Civics Statements from Casual Conversations - City Council Address Apr. 20, 2026 (John Marshall Lee)

Greetings, defenders of the public treasury,

Spring Greetings in all District communities where neighbors as “just plain folk” planned

a cleanup in advance of spring and held a “working morning” for volunteers in the 139 th

staged from an open space behind Blessed Sacrament Church.

I heard about it through Greater Bridgeport NAACP, the Black Rock NRZ, and a direct

invite from Alvaro Ramirez, whom I met last year when he spoke on two occasions to

the City Council. He did not know that I was an experienced weeder, but I knelt and

began pulling onion grass, and other intrusive weeds that surrounded the raised garden

beds. I also got to know Alvaro Senior and Al’s uncle, my weeding companions. We

sent many bags to be carted away by City trucks. That type of citizen oversight and

action is natural where CIVICS is practiced.

However, merely passing a resolution or ordinance in the Council may not provide a

productive outcome. An appointment of someone to maintain oversight, and an

enforcement mechanism are equally necessary to change behavior in a community. I

observe two current occasions where we had CC action, but results show no follow

through. First, each City official, elected or appointed, by Ordinance must register their

current address each January, or when it changes. As of this morning nine Council

names are absent from the log, as well as many folks on Boards or Commissions who

require a reminder annually. Easy to point out but the administration is not listening.

Mayor Ganim registered within the past two weeks.

Action by the CC returned a Fair Rent Commission with citizen participation three years

ago, but where is the qualified Fair Rent Coordinator or Liaison who will meet with

citizens and keep track of the many reasons why people are confused, suffering from

unfair practices, or need more info. Currently a full-time position remains open, with a

supervisor managing multiple duties but providing little or no information to the

taxpaying public about process and practice in the city, which a budgeted qualified full-

time employee can.

Why does “affordable housing” remain a current topic, yet we have no Fair Housing

Commission? Without a Fair Housing Commission and a dysfunctional Fair Rent

process, what does “Fair” mean in Bridgeport? How would future local election issues

resolve with the appointment of a part-time Inspector General, politically independent, to

secure a fair system of election accountability? How do we elevate the study of CIVICS,

the study of citizen rights and responsibilities?

Time will tell.