First Selectman's Report - September 9, 2013 - Mary A. Glassman, First Selectman

FIRST SELECTMAN’S REPORT - September 9, 2013

Charrette for The Hartford’s Property Underway

The Charrette process for The Hartford’s property at 200 Hopmeadow Street began last Friday with several hours of site assessments and stakeholder interviews and will conclude with a Community Presentation which will be conducted at the Hartford tomorrow night from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.  The process included two public meetings on Saturday to make sure that Gateway Planning – the consultant conducting the process – The Hartford, and the Town’s technical staff have input from Simsbury residents and businesses to help frame the future of the site.  Even as we meet tonight, Gateway Planning is leading a Community Open House at The Hartford.  I strongly urge those of you who are interested in this important project to attend the presentation tomorrow night.  We also have a lot of information about the charrette process on the Town’s website, including a way for you to post your own comments.  You can find the link on the front page of the website at www.simsbury-ct.gov.

With the data collected from their visit, Gateway Planning will continue to work with Town Staff and the Hartford Land Use Study Committee to put together their recommendations for code development as we work to make sure that we’re doing everything possible to ensure a positive outcome for the Town of Simsbury.

 I would like to thank The Hartford for their part not only in funding this process but for participating in it as well.  The Hartford and CBRE, the broker retained by the Hartford for marketing and sale of the property, have provided valuable information and insight.  I would also like to thank the Committee members and Town Staff for their part in a very intensive and comprehensive process.  I look forward, as I’m sure we all do, to seeing Gateway Planning’s recommendations from the charrette.

 Upcoming Events:  Arts and Crafts Festival (9/14-15); Grange Agricultural Fair (9/14); 28th Annual Simsbury Fly-In and Car Show (9/15); and Fidelco Share the Vision Fundraising Dog Walk & Family Fun Day (9/29)

One of the reasons that Simsbury has been repeatedly recognized as one of the 50 best places to live is that there is always something wonderful to do!  Now that you have caught your breath from Septemberfest, remember to put three other wonderful events on your calendar:

• Arts and Crafts Festival:  The Simsbury Woman's Club is hosting its 44th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, September 14, 2013 and Sunday September 15, 2013. This is a wonderful event, featuring over 100 artists and craftsmen with something for every taste.  In addition to the exhibits, the Festival will offer food and includes a bake sale.  It will be held on Iron Horse Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, on the 14th and the 15th.  This is another great tradition – the Simsbury Woman’s Club has done an incredible job with this Festival for years and I strongly encourage everybody to attend.
• Grange Agricultural Fair:  On Saturday September 14th, from 10am-3pm, the Simsbury Grange is hosting an Agricultural Fair at the Simsbury Grange Hall, 236 Farms Village Road.  The Fair is free and open to the public and will feature a bake sale and craft fair, children’s activities, Flamig Farm Hayrides, and refreshments.  Anyone interested in more information can visit www.simsburygrange.org, and we look forward to seeing you there!
• 28th Annual Simsbury Fly-In and Car Show:  The Simsbury Fly-In and Car Show will be held on September 15th from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and will feature an estimated 650 airplanes and automobiles.  In addition to feature displays by vendors, breakfast and lunch will be served, flying demonstrations will be held and seminars on aviation topics will be presented.  I would like to thank the Simsbury Flying Club, the Simsbury Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Porter and Chester Institute for putting the event together.  This is always a wonderful event and I hope to see you there.
• Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation’s Share the Vision Fundraising Dog Walk & Family Fun Day:  Finally, I’d like to give you some advance notice of Fidelco’s Share the Vision Fundraising Dog Walk & Family Fun Day which will be held three weekends from now on Sunday, September 29.  This is Fidelco’s 32nd annual Walk in Connecticut and the second year it is being hosted by the Town of Simsbury.  The event takes place from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm with a Walk kickoff ceremony occurring at 10:45.  The event will take place at the Performing Arts Center and will feature music by local band “Little House.”  Fidelco provides an important service by providing men and women who are blind with German Shepherd Guide Dogs.  Each dog costs $45,000 to raise and train and they are given to clients at no cost.  We have been fortunate to partner with Fidelco on a number of initiatives, and I strongly urge you to come out in support of a very worthy cause – and you will have a good time doing it!

“Meet and Greet” for Simsbury’s New Public Library Director, Lisa Karim

 I would like to invite you all to attend an open house to meet Simsbury Public Library’s new Director, Lisa Karim on Tuesday, September 24 between 6:30 and 7:30 pm, and Wednesday, September 25 between 9:30 and 11:00 am. You can stop in either day at the upper level of the library. This is your opportunity to welcome Lisa to Simsbury and to share your thoughts about the Library. Lisa comes to us from a library Director position in LaGrange, NY and brings her three daughters with her.  We are pleased to welcome Lisa and her family on board, and I hope you will take the opportunity to visit with her on either the 24th or the 25th.