- May 21, 2022
- Posted by: Bastion team
- Category: World News
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…