On Thursday, January 29th, residents were invited to attend a Town Hall meeting led by our State Representatives Kaitlyn Shake and Joe Gresko. The meeting provided an opportunity for updates from our representatives as they prepare to enter the 2026 Legislative session next week.
The 2026 Legislative session runs from February 4th to May 6th. With a little over 30 people in the room, for most of the hour the floor was open for our questions and concerns, which both representatives were committed to hearing from everyone who wanted to share. For questions that could not be addressed in the larger forum, we were invited to follow up with Rep. Shake and/or Gresko after the meeting.
The biggest concern raised by residents during the meeting was ICE. While the questions were posited in what is happening in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the concern was palpable – questions inquiring about what or how we will prepare in Stratford should ICE come here. Other concerns included the state of nursing homes, assault rifle legislation, and changes to E-bike lanes.
With about 20 minutes left in the town hall, our representatives turned the session over to representatives from the ACLU of Connecticut and the Alliance for Community Empowerment.
Erycka Ortiz, field Organizer assigned to Stratford, provided actionable steps residents could take to build stronger community organizing, and said “There is a role we can all play.” With the remaining time, Dr. Monet Ferguson offered insights on resources from utilities to childcare.
The meeting ended with an invitation from State Representative Kaitlyn Shake and Joseph Gresko to reach out to them by phone or email with concerns or questions.
If you missed last week’s Town Hall, keep your eyes peeled for the next one.
