HARTFORD, CT — Today, the Hartford Courant published an editorial on the news that Mayor Segarra dictated that the meetings held in response to the recent spike in violent crime be closed to the public:
Why hold a private meeting about such a public issue?…Mr. Segarra is giving the impression that he is not sold on the virtues of transparency. After his first private meeting, he held another, a week later.
If the mayor wanted to speak privately with any member of the community, he could have done so with a phone call or one-on-one meeting. But to hold meetings in city hall and exclude the public is questionable judgment.
I have spent these past few weeks calling upon Mayor Segarra to hold a meeting on violence that is open to the public. Currently, no community meetings are scheduled. I’m heartened to see the Hartford Courant join in the effort to open these meetings to the public.