Where is the Transparency? Where is the Leadership?

At the most recent Town Council meeting, the mayor was asked directly about an arrest for trespassing connected to Town Hall. Twice, she characterized it as a single incident. What concerns residents we have heard from is not speculation about the individual involved, but the absence of any clear, proactive communication from Town Hall.

To date, there has been no official statement from the mayor’s office, no acknowledgement in her monthly remarks, and no coverage in the local press. Instead, the public is left to fill the vacuum with social media chatter and guesses. That erodes trust and confidence in our local government.

This particular incident raises more questions than answers. The arrest involved a poll worker and occurred during Early Voting for a primary – not at Town Hall, but at the Early Voting polling location, after polls closed and the public had left. How does a one-time trespassing arrest happen outside of the actual event? That is exactly the kind of basic information residents deserve to know without having to demand it from their mayor.

As someone who works across Connecticut in policy and civic engagement, I

see every day how distrust in government deepens the toxic partisan divides we already face. But I also see something else: a broader, nonpartisan skepticism that separates those who hold power from those who do not. It includes students, parents, and residents who consistently show up at town meetings, whether or not they’re registered with any political party.

That disconnect leads to frustration for all. In Stratford, I’ve seen it week after week over the years – residents worn down by a government that makes so few community-informed decisions on issues that directly affect taxpayers. It doesn’t have to be this way.

When an arrest occurs in connection with our own Town Hall, the community has a right to expect straightforward information, shared openly and promptly – not silence until someone forces the question. Respect for the public means being transparent, even when the news is difficult. Trust and confidence in government are not luxuries; they are essential to guiding us through divisive times, especially at the local level, where our connections are personal and our decisions have immediate impact.

Since I have served as Chair, our Democratic Town Committee has worked to recruit and endorse candidates who believe in putting the community first, and in working across the aisle for the betterment of Stratford. It has never been about secrets and power. It has always been about moving Stratford forward, together, as our town, state, and country change.

Stratford deserves leadership that understands transparency is not optional.