Beyond the "Facebook Few"

Beyond the "Facebook Few": Residents Turn Out for Community Forum on Town Spending and Transparency

By Peter C. Frank

Editor-in-Chief, the Bloomfield Community Dispatch

AI Illustration for the Bloomfield Community Dispatch

BLOOMFIELD, CT - August 7, 2026 — As Bloomfield taxpayers grapple with rising property tax bills and ongoing questions regarding municipal governance, local residents gathered at the Blue Hills Firehouse on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, for a grassroots community forum hosted by Town Councilors Suzette DeBeatham-Brown and Shamar Mahon.

The meeting, organized to provide an open line of communication between elected representatives and the public, drew roughly 50 residents, according to attendees, whose estimates ranged from 45 to 60. They raised questions about recent Town Council decisions, budget allocations, and administrative procedures. This account is based on interviews with several attendees. The Dispatch reported on Town Manager Alvin D. Schwapp, Jr.'s dismissed election complaint against Councilman Mahon on July 27, 2026.

Countering the "Facebook Few" Narrative

The phrase "Facebook Few" is local shorthand, not a term town officials have used. But the sentiment it describes has been voiced from the dais.

At the June 8, 2026, budget meeting, Town Manager Alvin D. Schwapp, Jr. said a "very small group" was spreading falsehoods on Facebook, and that the "vast majority" of Bloomfield residents supported his administration. At the June 3 meeting, Councilor Todd E. Cooper characterized social media commentary as "foolishness" and "misinformation."

The framing has recurred throughout the summer. At the July 13 meeting, Deputy Mayor Cindi A. Lloyd said of residents who had spoken against a spending item, "We're listening to the loudest ones," and Councilor Cooper noted that while "we do have a loud contingent at times," the Council also has to "think about 22,000 residents."

Not every councilor has embraced that framing. At the July 27 meeting — the night before the Blue Hills forum — Councilor Darrell Goodwin cautioned his colleagues against invoking "the mythical people that we individually speak to," adding, "I'd like to see our forums be more than just a Facebook group."

Several attendees at the Blue Hills Firehouse said the turnout showed that concerns reach beyond social media — about how taxpayer dollars are being spent, whether the Town is complying with its charter, and how major policy decisions are communicated to the public.

"It is important for the rest of the Council to realize that the turnout at these meetings represents real, everyday taxpayers who want accountability," noted local resident Roy Duncan. "This is far more than just a few people on social media."

Demanding Clearer Communication and Accountability

A recurring theme throughout the evening was the need for proactive, straightforward communication from town leadership. Residents expressed frustration at learning about major municipal decisions after the fact, noting that administrative explanations often leave taxpayers in the dark about fundamental fiscal adjustments and contingency spending.

Participants emphasized that if municipal leaders have viable plans for town development or budget management, those plans should be presented transparently upfront rather than defended retroactively.

Councilors DeBeatham-Brown and Mahon spent the meeting listening to resident concerns, answering questions regarding council procedures, and discussing ways for citizens to stay informed as future policy decisions come before the town.

How to Stay Involved

As grassroots participation continues to build across Bloomfield, organizers and participating councilors plan to hold additional community listening sessions in the coming weeks to ensure resident voices remain central to local decision-making.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Blue Hills Fire Department (1021 Blue Hills Avenue). If an option to participate in the meeting virtually is added, we will update this article with information on how to join or view the meeting.

Residents interested in receiving updates about upcoming community forums, sharing feedback, or connecting directly with Councilors DeBeatham-Brown and Mahon regarding municipal issues can reach out via the personal email addresses the councilors have provided:

• Councilor Suzette DeBeatham-Brown: suzette.dbrown@yahoo.com

• Councilor Shamar Mahon: Shamar4Bloomfield@gmail.com

Update: August 8, 2026, 8:31 PM EDT

A note from the Dispatch on the contact information in our article — and on when to use which address.

The July 28 forum was not a Town-sponsored event. Two councilors hosted it in their individual capacity, at a venue the Town does not own, with no Town funds, staff, or equipment involved. We published the contact information provided to us for that event.

Erin raises a fair question, and it deserves an answer rather than a defense.

Under Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act, whether something is a public record turns on its content — whether it relates to the conduct of the public's business — not on which email account it happens to sit in. Kate is right about that. A message about Town business doesn't stop being a public record because it went to a Gmail address.

The practical difference is retention. A message sent to a councilor's official Town address lives in the Town's system, where it can be searched, produced, and preserved. A message sent only to a personal account may still be a public record in principle, but it is considerably harder for anyone — including the resident who sent it — to have it produced later. How FOIA applies to records held in personal accounts has been litigated in Connecticut and is not perfectly settled, which is one more reason to use the official channel when it matters.

So, our suggestion to readers:

• Use the official Town addresses for Town business — questions about a vote, a budget line, a contract, a policy, a department's performance, or how the Town government operates. Councilor emails are published at bloomfieldct.gov/208/Town-Council, and the Town's site also has a "Contact All Councilors" form.
• Personal addresses are fine for things that aren't Town business — a neighborhood conversation, an invitation, a campaign or political question, or simply telling a councilor you appreciated something they said.

When in doubt, send it to both. It costs nothing and guarantees the message is both received and preserved.

The line isn't always obvious, and reasonable people will draw it differently. We'd rather residents over-document than under-document.

🗣️ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Did you attend the Blue Hills Firehouse meeting, or do you plan to attend future neighborhood forums? Share your thoughts on local civic engagement in the comments below! 👇

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