First Selectman's Reports
February 23, 2026
Feb 23, 2026
A public record published by the Town of Simsbury (simsbury-ct.gov). mySimsbury indexes it and makes it readable; it is not the official copy. View the original file.
First Selectman’s Report 2/23/2026 Simsbury Community Media (the place formerly known as SCTV) Simsbury Media is our local source for meefings, informafion, and fun programming (think After Hours with Wendy and Friends ). They have recently undergone restructuring and have new leadership in place to help Simsbury move into the future. They have also launched a new and improved website! Website Info: https://simsburytv.org Simsbury's government meetings, town events, and local sports are broadcast on SCM, largely through its website. And in case you weren't aware, government meetings alone total about 200 hours of content! Check out the website for yourself to see the latest improvements in design, content, and everything Simsbury! SCM team: Meadowood Nominafion for Nafional Registry At our August 11, 2025 meeting, the Board of Selectmen authorized Town Manager Marc Nelson to submit an application to place the Meadowood property on the National Historic Registry. https://www.simsbury-ct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif9751/f/agendas/08-11- 2025_town_of_simsbury_board_of_selectmen_regular_meeting_packet_amended_0.pdf This recognition honors the tobacco property’s role in Black history and the civil rights movement. It is appropriate and especially timely during Black History Month. The application is for the Consideration of the Cullman Brothers Tobacco Farm for National Register of Historic Places listing. See the link below for how to attend the meeting and details on the submission: https://portal.ct.gov/decd/content/historic-preservation/06_about_shpo/state-historic- preservation-review-board/meeting-agendas/march-20-2026 More on Nod Road Solar Stay tuned here for more informafion on this project. Updates will be posted here: hftps://www.simsbury-ct.gov/planning-and-community-development-department/land-use- applicafions-of-interest/pages/40-nod-road Charter Revision Public Hearing Confinuafion Due to the blizzard on Sunday and Monday, we have confinued the Public Hearing on the Charter Revision Commission’s Draft Report unfil March 2nd. If you did not have a chance to aftend in person or virtually at our meefing on the 23rd, please come and share your thoughts on our form of government. Budget 2026-2027 (Fiscal Year 2027) This Saturday (2/28), the Board of Selectmen will hold a Special Meefing - Budget Workshop with Town Staff. It will start at 9:00 AM and is expected to end by 3:00 PM. We will have the opportunity to walk through the Town Manager’s budget with the Department Heads and ask quesfions. Our Finance Director, Amy Meriwether, and Budget Director, Melissa Appleby, will be behind the wheel on this. Following this meefing, another Special Meefing is scheduled for March 2nd to confinue discussions on the budget. New Emergency Management Director Appointed At our meefing on Monday, February 23, 2026, we appointed Jim Traficante as our new Emergency Management Director. Per our charter, this is an appointment by the Town Manager that is approved by our board. Jim has been serving as Deputy, with Mike Berry as our EMD. Mike is refiring from this service, so we thank him for keeping us safe in Simsbury. Please join us in congratulafing Jim on this important role. You can find his resume and lefters of recommendafion on this appointment in our agenda. hftps://www.simsbury-ct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif9751/f/agendas/02-23- 2026_town_of_simsbury_board_of_selectmen_regular_meefing_packet.pdf Blizzard 2026 Yes, this picture on the left was taken Monday morning during the peak wind and whipping snow that we all experienced. I guess being part Husky pays off in New England. She somehow found a sfick! The other picture is pre-storm…this is what is keeping us amused this season. Office hours I have a flexible work schedule, so feel free to reach out, and we can set up a fime to meet - either in my Town Hall office or grab a coffee in town. 860-543-3770 wmackstufis@simsbury-ct.gov Thanks, Wendy