Simsbury Board of Selectmen Meeting May 11,2026

Board of Selectmen Meeting May 11, 2026

We have all been told, “If You See Something, Say Something”.

This is what I have been done for years when I saw businesses that appeared to be in violation of the Zoning Regulations.

Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio has continually violated the Zoning regulations, although he knows that many of the signs have violated the Zoning Regulations.

As a result of his actions, he had to take his signs and banners removed from his establishments.

This appears to be the first time that anyone in Simsbury challenged his actions.

Deputy First Selectman is not only a bully but is vindictive when challenged.

He believes he can publicly question my actions, causing me to cower to his tactics and that I would refrain from reporting his violations.

Deputy First Selectman Steve Antionio left the Dais to challenge my actions of reporting his blatant violations.

Since this did not appear to stop my reporting, his wife, Lisa Antonio, spoke about false allegations against me, while her son videoed her speech at Public Audience.

First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis did not bang her gavel when Lisa Antonio was naming me many times speaking about her false accusations about me or alert the public that the speech was being videotaped.

At the next meeting someone in the audience was videotaping the Board of Selectman meeting and First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis alerted the public that the meeting was being videotaped.

It appears that First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis is creating a protectionist operation for Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio.

All my actions were reactive, not proactive.

If Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio would follow the rules, there would be no need for me to report any violations.

However, it appears that Deputy, First Selectman Steve Antonio has always received preferential treatment due his bullying and vindictive behavior.

On May 1, 2026 Deputy Selectman Steve Antonio entered Town Hall and started screaming at me about harassment and filing a police report.

I told him he can do whatever he wants.

Many of the staff heard the ruckus from Steve Antonio in the hall.

After that altercation, Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio went downstairs to the Police Department to file a trespass report against me.

The report states, “It’s Officer Crowley, we spoke earlier about Steve trespassing you from his property.

As we discussed, you are trespassed from the following locations: the Antonio’s Restaurant plaza (1185-1259 Hopmeadow Street), his residence of 133 Holcomb Street, and the Old Well Tavern and Best Self Storage plaza of 20-30 Tariffville Rd.”

An email was sent to alert all Police Officers and Dispatch that there is a trespass violation against me in their files, with Police surveillance on me 24/7.

This is a lifetime trespass complaint with any violation, an immediate arrest.

Steve Antonio is not only trying to punish me but all the stores that have leases in his plazas from Antonio’s Restaurant to Dunkin Donuts on Hopmeadow Street that I cannot enter.

Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio as an elected Official, voting on the Town Manager Marc Nelson’s contract can destroy the livelihood of an individual by voting “No Confidence” in the Town Manager and voting No on the renewal of the contract.

Due to Deputy First Selectman’s bullying and vindictive tactics, all the employees in Town should be concerned, especially the Planning Department, if they impose any violations on his actions.

Deputy First Selectman Steve Antonio is not a public servant but is a disgrace to the office and is providing a disservice to the community.

A government official should not be bullying the public into submission and as a result of Deputy First Selectman’s actions the Board of Selectmen should vote, “No Confidence” in Steve Antonio and ask him to resign from his office.

I would like to report that after my conversations with Town Manager Marc Nelson, Town Attorney Bob DeCrescenzo will produce a detailed list and description of all his activities.

It has come to my attention that during the budget process both Town Manager Marc Nelson and Director of Finance Amy Merriwether have been inundated with hundreds of emails from Lisa Heavner and the Board of Finance that require an immediate response.

This requires hours of time that should be reviewed to come up with a plan to consolidate the emails to reduce the time spent on fulfilling the requests.

There is an application for homes on 1-3 Old Mill Pond.

This is in close proximity to the Ensign Bickford building where they are manufacturing explosives.

In 1984 there was an explosion from the facility that killed 3 people and damaged many properties.

The Town should review whether apartments should be built in close proximity to the facility before approving the project.