First Selectman's Report - May 11, 2015
First Selectman’s Report
May 11, 2015
Town Budget Passes
I would like to thank the voters of Simsbury for coming out and approving a Town budget which does not raise taxes for the second year in a row and I would also like to congratulate this Board of an excellent job on crafting a budget which continues to provide quality services, modernizes technology, and provides for responsible stewardship of our natural resources and town assets. The Board of Selectmen’s budget for fiscal year 2015-2016 passed with 808 votes in favor and 176 opposed.
All five questions on the ballot passed. The total approved budget for the town was: $98,578,627. A total of 988 votes were cast out of 15,775 eligible voters, or 6.26 percent participation.
Based on these budgets, the Board of Finance set the mill rate at 37.12, a decrease from last year’s rate, which was 37.14. The fire district has yet to be determined its mill rate.
Town Employee Receives Designation as Certified Golf Course Superintendent for Eighth Time
We are fortunate to have Town employees who show their dedication to the Town and to their craft on a daily basis. One of those employees is Mike Wallace, our Golf Course Superintendent, who just received his designation as a Certified Golf Course Superintendent from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America for the eighth time! To obtain the renewal, Mike had to participate in a minimum of 150 hours of continuing education and professional development over a five-year period. Mike is one of 1,500 certified golf course superintendents, and we want him to know how proud we are of his work. As the certification letter notes, “this is a significant achievement in Mr. Wallace’s professional career and truly signifies professional excellence. Thank you, Mike, for all you have done and continue to do for the Town of Simsbury.
Town Hosts Regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at Public Works Facility
The Town of Simsbury, in conjunction with Avon, Canton and Granby will be holding a household hazardous waste collection on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at the Simsbury Public Works Facility at 66 Town Forest Road, which is located off of Stratton Brook Road. The collection will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and will be open to all residents from Simsbury, Avon, Canton and Granby. The collection will give residents the opportunity to dispose of such items as fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs, common household batteries including rechargeable batteries, lawn care chemicals and much more. For more specific information about what you can and cannot bring, please check the Public Works web site at http://www.simsbury-ct.gov/public-works-grounds/pages/bulky-waste-recycling or contact the Simsbury Public Works Department at 860-658-3222 or the Simsbury Landfill at 860-658-9481. I also want to remind you that Simsbury developed this program as a low-cost alternative to the MDC collection program. Because Simsbury is no longer participating with the MDC collection, Simsbury residents can no longer bring their household waste to any of the MDC household hazardous waste collections. We look forward to seeing you at the Public Works Facility on June 13th.
CTNow Readers Vote Paw Meadow Dog Park the Number One Dog Park for 2015!
I am pleased to report that according to CTNow’s “Best of Hartford Readers Poll” for 2015, Simsbury’s Paw Meadow Dog Park is the best! This comes as no surprise to those of us who live here – particularly to those in our community who make frequent use of it! I would like to congratulate and thank the many volunteers who work so hard to make the dog park a pleasant experience for dogs and their owners, and I invite all of you to visit their website at pawmeadowdogpark.org to learn about events at the park and, if you are inclined, to offer your financial support for yet another wonderful amenity for Town residents here in Simsbury.
Westminster Students Help to Provide Information to Veterans about Memorial Day Parade
We are fortunate that Westminster School and its students continue to play an active role in our community. Most recently, a Westminster community service group known as S.O.N. (for “Serving Our Neighbors”) prepared, printed, stuffed and mailed a letter to Simsbury veterans providing them with details about the Memorial Day Parade. This was a thoughtful way to let our veterans know that their participation in the event is valued by all of us. I would like to thank Westminster, the students who participated in “Serving Our Neighbors and Headmaster William Philip for their part in helping to make our upcoming Memorial Day events a success.