EAST GRANBY, CT- The small, rural town of East Granby, located northwest of the capital city of Hartford, continues to make news. We recently reported on a candidate for first selectman who used a swastika-like image with “MAGA” emblazoned across it, an antisemitic symbol representing the Nazi regime in World War II Germany.
The latest controversy involves a developer seeking a special permit for a proposed warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing facility. Through its attorney, the developer is asking for one of the commissioners, Austin Gelinas, to recuse himself from participating in the decision to grant the special permit.
Law Enforcement Today was forwarded a copy of a letter sent to East Granby Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Thomas Derlinga seeking Gelinas’ recusal, claiming an “illegal conflict of interest and predetermination.” The inference is that Gelinas has already made up his mind about the application, which violates prior Connecticut court decisions. The letter notes that the test of having a personal interest is not necessarily an actual conflict of interest, but rather the “appearance of impropriety” by the member’s participation.
According to the letter from Attorney Evan J. Seeman, Esq., of the Robinson & Cole LLP law firm, Gelinas has publicly opposed the developer’s efforts to develop the property with a warehouse. For example, in 2023, Gelinas appeared at a meeting of the Board of Selectmen and opposed a proposal to expand the membership of the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC). He (apparently) falsely alleged that the increase in the PZC's size was intended to accommodate the developer, SL 50-58 Rainbow Road, LLC. Gelinas alleged that the Town “has been ‘directly affected by large development proposals’ with diesel trucks and stated that such developments are a bad idea for the Town.”
Attorney Seeman made it clear that SL 50-58 Rainbow Road, LLC’s (aka Silverman) developer had nothing to do with the PZC’s proposal to increase the size of its membership. Gelinas alleged, without evidence, that “this was a ploy to benefit Silverman.” Gelinas was apparently seeking to prevent any significant development from being built in East Granby. He made the vote about Silverman, Seeman wrote, “and in doing so, expressed that he would not support developments like Silverman’s due to trucks and health issues.”
As an alternate on the PZC running to become a regular member, Gelinas has continued to exhibit bias and predetermination against Silverman. In fact, he is running alongside the aforementioned first selectman candidate, Jason Hayes, the far-left Democrat who has made the Silverman proposal a campaign issue, seeking to prevent the company from developing their property. Gelilnas is on Hayes’ campaign website, where Hayes states, “We cannot continue down the path of warehouses and gas stations, or we’ll slowly be taken over by an airport buffer zone.”
Seeman wrote, “While Hayes is entitled to his First Amendment rights to run his campaign as he wishes, he has attempted to influence the pending application through ex parte communications to Gelinas and others. Gelenis rightly disclosed the ex parte communication, but his subsequent actions provide irrefutable evidence of his continued bias and predetermination.”
A Freedom of Information request was sought for Gelinas’ communications, where he stated on Oct. 1, 2025, that he is “impartial” and that he has not provided any communications regarding the warehouse application.
Only five days later, however, Gelinas posted on his personal Facebook page a message from Hayes, in which he slammed warehouses, which was “consistent” with the ex parte communications he had received from Hayes. The post showed Hayes equates warehouses with gas stations (it should be noted that East Granby has three gas stations, all on Rte 20, the main route between Interstate 91 and northwestern Connecticut). Hayes said such uses are not suitable for the town.
Seeman wrote that, “By posting this to his personal social media page, Gelinas expresses that he agrees with Hayes’ comments,” while also creating “the appearance that Gelinas agrees with Hayes’ statements he previously received via ex parte communication (i.e., that the application must be denied).”
The following week, on Oct. 13, Gelinas “liked” yet another social media message posted by Hayes where he (Hayes) was discussing Silverman’s warehouse proposal. He again slams warehouses and falsely claimed that the applicant “was the impetus for a change in the town’s tax abatement ordinance” and that Silverman will seek such an abatement, a charge Seeman called false. Seeman alleges that Gelinas “is illegally biased against the Applicant and has predetermined its application.”
Gelinas also took issue with the Freedom of Information Request sought by the Applicant, claiming he feels “targeted.” Gelinas wrote: “I also want to note that I have concerns about the scope and fairness of the request, since it appears to be directed only at certain members rather than the entire commission.”
Thank you, Captain Obvious. Clearly, the FOI request was directed only at members who were believed to have a bias against the application, based on their past public comments.
“The Applicant has every right to make its request,” Seeman wrote. “It seeks to become a valuable member of the community and seeks a fair and impartial review of its special permit application.”
It should be noted that the location being sought for the development is located in an industrial area, not in a residential part of town. However, there is a development of townhomes about ¼ to ½ mile away as the crow flies.
It is amusing that both Gelinas and Hayes oppose any development that helps serve Bradley International Airport, which has been a good neighbor to the Town of East Granby for nearly 100 years, predating both Gelinas and Hayes’ residency in town. Surprisingly, these two leftists don’t appear to also complain about the noise from aircraft taking off and landing at Bradley. Maybe they do.
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