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Residents back renaming Bloomfield Greenway for Councilor Joe Merritt; some oppose naming while in office
Summary
At a public hearing, long-time volunteers and a municipal committee urged the Bloomfield Town Council to rename the town’s portion of the East Coast Greenway after Councilor Joe Merritt, citing decades of leadership; one resident said honors should wait until he leaves office. Council closed the hearing and will place the ordinance on a future agenda.
A public hearing at Bloomfield Town Hall drew supporters and at least one opponent for a proposal to rename the town’s segment of the East Coast Greenway as the Joe Merritt Greenway.
Sharon Man, who identified herself as a 50-year resident, told the council she submitted a formal request under Bloomfield’s Naming Policy 1101 and argued that “Counselor Merritt meets and exceeds each of these standards.” Man credited Merritt with leading the local effort to bring the East Coast Greenway into Bloomfield and called the renaming an appropriate recognition of his work.
Members of the Conservation, Energy, and Environment Committee spoke in favor. Paula Jones said the committee voted unanimously on March 27, 2026, to support the request, noting Merritt’s involvement dating back to the mid-2000s and the municipality-level award he received from the Connecticut Greenways Council in 2015. Volunteer Kevin Goff and other longtime residents detailed how Merritt helped secure regional connections and promoted the Greenway’s recreational and economic benefits.
Not all speakers supported the change. Gail Riley said she did not oppose Merritt personally but objected to naming a town facility for an elected official who is still serving, arguing the precedent should be reserved for post-service honors.
After hearing public comments and at least one written submission read into the record, a councilor moved to close the public hearing; the council voted to close it and directed staff to place the renaming ordinance on the agenda of an upcoming council meeting for formal consideration.
The draft ordinance remains available in the town clerk’s office for inspection. No final action on the ordinance was taken at the hearing; the council will consider it at a subsequent meeting.
