Committee backs Rowe for Zoning Appeals Board

Other Committee · Meeting of September 10, 2026

Bloomfield's Committee on Committees interviewed roughly 17 candidates for eight town boards and voted to recommend Ricky Rowe for the Zoning Board of Appeals. Councilors DeVitha Brown, Waterhouse and Goodwin approved the recommendation 3-0, with Rowe, a Republican Town Committee pick, citing an architecture and engineering background. Goodwin warned that charter rules limiting how many members of one political party can sit on a board could force some long-serving volunteers off their committees.

Parks and Recreation member Louis Blumenfeld, serving since 1977, said his committee's core has shrunk to four people: "The committee could definitely use a few more members." A longtime Beautification Committee member said volunteers, "most of us over 70," can no longer keep up with watering Park Avenue plantings and said the council often ignores the committee's meeting invitations.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,866 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of September 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Roll Call, Minutes and Charter Compliance

The Committee on Committees opened its September 10 meeting with a roll call confirming Councilors DeVitha Brown, Waterhouse and Goodwin present, then approved minutes from three prior meetings, June 17, July 9 and August 13, on a unanimous voice vote with no recorded nays or abstentions.

Before interviews began, Councilor Goodwin raised a compliance issue that framed much of the evening. The town charter caps how many members of a committee can belong to the majority party, sets minimums for the minority party, and accounts for independents. Goodwin said some sitting volunteers have been serving outside those limits. "There is a possibility that you may not be able to continue to serve outside of what the charter and the ordinances state," Goodwin said. He asked candidates who had interviewed for more than one board to say so, to help the committee sort appointments within the charter's party-balance math. The issue surfaced again later in the meeting from two committees reporting thin membership, suggesting the compliance question is not abstract: boards that need bodies may still be constrained by party math.

Zoning Board of Appeals: Ricky Rowe

The Zoning Board of Appeals interview was taken out of order at a councilor's request so the candidate could leave early. Ricky Rowe, a Bloomfield native who left for roughly 15 years in Boston before returning, told the committee he studied architecture and engineering and worked extensively in Boston, which he said gave him insight into "what towns need in order to be successful." He said he wanted to serve "to help my community" and cited past volunteer coaching with youth football in town. A councilor noted the seat is a Republican vacancy and that Rowe was recommended by the Republican Town Committee.

The question before the body, after interviews concluded, was whether to recommend Rowe's appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals. A member moved "that we recommend Rick Rowe for the Zoning Board of Appeals," which was seconded, and the motion passed on a voice vote with all three councilors in favor, none opposed and no abstentions. This was the only appointment recommendation acted upon at the meeting; it now proceeds to the full Town Council for final action, though no date for that vote was stated in the meeting.

Youth Adult Council

Two candidates interviewed for the Youth Adult Council. Kiwanda, whose surname was not clearly stated in the recording, described years of involvement through her children's participation in council programs and said her professional work for the Department of Children and Families gives her a youth-advocacy perspective "from a nursing perspective." Meredith Johnson, a lifelong Bloomfield resident who has worked for the Department of Children and Families for 34 years, said she has already been attending meetings regularly since January and wants to be "more vested in the town officially" as she nears retirement from her career. Nadine Tobin was called but did not respond and was marked absent.

Inland Wetlands Commission

Diane Perry, who has owned a home in Bloomfield since 2011, interviewed remotely for the Inland Wetlands Commission. She said she wants to engage more directly in "topics and discussions that really shape the health, enjoyment, and quality of life of our town," while acknowledging she would be "leaning in to learn the environmental subject matter." She committed to regular attendance and said she brings "curiosity, stewardship and intellect" to the role.

Parks and Recreation Committee

Three candidates interviewed for Parks and Recreation: Lasandra Rosario, Louis Blumenfeld and a third member the committee called Nazzy, whose surname was not given in the recording. Rosario, a reapplicant from the prior year, said her background as an educator and long involvement in swimming and aquatics informs her interest, and raised a question about which residents are not participating in town recreation and what barriers, including language, might be keeping people away.

Blumenfeld's interview carried the most substantive membership concern of the night. He said he has served on the committee since 1977 and would mark his 50th year if reappointed, and has chaired it for the past 11 or 12 years. He said the committee's core has shrunk to four people and flagged the charter issue directly: "I think I noted that the two new people who offered are Democrats," he said, adding he was "kind of hoping the council might find a way to perhaps expand the committee so that we can have a couple more members than we have now." No councilor committed to an expansion at the meeting; the comment stands as a request for future council consideration.

Emergency Medical Services Committee

Blumenfeld also interviewed, out of the normal order, for continued service on the Emergency Medical Services Committee, which oversees the town's ambulance service. He said he was drawn into ambulance planning in 1976, before the service launched in 1977, and has chaired the EMS committee since around 1980, after the council decided a sitting council member should not continue chairing it. He said next year marks the ambulance service's 50th year. "It started with people not expecting it to last really long," Blumenfeld said, adding the service largely pays for itself with council support.

Deirdre Donahue Gilbert, a registered nurse for more than 50 years and Bloomfield resident since 1955, also interviewed for the EMS committee. She said she joined after witnessing a non-Bloomfield ambulance crew provide what she described as inadequate care to a patient in town, and brought the concern to the committee's then-head, who recruited her. She cited decades of nursing experience, including rural medicine and state regulatory work overseeing nursing homes and substance-abuse programs, as relevant background.

Conservation, Energy and Environment Committee

Julie Shaw, recently fully retired after stepping back from contract work, interviewed for the Conservation, Energy and Environment Committee. She described volunteering at a local farm, serving on a land trust's education committee, and becoming a state-certified master wildlife conservationist. She said she wants to expand public education on recycling, trash programs and coexisting with wildlife, framing the committee's work as helping the town "maintain some natural spaces."

Public Art Commission

Three candidates interviewed for the Public Art Commission: Vivian and Lee, both identified only by first name in the recording, and Wendy Williams, a current member seeking reappointment. Williams, appointed three years ago at Councilor DeVitha Brown's recommendation, said the commission has been "running with like four" members, just enough for quorum, for the past two and a half years, and proposed expanding into intergenerational and youth-focused public art projects if reappointed. Lee, a Duncaster continuing-care community resident and self-described artist, said he wanted to use his artistic background to benefit the town. Vivian cited prior work in theater and arts administration across the Hartford area and said she had already been active on the committee over the past year.

Bloomfield Beautification Committee

Three people interviewed for the Beautification Committee: Carolina, whose surname was not clearly captured in the recording; a longtime committee member, identified in the recording as Norvilla but later referenced by a subsequent speaker as Gwen, creating an unresolved naming discrepancy; and Joanne Mitchell. Carolina, a three-year resident, said she joined after raising concerns about litter near the Copaco shopping area with Dwight Halton, the chairman of the town's Republican committee, who connected her to the Beautification Committee; she said she has missed only one meeting since January, for a medical appointment.

The longtime member said she has served more than ten years and takes pride in comparing Bloomfield's public plantings favorably to neighboring Simsbury and Avon. She raised a specific infrastructure problem: perennials planted along a strip on Park Avenue have died for lack of a watering system, because volunteers, many over 70, can no longer manually drag hoses from Town Hall to water them. "Where most of us are over 70, we can't keep it up," she said, asking the council for a sustainable watering solution. She also said the committee frequently sends meeting invitations to the Town Council that go unanswered: "sometimes we get one response. And a lot of times, zero responses." A councilor replied, "No, no, we hear you clearly."

Joanne Mitchell, a 35-year Bloomfield resident previously on the committee, cited a Journal Inquirer article ranking Bloomfield 28th nationally among most attractive town halls and said she wants to help sustain that reputation. She said she left another town committee due to time constraints and now has capacity to serve again. Committee members Claire and Ruth were listed as not present.

Public Comment and Adjournment

No members of the public, in the chamber or online, offered comment when the floor was opened. The meeting concluded with members noting the evening's business was complete before adjourning.

Councilor DeVitha Brown, member, present and participating in interviews. Councilor Waterhouse, member, present and participating in interviews. Councilor Goodwin, member, present, led introductory remarks on charter compliance and interview process. Ricky Rowe, applicant, Zoning Board of Appeals, recommended by the Republican Town Committee, appointment recommendation approved. Kiwanda, applicant, Youth Adult Council (surname not given in recording). Meredith Johnson, applicant, Youth Adult Council. Nadine Tobin, applicant, Youth Adult Council, did not respond when called. Diane Perry, applicant, Inland Wetlands Commission, appeared remotely. Lasandra Rosario, applicant, Parks and Recreation Committee. Louis Blumenfeld, applicant, Parks and Recreation Committee and Emergency Medical Services Committee, current chair of both as described in the interview. Nazzy, applicant, Parks and Recreation Committee (surname not given in recording; name itself uncertain in transcript). Deirdre Donahue Gilbert, applicant, Emergency Medical Services Committee. Shinda, applicant, not present. Julie Shaw, applicant, Conservation, Energy and Environment Committee. David, applicant, not present. Vivian, applicant, Public Art Commission, appeared remotely (surname not given). Lee, applicant, Public Art Commission, resident of Duncaster continuing care community (surname not given). Wendy Williams, applicant, current Public Art Commission member seeking reappointment. Carolina, applicant, Bloomfield Beautification Committee (surname unclear/garbled in recording). Longtime beautification member, named as Norvilla in the roll call but referenced later as Gwen by another speaker; surname not given either way. Joanne Mitchell, applicant, Bloomfield Beautification Committee, previously served on the committee. Claire and Ruth, applicants, Bloomfield Beautification Committee, not present. Rise, applicant, not present or did not respond clearly when called.

Republican Town Committee — cited as having recommended Ricky Rowe for the Zoning Board of Appeals vacancy. Bloomfield town charter and town ordinances — cited by Councilor Goodwin as the source of party-balance membership limits affecting reappointments across multiple committees. Bloomfield Volunteer Ambulance Association (referenced as "the BVA") — cited by Louis Blumenfeld as the organization the Emergency Medical Services Committee monitors and reports on to the council. Malta House — cited by Deirdre Donahue Gilbert as the Hartford-area organization where she volunteers as a nurse for uninsured patients. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (referenced as "DEP") — cited by Julie Shaw as the agency through which she became a certified master wildlife conservationist. Journal Inquirer — cited by Joanne Mitchell regarding an article ranking Bloomfield 28th among most attractive town halls nationally. Duncaster — cited as the continuing care community where Public Art Commission applicant Lee resides.