At their regular monthly meeting on October 6, the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to publish a “Community Values Statement” on Hampton’s website, a decision which was met with applause from the audience.
The resolution stipulates:
• That Hampton is a place where people—no matter where they were born—deserve to live without fear of harassment, targeting, or unjust treatment.
• That we support state efforts, including Connecticut’s Trust Act, which limit entanglement between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, except under clear and lawful conditions.
• That our town benefits from the labor, traditions, families, and presence of many—seen and unseen—whose stories are woven into the soil and spirit of this place.
• That public safety is best achieved not through raids or fear, but through trust-building, informed community members, and clear rights-based education.
The proposal was brought forth by resident Robin Thompson who addressed the community on the subject in a letter published in last month’s Gazette. Since its publication, Thompson has received much positive support, and while less than a dozen residents attended a Town Meeting conducted earlier that evening, when the Selectmen’s meeting commenced, the number in attendance more than doubled with residents showing support for the proposal.
In a letter read to the Selectmen, Thompson asked the board “to consider issuing a simple, values-based statement affirming that public spaces in Hampton—like schools, libraries, and emergency services—remain places of trust and safety for all residents, regardless of immigration status. This is not a partisan issue,” she said. “It’s a human one.” The Selectmen voted to add a discussion on the issue to the Agenda and welcomed public comment on the subject during the meeting. Thompson thanked the Selectmen “for listening, for your openness to this conversation, and for the care you continue to show this town.”
Thompson also distributed numerous resources for “Welcoming and Safe Communities in Connecticut”, information from “The Connecticut Trust Act”, samples of “Values Statements” from other Connecticut towns, and her own which advocated, “That every person, regardless of birthplace, documentation status, race, language, or origin, holds inherent dignity and worth. That how we treat the most vulnerable among us defines who we are as a community,” characterizing residents of our “small, rural town”, as people who “know what it means to look out for one another.”
The statement was read into the minutes, and a discussion ensued with members of the board and the audience, during which the Selectmen concurred that Hampton has always been known as a welcoming town. Members cited the June, 2022 proclamation adopted by the Board of Selectmen which stated the Town of Hampton “celebrates the diversity of its people and their right to live their lives out loud, free of discrimination, fear and prejudice… and is committed to supporting visibility, dignity and equality” and proclaimed June as “Pride Month in support of the LGBTQ+ community.” The Selectmen voted unanimously in support of the proposal to publish the “Community Values Statement”, and in response, the audience applauded.
As to the Town Meeting held earlier, residents approved “additional appropriations from the Undesignated Fund for the General Budget for the year July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025” to cover unanticipated costs totaling $5,547.86. These were largely due to increased costs imposed on the Sanitation Department and legal fees to cover the litigation regarding taxes on the Solar Park.
Gazette Staff