Simsbury selectmen approve Sunshine Wheels Neighborhood Assistance Act application, set ethics hearing and OK partnership while tabling signage

The Simsbury Board of Selectmen on June 8 approved the town's 2026 Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act tax-credit application for New Horizons, Inc., doing business as Sunshine Wheels, and authorized Town Manager Mark Nelson to submit the application to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.

The board heard from one public commenter who said the Grange missed the annual notice to apply; staff said the opportunity had been posted on the town website. During the vote the motion also designated Deputy Town Manager Tom Fitzgerald as the municipal liaison for the application. The vote passed by voice.

Why it matters: the Neighborhood Assistance Act lets qualifying nonprofits receive voluntary business donations in exchange for state tax credits; municipal endorsement is the first step before state approval and private fundraising.

The board also voted to schedule a public hearing on proposed amendments to town code chapter 13 (the code of ethics). Town staff said the revisions are largely non‑substantive language cleanups and recommended a July 13 public hearing so public comment and ethics-committee feedback can be compiled before any final adoption later in the summer.

Greater Hartford Foundation partnership and signage: the board unanimously agreed to name the town a regional partner of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (referred to in packet materials as Greater Hartford Gives/Foundation) as a "name-only" partnership that allows the foundation to reserve library space for donor meetings. The board did not approve permanent signage at the Simsbury Library; several selectmen raised concerns about precedent, placement and time limits and moved to table the signage decision for further policy review. The chair said any plaque or recognition would be subject to library board‑of‑trustees policy.

EV charger grant: Public works and the town engineer, Tom Roy, presented an Eversource grant opportunity to install Level 2 destination chargers at library parking lots. Roy said Eversource grants run roughly $20,000 per site (each site consisting of a two‑charger pair); staff described one three‑site scenario at about $60,000 in grant funds with a town match estimated at $62,000–$70,000 depending on scope. The board discussed connector standards (NACS vs. legacy J1772/CCS), possible charger locations, maintenance needs, and fee schedules. Members agreed by consensus to ask staff to pursue the grant; any funding would be considered as a year‑end savings request and would still require Board of Finance approval.

Charter referendum: the board unanimously approved placing the Charter Revision Commission's proposed revised charter on the Nov. 3, 2026 referendum ballot. The resolution sets the referendum date and directs the town clerk to prepare explanatory text for voter information; the resolution specifies an effective date in December if adopted.

Other actions: the board approved several appointments to town commissions and committees, accepted minutes (with a minor correction), and instructed staff to return a draft town‑seal policy for review. Board members noted several upcoming community events and operational updates, including a reported Lodestar tax payment of $340,000 that staff said clears a permit pathway for a local project.

Votes at a glance: • Approve 2026 Neighborhood Assistance Act application for New Horizons, Inc. d/b/a Sunshine Wheels — approved (motion, voice vote) • Set public hearing on proposed ethics-code amendments for July 13 — approved (motion, voice vote) • Name town a regional partner of the Greater Hartford Foundation for Public Giving — approved (motion, voice vote) • Table signage/identification at Simsbury Library pending policy discussion — motion to table passed (voice vote) • Consensus to pursue Eversource EV-charger grant and return with funding details — consensus recorded (not a formal appropriation) • Place revised charter on Nov. 3, 2026 referendum ballot and approve resolution — approved (unanimous) • Multiple appointments to commissions — approved (voice votes)

What happens next: staff will submit the Neighborhood Assistance Act application to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, prepare the ethics-code public hearing materials for July 13, return a detailed financial plan if the town pursues the Eversource grant (including exact match amount), and bring the town‑seal policy back for review. The charter question will appear on ballots for the Nov. 3, 2026 referendum.