Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting August 11, 2025

Board of Selectmen Meeting August 11, 2025

Deputy Selectman Steve Antonio is running for re-election in 2025 for Board of Selectman.

This is a position of trust with the assurance that laws are made to be followed by all people, apart from none.

However, over the past months Steve Antonio has violated the “Rule of Law.”

There appears to be a pattern of entitlement with the Planning and Community Development Department that not only allows him to violate the Zoning Regulations, but comes to his defense when questioned of signage on his properties.

Many of the questioned violations remain, giving Steve Antonio special treatment, while others must defend their positions with costly fees for violations with letters of the persistent violations.

The property behind Dunkin Donuts has a parking lot filled with storage of cars, boats, RV’s etc. that was previously owned by Wagner Ford.

The property is now owned by Steve Antonio and rent is paid to him for storage.

There is no documentation in the Planning Department for Steve Antonio to use this property for storage

Richard Wagner died December 17, 2009,

The property was owned by Wagner Ford Dealership.

Steve Antonio purchased the land from Wagner for $1.5 million, April 14. 2015.

The business is registered as Antonio5 LLC May 16, 2013.

The business address is 133 Holcomb Street, the same address for the home of Steve Antonio.

Wagner Ford permanently closed around late 2007 to early 2008.

Wagner family paid the taxes until the property was sold.

Abandonment of property: A key factor that can extinguish the right to a non-conforming use is abandonment.

Abandonment is no use of the property from six months to a year.

Wagner Ford closed the business permanently in 2008.

Steve Antonio purchased the property in 2015, leaving the property vacant for 7 years.

Joe Hollis, Code Compliance Officer, Monday July 21, 2025, said that Wagner did not send a letter of abandonment therefore the property was not abandoned and it was grandfathered in for Antonio.

Why should Wagner send a letter of abandonment when his property sold for $1.5 million?

I am asking Town Manager Marc Nelson to review the actions of the Department of Planning and Community Development interaction with Steve Antonio to investigate any impropriety in dealing with Steve Antonio on land use.

Town Manager Marc Nelson should report his findings to the Board of Selectmen in open session.

The Director of Simsbury Community Television (SCTV)has resigned with what appears to be no plan for succession from their Board of Directors.

SCTV is a valued asset to the community by televising meetings and many other activities which are available for future viewing by the public.

The solution for the continuity would be to move SCTV from Eno Hall to the library for an increase in media access, under the direction of the library.

Social Services could swap their office space in Eno Hall to Town Hall and the Police Department could take over the entire building.

The only stipulation in the deed is to have the DAR remain in the building.

The Police Department would be in the center of town and visible to the public

This would give the Police Department much needed added space and Social Services in Town Hall would integrate with all the other service departments, an asset to the community.

The Soccer Club is proposing using synthetic turf on the fields at Curtis Park.

This should be rejected as more research is available that documents environmental issues and added injuries to the players.

Synthetic turf fields contain toxic substances; surface has high heat causing skin burns and heat related illnesses and contain microplastics.

Replacement of natural grass with synthetic turf can lead to loss of wildlife and should remain in its present state,

The Pickleball courts at Tariffville Park are an asset to the town with players filling up the courts daily.

It appears that many of the commercial properties in Simsbury have lost much of their value due to economic conditions

The depreciation of the property will lower the revenue for the town and place the burden of lost revenue on the homeowner unless the budget spending is greatly reduced.

The Board of Selectmen and other nominees, should be asked now that they are campaigning for office, what they will do to reduce the budget to reflect the downturn in the economy.

The Town Farm managed by Thrive Farm and Eno Affordable Housing owned by CHFA remains in violation of the Eno Trust and should be resolved.

The recycling Center on Wolcott Road is part of the Eno Trust and some money from the operation should be donated to Social Services for services to help the needy of Simsbury.