Minutes
Board of Selectmen - Minutes - Mar 23, 2026
Mar 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.
T O W N O F S I M S B U R Y – B O A R D O F S E L E C T M E N R E G U L A R M E E T I N G M I N U T E S – M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 P a g e | 1 CALL TO ORDER1 2 The Regular Meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order at 6 :00 p.m. in the Main3 Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices. Present were: First Selectman Wendy4 Mackstutis; Deputy First Selectman Steven Antonio; Board members Curtis Looney, Diana5 Yeisley, Mike Paine and Kevin Beal. Others in attendance included: Town Manager Marc6 Nelson; Deputy Town Manager Tom Fitzgerald; Parks and Recreations Director Tom Tyburski;7 Director of Public Works Tom Roy; and other interested parties.8 9 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE10 11 Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.12 13 PUBLIC AUDIENCE14 15 • Email townmanager@aimsbury-ct.gov by Monday, March 9, 2026, to register to speak to16 the Board of Selectmen live through Zoom17 • Written comments can be emailed to townmanager@simsbury-ct.gov., not read into the18 record, but forwarded to all Selectmen via email19 20 Joan Coe, 26 Whitcomb Drive, addressed the Board of Selectmen about processes she would like21 to see implemented during Board meetings.22 23 Diana Moody, 7 Elcy Way, spoke about the Simsbury Land Trust and introduced their new24 Director, Amanda Thompson. Ms. Thompson spoke about the Land Trust.25 26 Lisa Antonio, 133 Holcomb Street, spoke about concerns she had about a resident, Ms. Joan Coe.27 Ms. Antonio spoke about he appreciation to the community for its support after the serious fire at28 her residence recently.29 30 There were no further comments in Public Audience.31 32 PRESENTATION33 34 Proclamation Recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month35 36 The Board of Selectmen read a proclamation recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month. Ms.37 Yeisley made a motion to light Eno Memorial Hall blue for the month of April as a part of38 Autism Awareness Month. Mr. Looney seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion39 passed.40 41 42 43 44 T O W N O F S I M S B U R Y – B O A R D O F S E L E C T M E N R E G U L A R M E E T I N G M I N U T E S – M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 P a g e | 2 Sustainability Committee Presentation on New England Smart Energy45 46 Mr. Bayard Faithfull from the Simsbury Sustainability Committee presented to the Board of47 Selectmen about New England Smart Energy and energy assessments that are available to the48 residents and businesses of Simsbury. The Board members engaged in a brief question and49 answer period with Mr. Faithfull.50 51 CONSENT AGENDA52 53 Ms. Mackstutis made a motion, effective March 23, 2026, to put Action Item a) Authorize the54 Town Manager to Execute Tax Refund Overpayments and c) Authorize the Town Manager to55 Execute a Master Town Agreement with New England Smart Energy Group, LLC to the Consent56 Agenda. Ms. Yeisley seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed.57 58 Ms. Mackstutis asked for a motion to add to the agenda an executive session Pursuant to 1-59 200(6)(A) Personnel Matter. Ms. Yeisley made the motion, Mr. Antonio seconded the motion. All60 were in favor.61 62 FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT63 64 Ms. Mackstutis reviewed her First Selectmen Report. Ms. Mackstutis mentioned the upcoming65 Board of Finance Public Hearing on the Budget on April 7th at 6:00 PM at the Library. Ms.66 Mackstutis mentioned she attended a State Historic Preservation board meeting regarding67 tobacco barns on the Meadowood property and forwarding the nomination to the National Park68 Service. Ms. Mackstutis also mentioned the upcoming public hearing on the 40 Nod Road Solar69 project happening on April 23rd.70 71 TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT72 73 Mr. Nelson reviewed his Town Manager’s Report. Mr. Nelson spoke about the FY 27 budget and74 thank the Board of Selectmen for the work they did on it and for their unanimous adoption of the75 budget. He mentioned that at 2.15% increase we have the lowest percentage tax increase in the76 valley and that is something to be proud of. Mr. Nelson talked about the upcoming Flashlight77 Egg Hunt happening on April 2nd at Simsbury High School. Mr. Nelson spoke about him78 attending the Connecticut Main Street Center and Connecticut Business & Industry Association79 Building a Main Street Business Ecosystem Summit with Simsbury Business & Career Center80 Coordinator Cyn Thomas.81 82 LIAISION AND SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT83 84 Mr. Beal spoke about his disappointment in the way the Board of Finance meeting of March 10th 85 was conducted by its members.86 87 T O W N O F S I M S B U R Y – B O A R D O F S E L E C T M E N R E G U L A R M E E T I N G M I N U T E S – M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 P a g e | 3 Mr. Looney said that while the application for development at the old Hartford South property is88 not at Zoning yet but people probably saw the recent newspaper article on the proposed89 development in Town.90 91 Mr. Beal said the application is in front of Conservation Commission/Inland Wetlands at the92 moment.93 94 Mr. Antonio did not have any report at this time.95 96 Ms. Yeisley said graduation has been set for June 18th. DEI is planning a Juneteenth event for97 June 20th. Public Safety met and reviewed recent items including an uptick in fires over the past98 few months.99 100 Mr. Paine said he recently attend a Housing Authority meeting, and that Ms. Yeisley touched on101 Public Safety items he had written down.102 103 SELECTMEN ACTION104 105 b) Authorize the Town Manager to Submit Fiscal Year 2027 Congressionally Directed Spending106 Requests107 108 Mr. Roy reviewed the proposed projects for WPCA Flood Protection project and for HVAC109 Replacement and Roof Restoration at Eno Memorial Hall.110 111 Mr. Tyburski reviewed the Memorial Park Bath House and Splash Pad Redevelopment project.112 113 The Board engaged in a lengthy discussion around priority ranking of the three projects. Mr. Beal114 said he thinks it is important for the Board to be unanimous in their support to show strong support115 to our Federal representatives.116 117 After a discussion on all three projects, Mr. Beal made a motion effective March 23, 2026 to118 authorize Town Manager Marc Nelson to submit Congressionally Directed Spending Requests to119 the Offices of U.S. Senators Blumenthal and Murphy for Eno Memorial Hall Upgrades, WPCA120 Flood Protection Improvements, and the Memorial Park Bath House and Splash Pad121 Redevelopment in that order. Mr. Antonio seconded the motion. All were in favor.122 123 d) Discussion and Potential Action on Proposed Amendments to the DEI Council Statement of124 Purpose and Procedure125 126 Mr. Nelson gave a background of this request in front of the Board of Selectmen and that is good127 practice to have this come before the Board every couple of years. Ms. Mackstutis said it has128 been sent to the DEI Council in advance of today’s meeting.129 130 Mr. Beal made a motion effective March 23, 2026 to revise the DEI Council Statement of131 Purpose and Procedure as presented. Mr. Antonio seconded the motion. All were in favor.132 T O W N O F S I M S B U R Y – B O A R D O F S E L E C T M E N R E G U L A R M E E T I N G M I N U T E S – M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 P a g e | 4 133 APPROVAL OF MINUTES134 135 a) February 28, 2026 Special Meeting136 137 Edits were requested of Lines 376, 33, and 465.138 139 Mr. Beal made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Ms. Yeisley seconded the motion.140 All were in favor.141 142 b) March 2, 2026 Special Meeting143 144 Ms. Mackstutis made a motion to approve the minutes. Mr. Antonio seconded the motion. All145 were in favor146 147 c) March 9, 2026 Regular Meeting148 149 Ms. Mackstutis made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Yeisley seconded the motion. All150 were in favor.151 152 Ms. Yeisley made a motion to adjourn to executive session pursuant to CT General Statutes 1-153 200(6)(A) and to invite the Town Manager and Deputy Town Manager. Mr. Beal seconded the154 motion. All were in favor.155 156 The Board adjourned to executive session at 7:33 PM.157 158 The Board left executive session at 8:09 PM.159 160 Mr. Antonio made a motion to reconsider the minutes of March 2nd with a proposed edit to line161 261, stating that he did not abstain from this vote and rather voted in favor of the funding for162 Main Street. Mr. Looney seconded the motion. All were in favor163 164 ADJOURN165 166 Mr. Looney made a motion, effective March 23, 2026, to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the167 Board of Selectmen at 8:10 p.m. Ms. Yeisley seconded the motion. All were in favor and the168 motion passed.169 170 Respectfully submitted,171 172 Tom Fitzgerald173 Deputy Town Manager174