Civics Statements from Casual Conversations - City Council Address Mar. 2, 2026 (John Marshall Lee)

I address you as members of a new City Council, but each of you put yourself in a

position serving all the people of the city especially for those who reside in your district.

Therefore, I readdress you as neighbor, Bridgeporter, and leader. We who are not

members of this Council depend on your wise decisions, based on principle and lived

values of open, accountable, transparent, and honest governance using oversight to

reckon whether we are on target with City plans in each area.

I ask questions of you and expect a response, as always. The future of CASUAL

CIVICS CONVERSATIONS I presented to you in October 2024 for the first time. Civics

is the study of citizen rights and responsibilities. It is supposed to be a subject in our

local education system, though it does not seem a priority as curriculum today. It is a

knowledge requirement for those who would become US citizens, but where is it locally

practiced? Can you think of anyone sitting with constituents at a safe public site to

discuss what is interfering with citizen life or to merely answer questions? Why do you

not take time to listen, to hear questions, to know that folks see limits on their ability to

participate in government that is not to their liking? Do you see vacant positions on

Boards and Commissions as well as expired positions limiting the ability of these offices

to function well?

You have Council powers in the revised Charter greater than before. You must do

oversight of Charter changes, especially around enhancing the oversight of Ethics in the

City. If you fail to oversee, how will citizens see your failure to act? If someone has a

question regarding rental housing, do they approach the Housing Authority of Bridgeport

with questions? What is the relation between City officials with Housing in their

department names or the Housing Authority which shows up on the City website with

three positions filled but two others vacant, meaning no quorum possible and no listing

of budget or personnel on the City website for this operating ‘housing system’ ? Park

City Communities provides over 5,000 units to Bridgeport citizens annually.

Do you expect that oversight over voluntary officials who are required to affirm their

personal residence address annually at the Town Clerk’s office in January is one of your

responsibilities? You voted for the ordinance as a body. That is Bridgeport history, for

all.

Will you step up to spread the spirit of Civics personally? Time will tell.