Still facing criticism, finance board alternate doesn’t apologize for controversial remarks
NEW FAIRFIELD — The finance board alternate whose comments about special education last month offended members of the community broke his silence Wednesday — but he did not deliver the public apology some in town have been waiting for.
Though he was present and spoke briefly during the nearly-three-hour-long meeting on Wednesday, David Coleman did not address his controversial remarks.
He did, however, propose an item for the board’s next meeting agenda — a discussion about instituting in-person office hours so finance board members are “available to the public.” The board did not discuss the idea.
For several weeks, residents have been demanding David Coleman publicly apologize for remarks he made about the special needs community during the Board of Finance’s April 20 meeting. Some have also called for him to resign.
The finance board convened a special meeting May 9, to address the controversial comments, but Coleman did not attend — and his absence, coupled with board members’ comments and inaction, left some residents feeling more upset than before.
Board members acknowledged the inappropriateness of the remarks, but said they did not believe there was ill intent behind the words and chalked it up to Coleman not knowing proper terminology.
Some residents saw it as the board making excuses for him — and their dissatisfaction with the board’s handling of the situation, as well as Coleman’s apparent lack of remorse, carried over into the Board of Finance’s regular meeting on Wednesday.
“It was very disappointing that at the last meeting, Mr. Coleman wasn’t in attendance,” resident Terra Volpe said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “It was an opportunity for him to listen and perhaps make an apology. There are a lot of folks in town who were really hurt.”
Urging the board to “stop trying to make excuses” for him, Aline Fogle said Coleman is “a grown man (who) can speak for himself,” and she hopes he “does the right thing.”
Addressing Coleman as “the member of the board,” Jolesit Miller said, “We are still here … You have one more opportunity to apologize. Put on your big man pants and do the right thing.”
Coleman asked if a letter the board recently received from Disability Rights Connecticut’s executive director, Deborah Dorfman, would be discussed in executive session — a topic that led to 25 minutes of back-and-forth between board members with conflicting opinions on what can and can’t be excluded from public discussion.
Board of Finance Chair Wes Marsh described Dorfman’s letter — which he said all board members received — as an invitation for her to meet with the board to “provide information and training regarding the importance of full inclusion of and respect for people with disabilities, as well as disability rights.”
The entire letter was not read into the record, but based on a sentence shared during Wednesday’s meeting, as well as comments from board members about it, it appears that the letter was sent in response to the controversy surrounding Coleman’s comments about special education.
Board members Claudia Willard, Thora Perkins and Mark Beninson argued against discussing or reading the letter outside of an executive session due to the fact that it singled out a board member and the email in which it was sent mentioned confidentiality.
The Board of Finance eventually voted to have board member Mike Cammorata draft a response to Dorfman’s letter, indicating interest in having her make an educational presentation to the board.
Dorfman could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The Board of Finance’s next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 15.