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Residents press board over social-media tone and public-participation rules; selectman says posts were personal
Summary
Residents used the public-comment period to press First Selectman Mike McCoo about social-media posts they said were being perceived as official town communications and warned that threats of defamation could chill participation; McCoo responded that the posts were from his personal account and not town channels.
During public comment, several residents told the Board of Selectmen they were concerned about tone and responses on social media and about whether statements by a board member were being presented as official town communication.
John Blessington raised the issue directly and asked whether the board would allow people to participate when agenda items return for continued discussion. Another resident criticized a board member’s "passive aggressive" suggestion that speakers might face defamation complaints, saying that such a tone discourages people from speaking. "That's not how you encourage people to come and speak," one resident said.
Board members and residents repeatedly returned to whether posts from First Selectman Mike McCoo's personal social-media account were being understood as official communications. Nick Teller said he repeatedly saw the same person responding to public posts and that "functionally is acting as a first selectman in these posts." Teller added that while the account might be personal, content often directs people to town resources and appears authoritative.
First Selectman Mike McCoo responded that he was not using an official town account for those posts and that he was speaking as an individual. He told the board he had not seen official town accounts posting the disputed material and said he kept personal and official communications separate. The board said it would discuss communication channels and remind staff about official posting responsibilities.
Speakers also discussed public-participation rules and drawing the line between sharing factual information and engaging in policymaking outside an open meeting; the board emphasized FOIA training and careful distinction between information-sharing and deliberation.
