Resident alleges deputy selectman used government power to try to silence her

During the public comment portion of the June 8 meeting, resident Joan Cook said Deputy 1st Selectman Steve Antonio filed a no‑trespass complaint against her after she photographed signage and raised zoning questions.

Cook alleged the deputy sought a restraining order and used "the full force of government" to intimidate and silence critics who raised compliance or zoning concerns. She said she had not been arrested or detained but that the complaint and related interactions had chilled her participation in town meetings.

The board acknowledged the comment; no formal response from Deputy 1st Selectman Antonio is recorded in the public meeting transcript and the allegations were not adjudicated during the meeting. The statements should be read as a public allegation by a resident and not as an established fact.

Why it matters: allegations that an elected official used official processes to intimidate or silence a resident raise concerns about public‑forum access and appropriate use of official authority. The board did not take formal action in response at the meeting; any follow-up would require either the subject to respond publicly or staff/board members to request investigation or legal review.

What the record shows and doesn't: Cook made specific claims about a no‑trespass filing, a request for a restraining order, and photographing signage. The meeting transcript contains those assertions but does not contain a denial, retraction or corroboration from the named official. The claim therefore remains unresolved in the public record.

Next steps: If the board or town staff receive a formal complaint or legal filing related to these allegations, those items would be handled through appropriate administrative or legal channels; the transcript contains Cook's statements as the record of her public comment.