First Selectman's Report - September 8, 2014

FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT

September 8, 2014

Study Finds Simsbury the 10th Safest Town in Connecticut

A study by Safe Choice Security, which sells home and business security products, found Simsbury to be the 10th safest city in the State of Connecticut.  Safe Choice Security consulted the 2012 FBI Crime Statistics report to get the inside scoop on the 20 safest cities to live in Connecticut. It compared FBI statistics on property and violent crime rates in cities around Connecticut and, based on the comparisons, concluded that Simsbury was the 10th safest of the 169 cities and towns in Connecticut.  The study also recognized Simsbury as one of the best places in which to live in Connecticut in part because of its “impressively low crime rates.”

We are fortunate to have Peter Ingvertsen as our Chief of Police and this finding is no surprise to those of us who work with him on a regular basis.  His commitment to community policing is responsible for this good news, and I would like to thank Chief Ingvertsen and the men and women of our Police Department who help to keep Simsbury safe.  The Chief also puts on a terrific picnic, and I would like to thank him for the wonderful picnic for seniors which was held last Wednesday and welcomed well over 200 senior Simsbury residents!

Simsbury Woman’s Club Sponsors 45th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival – September 13 & 14, 2014

Don’t forget to attend the 45th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival sponsored by the Simsbury Woman’s Club.  The festival will be held on Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th, rain or shine, on Iron Horse Boulevard.  Over 100 juried artists and craftspersons will be present; food, drink and baked goods will be available for purchase and valley collector cars will be on display.  Your support for the event makes it possible for the Club to award three scholarships and to contribute to a number of local charitable organizations.  Don’t miss this wonderful event!  For more information, please contact the Woman’s Club at SWC_artsandcrafts@yahoo.com.

September 14-20, 2014 Declared Constitution Week

We will join the President and the Congress of the United States in declaring September 14th through 20th as Constitution Week.  September 17, 2014 marks the 227th anniversary of the signing of the constitution of the United States of America, and Constitution Week provides us with the opportunity to learn about and reflect on the rights and privileges of citizenship that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee for all of us.  I have therefore issued a Proclamation, dated September 8, 2014 declaring next week as Constitution Week.

New Faces in the Town of Simsbury’s Workforce

We are fortunate to have excellent employees in all of the Town’s departments, and if you spend any time in the Library or the Town’s different offices you are bound to see some new faces.  Over the summer, we’ve seen a number of retirements and we’ve hired the following people, often for revised roles:

Library

Carol Freeman, P/T Library Administrative Assistant

Joanne Moody, Library Services Assistant – Children’s Room

Sara Ray, Teen Services Librarian

Andrea Torrillo, P/T Circulation Assistant

Buildings and Grounds

Richard Villareal (**Veteran – US Army**), Building Custodian – 2nd Shift   

Simsbury Farms Golf Course

Brian Johnson, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent

Planning Department

Rachel Blatt, Assistant Town Planner

Police Department

Trevor Brittell, Patrolman 1

Central Administration

Eric Gomes, Benefits Coordinator

If you run into any of these folks, please be sure to welcome them to the Town of Simsbury!