The astonishing pettiness of the Middletown Common Council. Mewling members complain police chief rents.

Middletown’s distinctive brand of politics is in full view Monday evening. Some members of the Common Council continue to complain that Chief of Police Erik Costa has not met the city charter’s requirement that he live in Middletown—as Costa’s one year extension to meet the requirement expires this week.

Costa has rented an apartment, establishing his residency. The mewling continues among some council members. Their arguments require translation into Middletown-speak. the Common Council groans under the influence of retired members of the clubby local constabulary. Costa is an outside hire. That sets off alarms among the many Middletown insiders who like the chief to come from the ranks of the insider caucus.

Apartment dwellers are residents too. They enjoy all the rights invested in those who live in single family homes.

Former state budget director Melissa McCaw rented an apartment in Hartford when she was that city’s finance director and was required to be a city resident. Her husband and children did not move to Hartford with her. Middletown has not been home to an official as powerful as McCaw for years. She left the Lamont administration in early 2022 for a fresh start in East Hartford.

Before council members contort the plain meaning of in pursuit of their petty agenda they might ask each other, ”Are our spouses residents of Middletown?”

Published October 2, 2023.