An Expensive Pattern of Interference with Town Staff

Suzette DeBeatham-Brown and Rickford Kirton are running for Town Council as part of the Row B primary challenge slate. They previously served 3 Council terms, spanning six years, from November 2017 to November 2023.  During their last two terms, Bloomfield had a revolving door of Town Managers.

Robert Smith

Robert Smith replaced Town Manager Phil Schenck in September 2019 after Mr. Schenck’s retirement, but exited 13 months later at a cost of more than $80,000 to taxpayers.

From an October 5, 2020 Hartford Courant article by Steven Goode: https://www.courant.com/2020/10/05/bloomfield-town-managers-early-exit-will-cost-the-town-80000/

“Taxpayers are on the hook for $80,000, one month of health insurance and a handful of vacation days as a result of a severance agreement between former town manager Robert Smith and the town….

The agreement ends a 13-month tenure that in its final months was marked by discord between Smith, Mayor Suzette DeBeatham-Brown and some other members of the town council.“

Mr. Smith had documented instances of Rickford Kirton’s harassment of town staff and DeBeatham-Brown’s interference in a three-page memorandum. In that memorandum, he stated that he had informed both Councilors that “they would not be immune if employees in such a situation made claim to a Hostile Workplace.”

Phil Schenck returns as Interim Manager

Former Town Manager Phil Schenck agreed to return in an interim role until a new manager was found.  But he had learned his lesson.  From the Courant article:

“Schenck also has a clause in his contract requiring members of the town council to refrain from interfering in the day-to-day operations of town, “Including specifically giving directions to any town employees in the carrying out of said businesses without prior express approval of the town manager.“”

Stanley Hawthorne

Stanley Hawthorne was the next Town Manager, beginning his tenure on August 31, 2021.  At the October 11, 2022 Town Council meeting he cited interference from Councilors Suzette DeBeatham-Brown and Rickford Kirton:

“The inability of a few governing body members to accept last November’s transition of power, whether unintentional or intentional, has had a corrosive impact on the organization and chronically stressful effect on multiple administration members, as their professional reputation and commitment to serve unbiasedly has been challenged on a recurring basis whether by words or deeds.“

Mr. Hawthorne ultimately chose to leave in April 2023 after 19 months because of the constant bickering and interference, especially by Councilors Kirton and Mahon. Following Mr. Hawthorne’s departure, Phil Schenck returned on June 5^th and stayed for 11 months. 

Alvin Schwapp

Current Town Manager Alvin Schwapp started his service in May, 2024.

Even though Ms. DeBeatham-Brown and Mr. Kirton are no longer on the Council, they’ve taken every opportunity on social media and at other forums to attack Mr. Schwapp and his administration. Councilor Mahon continues to publicly berate Manager Schwapp from his position on Council as well as on Facebook. Town Clerk Anna Posniak served only eight months before resigning on August 14, 2025, in part because of the huge volume (100 +) of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted by Mr. Kirton and his associates.

At the August 11, 2025 Town Council meeting, Mr. Schwapp requested authorization to spend up to $90,000 in town funds to contract a paralegal for the next year to work on the “unprecedented number” of FOIA requests.   

Councilor Joe Merritt summed up this expensive long-running pattern of interference in a recent Facebook post: