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Residents in Mansfield are asking a simple question: who is currently running day-to-day town operations?

Reports continue to circulate that Town Manager Ryan Aylesworth has been placed on leave, yet there has been little direct communication from town leadership explaining the situation, identifying who is serving in an acting role, or outlining how executive responsibilities are being handled.

That lack of communication has created frustration across town. Residents should not have to rely on canceled meetings, social media discussions, or secondhand reports to understand what is happening inside local government.

Aaron Bowman is calling on town officials to provide clearer answers to the public.

“The issue here is not politics,” Bowman said in a written statement. “It is transparency and continuity of government.”

Bowman said residents deserve straightforward communication regarding whether the town manager is on leave, who is overseeing operations, and how town departments are being managed during the absence.

Questions surrounding the situation have grown as residents connect the current silence with past controversies involving the town manager, including previously reported text messages that raised concerns about professionalism and judgment within town leadership.

Some residents have also questioned whether recent canceled meetings and operational disruptions are related to the town manager’s apparent absence.

“Public confidence depends on transparency,” Bowman stated. “When communication gaps exist, speculation fills the void.”

Under Connecticut law, certain personnel matters may remain confidential. Still, residents reasonably expect to know who is directing town operations, responding to emergencies, coordinating departments, and making executive decisions while the town manager is away.

“As Chair of the Mansfield Republican Town Committee, I believe residents are entitled to straightforward communication from their local government,” Bowman said. “People should know who is in charge and how the town is being managed.”

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