Council ratifies two union labor contracts

Town Council · Meeting of October 19, 2026

Bloomfield Town Council voted to ratify two municipal union contracts after a lengthy closed-door session. Councilors unanimously approved agreements with United Public Service Employees Union Local 424, Unit 8, and Teamsters Local 671, each by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Before the vote, Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown objected that the council was reviewing the UPSEU deal, reached September 14, with only "just a couple of days" to act.

Mayor Anthony Harrington, Deputy Mayor Lloyd and four other councilors joined attorneys Bill Ryan and Andrew Crumby in roughly 105 minutes of executive session before the public votes. No financial terms of either contract were disclosed in open session.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,549 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of October 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Call to Order and Roll Call

The Bloomfield Town Council convened a special meeting on October 19, 2026, with a single stated purpose: to discuss and act on collective bargaining contracts in executive session. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the clerk conducted a roll call. Councilor Cooper was recorded as not present. Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown, Councilor Mahan, Councilor Oliver, Councilor Goodwin, Deputy Mayor Lloyd and Mayor Anthony Harrington each answered present. The roll call sequence around Councilor Merritt and Councilor Waterhouse was less clear in the recording: Merritt's response was not captured distinctly, and Waterhouse answered "here" but was not named among those listed as executive-session participants moments later. Merritt, however, was included in that later list, suggesting Merritt was present for the closed session even though the roll-call answer itself was inaudible in the recording.

Before voting to recess into executive session, the presiding officer read the names of those who would participate: Councilor DeBeethan-Brown, Councilor Oliver, Councilor Merritt, Councilor Goodwin, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, Mayor Harrington, and attorneys Bill Ryan and Andrew Crumby. The transcript does not specify which entity the two attorneys represent, though their presence alongside the mayor and councilors for a labor-contract discussion indicates they served as legal counsel to the town in that matter.

Background and Stakes: The council's agenda was narrow and procedural on its face — a single item to discuss two collective bargaining agreements behind closed doors — but the substance underneath it, teacher and municipal labor costs, touches the town budget directly once ratified. Connecticut municipalities typically negotiate successor labor agreements between the town administration and union representatives, then bring the negotiated terms to the governing body for ratification. That is the posture captured in this meeting: the agreements themselves were apparently reached by town negotiators before October 19, and the council's job that night was to accept or reject them.

The Question Before the Body: Whether to ratify the negotiated agreements with United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU) Local 424, Unit 8, and Teamsters Local 671, and whether to do so with adequate time to review the terms.

A Procedural Objection Before the Vote

Before the council voted to enter executive session, Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown raised her hand and asked the presiding officer, addressed as "Mr. Chair," for clarification on timing. She said she had asked a question earlier that day that went unanswered, and she wanted it addressed before the council acted.

"I see that we have just a couple of days for the council to make a decision to ratify the union agreements. However, I'm a little concerned that this was done back on September 14th. We're now just getting the information." [00:02:59] — Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown

She went on to describe the practical effect of that timeline on the council's deliberative process.

"To deliberate, to be able to make a decision, I think that has kind of like cut the legs off of the council, right? Because we haven't had time to digest and or ask questions. So I'm asking, why are we just getting this information now? And I'm hoping I can get an answer." [00:03:35] — Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown

The presiding officer responded that the question could not be addressed in open session, telling the council, "This is not a discussion that we can have right now," and indicated an answer might come once the body moved into executive session. DeBeethan-Brown asked, "Will I get the answer in executive session?" The response was, "I hope so." The transcript does not capture whether that answer was ultimately provided, because the substance of the executive session itself is not part of the public recording by law. No other councilor is recorded responding to DeBeethan-Brown's concern before the vote to recess.

Substantive Content: The transcript does not include the financial terms of either union agreement — no wage figures, contract duration, or specific benefit changes are stated on the public record. Those terms were apparently reviewed only in the closed session. The sole substantive detail on the record is the date DeBeethan-Brown cited for when the underlying agreement was reached, September 14, compared with an October 19 ratification deadline she described as leaving "just a couple of days" for council review.

The Deliberation: Aside from DeBeethan-Brown's objection, no other council member is recorded weighing in on the timeline question before the vote to enter executive session. The motion to recess passed by voice vote with no audible opposition or abstentions.

Procedural Steps and Outcome: A council member moved to close the meeting and enter executive session; a second was given, and the vote passed by voice vote. The council remained in closed session for approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, based on the gap between the indexed timestamps marking the start of executive session and the return to open session.

Executive Session on Collective Bargaining Contracts

Background and Stakes: Connecticut's open-meetings statutes generally permit municipal bodies to discuss pending or collective bargaining matters in executive session because public disclosure of negotiating positions could affect the town's bargaining leverage. That appears to be the legal basis invoked here, though the transcript itself does not cite a specific statute.

The Question Before the Body: Whether to approve the terms negotiated with UPSEU Local 424, Unit 8, and Teamsters Local 671.

Procedural Steps and Outcome: When the council returned to open session, the presiding officer confirmed the council could be heard before proceeding. A motion to end executive session had already been made and seconded inside the closed session; the chair confirmed afterward that Councilor Mahan made the motion and Councilor Oliver seconded it. The transcript includes a passing reference to "8:56," apparently the clock time when the doors reopened to the public, though this is not confirmed as the exact meeting elapsed time.

Ratification of UPSEU Local 424, Unit 8 Agreement

Background and Stakes: United Public Service Employees Union Local 424, Unit 8 represents a bargaining unit of Bloomfield municipal employees. The agreement under consideration was the product of negotiations the town disclosed had concluded by September 14, more than a month before this vote.

The Question Before the Body: Whether the council would formally accept and ratify the negotiated contract, designated on the agenda as item 2027-08.

Substantive Content: No wage schedule, term length or cost figures for the agreement appear in the public portion of the transcript.

The Deliberation: There was no discussion in open session. A council member moved to accept the agreement; another seconded it.

Procedural Steps and Outcome: The motion passed by voice vote, with the chair asking for ayes, opposed votes and abstentions in turn. No opposition or abstention was recorded, and the chair declared the motion passed.

Implications and What Is Next: The ratified agreement governs pay and working conditions for the Local 424, Unit 8 bargaining unit going forward. The transcript does not specify an effective date or contract term.

Ratification of Teamsters Local 671 Agreement

Background and Stakes: The second agreement covered employees represented by Teamsters Local 671, a separate municipal bargaining unit from UPSEU Local 424.

The Question Before the Body: Whether to ratify the negotiated agreement, designated agenda item 2027-09.

Substantive Content: As with the UPSEU agreement, no financial terms are part of the public record from this meeting.

The Deliberation: No open discussion preceded the vote. A council member moved to accept the Teamsters agreement; another seconded the motion.

Procedural Steps and Outcome: The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition or abstentions. The meeting adjourned shortly afterward, with the chair thanking attendees and wishing them "a good night."

Implications and What Is Next: With both agreements ratified, the terms take effect for the respective bargaining units. The meeting's structure, two separately numbered agenda items voted on in immediate succession, indicates the town treated the two union contracts as distinct formal actions even though both were discussed together in the same executive session. No follow-up meeting date was announced in connection with either contract.

Mayor Anthony Harrington, present, named participant in executive session. Deputy Mayor Lloyd, present, named participant in executive session. Councilor Suzette DeBeethan-Brown, present, named participant in executive session, raised timing objection. Councilor Mahan, present per roll call, made motion to end executive session. Councilor Oliver, present, named participant in executive session, seconded motion to end executive session. Councilor Merritt, named participant in executive session; roll-call response not clearly captured in the recording. Councilor Goodwin, present, named participant in executive session. Councilor Waterhouse, answered present at roll call; not listed among named executive-session participants, a discrepancy an editor may wish to confirm. Councilor Cooper, recorded absent at roll call. Attorney Bill Ryan, present in executive session; role or firm not stated in the transcript. Attorney Andrew Crumby, present in executive session; role or firm not stated in the transcript.

No public commenters or outside applicants are recorded in this transcript; the meeting consisted solely of roll call, executive session, and two ratification votes.

United Public Service Employees Union, Local 424, Unit 8 — the labor union whose collective bargaining agreement the council ratified under agenda item 2027-08. Teamsters Local 671 — the labor union whose collective bargaining agreement the council ratified under agenda item 2027-09.