To The editor
I strongly believe when we talk about government—especially local government—we’re not talking about an abstract institution. We’re talking about people elected by the community, making decisions for the community, with the trust of the community. And that trust depends on three basic principles: transparency, accountability, and true representation.
Somewhere along the way, the majority of those who serve on the present Groton Town Council forgot that their authority comes from the people—not from a party, not from a personality, and not from a position.
Unfortunately, in recent years, we’ve seen a troubling pattern from the current council majority, with the exception of Councilors Bordelon and McBride: limiting public input, suppressing dissenting voices, and hand-picking commissions to reflect only their views. Commission seats should never be used as political favors or tools for control, yet that has become the norm, in Groton in the past few years.
The breakdown of basic governance and dysfunction by the majority of this present Council can be clearly seen concerning by the treatment of Councilor Portia Bordelon. Every elected representative deserves basic respect and equal access to participate in the process. Instead, Councilor Bordelon has been repeatedly interrupted, targeted, attacked, undermined, and denied the same courtesies and procedural rights afforded to others. When a council silences or sidelines one of its own members—especially one repeatedly being one of the two top vote getters—it’s not just that Councilor being disrespected. It’s disrespect and disregard the people who elected her.
Transparency isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of honest government. Residents should not have to dig, beg, or fight to understand what’s happening at Town Hall. Meetings should be open and inclusive. Public comment should be encouraged, not restricted. And decisions should be made in the light of day, not behind closed doors or through back channels.
When leaders stop listening, when they limit who gets to speak, and how long they can speak, when they decide what topics are allowed and who can bring them up—government stops being representative and starts being self-protective.
That brings me to the second principle: accountability.
Accountability means that those in office answer to the people who put them there. It means owning the consequences of decisions—not dodging questions, not blaming others, not hiding behind process. It also means treating every elected voice with respect, even when there is disagreement. Shutting down debate, attacking colleagues, or stacking committees with loyalists is not leadership—it’s control.
True accountability comes when every councilor has the ability to place items on the agenda, when every commissioner is chosen for their qualifications—not their connections—and when residents have the right to speak without fear of being silenced or rushed out of the room.
And then there’s the most fundamental piece of all: representative government.
In a representative Government, elected officials don’t govern for themselves—they govern on behalf of the people. That means listening to every viewpoint, not just the ones that agree with you. It means protecting the minority voice, not eliminating it. It means discussing issues fully, not pretending they don’t exist. It means decisions are made with input—not dictated from the top down.
Representative government only works when everyone at the table has a voice and when the public sees their councilors working for them—not against transparency, not against dissent, and not against accountability.
Let me be clear: good government isn’t complicated. It’s not about slogans or spin. It’s about trust. And trust is built when residents know they will be heard, when they see fairness in decisions, and when they know those in power are not using their roles to advance personal agendas.
We must get back to basics:
• Open meetings and open dialogue.
• Inclusive agendas.
• Public comment without limits.
• Appointments based on merit, not favoritism.
• Respect among elected officials—even when opinions differ.
• And a commitment to remembering that government belongs to the people, not the other way around.
Groton—and every community—deserves leadership that doesn’t fear transparency, doesn’t dodge accountability, and doesn’t silence representation. It deserves leaders who welcome questions, respect debate, and do the work in daylight.
If we restore those basics, we restore trust. And when trust is restored, progress follows. This is what myself and the Groton Independents believe in, and what we strive to bring to Groton if we are elected.
And that matters now more than ever—because the next Town Council will help guide the new Plan of Conservation and Development. This plan will shape the future of Groton for years to come: our neighborhoods, land use, housing, infrastructure, open space, and economic development. The question is simple: do we want the same group—one that has limited voices, withheld respect, and ignored public input—deciding our future? Actions speak louder then words! This Councils record tells the story. With the exception of Bordelon and McBride who have consistently stood up for fairness, openness and doing what is right, the majority has shown through its actions a lack of respect for differing voices, a disregard for transparency, and an unwillingness to be accountable. These are not isolated moments, they are a pattern of bad behavior. How can we trust these Councilors to lead us forward?
I ask on November 4 to take all these facts into account and vote Row C, a vote for a Transparent, Accountable Council that puts Groton residents first!
John Goodrich
Mystic, CT