICYCLED TO SCHOOL.  PARTICIPANTS WERE PROVIDED WITH MAPS SHOWING EXISTING SAFE ROUTES, AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ASSISTED WITH PATROL CARS AND AN OFFICER ON BICYCLE. THE SCHOOL’S WELLNESS COMMITTEE MET THE PARTICIPANTS AT SCHOOL WITH HEALTHY SNACKS AND WATER.

THE TOWN IS COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON A “SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT” WHICH SEEKS FUNDS TO COVER THE COST OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TOOTIN’ HILL AND HENRY JAMES SCHOOL AREAS – CONSISTING OF ADDITIONAL CROSSWALKS, SIGNAGE, NEW WALK CONSTRUCTION AND EXISTING WALK AND PATH REHABILITATION.

I WANT TO THANK SUE AND CONGRATULATE HER ON A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.  SUE IS ACTUALLY PARATICIPATING IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY CHAPTER OF THE WOMEN’S TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR – WHILE THIS ORGANIZATION HAS A STRONG ENGINEERING FOCUS, THEY ARE INCLUDING SIMSBURY AND ONE OTHER TOWN IN THEIR PROGRAM AS THE “SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL” INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO GAIN MOMENTUM.

THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DEDICATED STAFF – EMPLOYEES WHO REGULARLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS, EFFICIENCIES AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.

OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.  THEY RECENTLY CONCLUDED A SALE OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT – EQUIPMENT THAT THE TOWN SIMPLY DID NOT NEED OR THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT – THROUGH SEALED PROPOSAL.  THE BID RESULTED IN SALES OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT TOTALLING $5,419 – A WELCOME ADDITION TO OUR RESOURCES IN CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK TOM ROY AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF FOR THIS INITIATIVE AND FOR THEIR ONGOING DEDICATION TO THE INTERESTS OF THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY.

I’M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY HAS SELECTED MILLENNIUM BUILDERS AS THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE MAIN BUILDING RENOVATIONS AND ADDITIONS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY TOWN REFERENDUM.

THE PROJECTED COST FOR THE SIMSBURY FARMS PROJECT WAS $3.061 MILLION.   OUT OF 9 SUBMISSIONS, MILLENNIUM BUILDERS WAS THE LOW BIDDER WITH A CONTRACT PRICE OF $2,607,000.

AFTER A REVIEW OF THE COMPANY’S QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND STAFFING, AND AFTER A PRE-CONTRACT SCOPE MEETING, THE PUBLIC BUILDING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTRACT BE AWARDED TO MILLENNIUM.  AS THE LOW BIDDER IS QUALIFIED AND RECOMMENDED FOR SELECTION, I WILL BE SIGNING THE CONTRACT.

IN SPITE OF THE DELAY RESULTING FROM A RE-BID OF THE PROJECT – ONLY ONE RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED ON THE FIRST BID DATE – THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE WILL STILL PROVIDE FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE RINK BUILDING ADDITION IN DECEMBER 2011, THE LOWER LEVEL MAIN BUILDING RENOVATION IN JANUARY 2012 AND THE MAIN BUILDING BY JUNE 1, 2012.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK RICH SAWITZKE, GERRY TONER, THE PUBLIC BUILDING COMMITTEE AND THE CULTURE, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION FOR THEIR CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL WORK ON THIS PROJECT.  TOWN RESIDENTS WILL SOON BE ENJOYING A FACILITY THAT IS MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND – MOST IMPORTANT – MORE FUN TO USE!