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Councilor Portia Bordelon: you are not a hero nor are you my voice. I do not support your continued lack of decorum in meetings, your bullying of fellow Democrats (7/27/2020 Board of Ed meeting) and that you have opened up all citizens of Groton to a lawsuit by ignoring the town attorney’s advice to not comment on the Mystic Education Center (Committee of the Whole 5/4/2021). Rest assured yours is the name that will be prominently featured in any future lawsuit in regards to the Mystic Education Center.
To those supporting Bordelon due to concerns over the Mystic Education Center, you are completely in the right to have concerns about that project and the impact it will have on your homes. But while your concerns are justified, your support is misplaced. You are being used by someone who made herself irrelevant by continuously alienating those around her. Your best hope is to address this project with town officials, not someone who is opening you up to a lawsuit. If elected we can look forward to two more years of Bordelon’s decision paralysis, unwillingness to compromise, and lack of respect for colleagues, town staff, and our police.
Those who have observed Bordelon’s actions are now placed in a no-win situation crafted by Bordelon, her followers, and the New London Day’s Dave Collins: to not vote for Bordelon is to support “old racist white people” who allegedly control the Democratic Party in Groton. But to vote for her is once again to elect a candidate who has repeatedly demonstrated she is unfit for office. Mr. Collins has “cringed” at the “shabby treatment” Bordelon receives from fellow councilors, yet ignores her own crass behavior. Mr. Collins is able to criticize whomever he pleases in whatever way he chooses, seemingly without supporting facts or doing any research, but the instant there is an unfavorable critique of a candidate he supports it is somehow out of bounds. Meanwhile supporters of Bordelon publish untruths about town officials on The Day’s website and go as far as to publicly post home addresses of people they do not agree with on social media.
If the town of Groton Democrats are truly being controlled by “old racist white people” why are they putting forth a diverse slate of candidates for Town Council, Board of Education and RTM? Current accomplished town councilors Juan Melendez and Juliette Parker are returning to the ballot with the support of their party while Bordelon was nominated for both Board of Education and RTM. After observing Bordelon for the better part of two years, it is not hard to discern that her behavior towards her own party could be what has inspired them to believe a change of position would be best. We can only surmise why 64% of people of color on the DTC did not vote for Bordelon, however the narrative of this being racially driven is a false one perpetuated by Bordelon’s followers in order to spin a more complicated tale rather than to accept that as a town councilor she is unable to build towards consensus, collaborate with others, and offer concise commentary. Councilor Bordelon: You are not a hero, just a desperate politician playing to a crowd with no regard for the consequences of your actions or comprehension of the environment you are creating. You have done nothing to renounce these wild racism claims and everything to allow this to tailspin into chaos and ill-will between neighbors. If you were half the force for what is right that you claim to be you would have acted as a leader and addressed these issues instead of reveling in them. Instead you have encouraged further division, not unlike a recent president. You should be ashamed, just as I am ashamed that you represent Groton.
Steve Artale
Groton, CT