First Selectman's Report - February 24, 2014

First Selectman’s Report

February 24, 2014

Town of Simsbury Takes Steps to Ensure Adequate Salt Supplies for Care of Roads

On February 13, Governor Malloy declared a state of emergency to address a growing salt shortage in the State of Connecticut.  The unusually high number of winter weather events – small and large snow storms, freezing rain and icing events – has depleted salt supplies throughout the state, and many towns have exhausted their salt and overtime budgets.

To date in Simsbury there have been 48 call-outs which required salt applications of various quantities, including 13 call-outs in February – well above our normal.  Director of Public Works Tom Roy and his staff have made the necessary arrangements to ensure that we do not run out of salt and that we remain in a position to keep our streets safe.  While salt and overtime budgets are exhausted, we currently have salt on hand for another storm if necessary and more is on its way.

I would like to thank our Public Works Department for their excellent work during an extremely challenging winter.

Friends of Simsbury Library Offer Evening with Author B.A. Shapiro

I would like to invite you all to attend an Evening with Author B.A. Shapiro at the Simsbury Public Library on March 13, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.   Ms. Shapiro’s latest novel, The Art Forger, was inspired by an actual crime – in March, 1990 two thieves made off with $500 million worth of art from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.  The works were never recovered, making this the largest art heist in history.  Come hear more about the book from Ms. Shapiro.  The New York Times Book review says that she “takes the reader through Boston’s art world and the logistics of forgery . . . .”

You can register on-line at www.simsburylibrary.info, at the reference desk in the library, or by calling (860) 658-7663.  My thanks to the Friends of the Simsbury Public Library for sponsoring this fascinating event.

Simsbury Social Services Partners with FoodShare 

The Simsbury Social Services Department is partnering with FoodShare to offer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility screening and application assistance.  46% of Simsbury residents who are eligible for SNAP have not yet applied.  By having FoodShare volunteers available locally, we hope that more Simsbury residents will apply for and receive the food assistance they need.

Simsbury residents may apply for SNAP at Eno Hall on the second and fourth Fridays of the month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  Please call the Social Services Department at (860) 658-3283 for further information or to schedule an appointment.  My thanks to Mickey Lecours-Beck and the Social Services staff for their efforts to take care of Simsbury residents who are in need during a difficult winter.

Gateway Planning Presents Draft Code for Hartford Property – Final Comments Due February 28, 2014

On February 18, 2014 Gateway Planning, the selected consultant for The Hartford property land reuse work, returned to Simsbury to discuss the status of the work on The Hartford’s Simsbury Campus at 200 Hopmeadow Street.  The evening meeting at the Simsbury library reviewed how the Code is progressing to date and the public was invited to ask questions and submit any comments on the draft code as soon as possible.  Gateway also met with Town Staff, and discussed the new draft Code (Zoning Regulation) with CBRE and Consultants for The Hartford that day as well.

All comments are to be submitted by February 28, 2014 in order to be considered for inclusion in the final code.  If you would like to submit comments, please contact Hiram Peck at (860) 658-3228.  The complete draft code and 4 graphics are available for anyone to review on the Town of Simsbury website at www.simsbury-ct.gov.  (Links are on the opening page and on the Planning and Land Use page.)

After review by The Hartford, the final code will be finished in the first week in March and submitted to the land use commissions to begin the statutorily required referrals, public hearing and adoption process.