Statements from Casual Conversations - City Council Address October 19, 2026 (John Marshall Lee)

Oct 21

2 min read

Representatives of the people and neighbors have you consulted the

agenda for the evening? I note that the Council of twenty is asked to

approve the reporting from the Miscellaneous Matters Committee. Tonight,

that business consists of three matters:

in the total amount of $45,539 which I have no challenge to. It is a

duty of oversight and enforcement of the rules on almost fifty

accounts.

$85,000, likely based on balancing the risks and expense of

defending suits in court. With no details of any case, this seems

reasonable, though what is the total in an average year of such

authorizations, and is there a separate way to effect behavior?

appointments to Boards and Commissions. Five of them seem

routine, but the referral of one appointment is unusual as it requires a

response from another Council committee.

What is ironic to me is that the current membership of the Miscellaneous

Matters committee includes three of the five Council members who have

failed to file with the Town Clerk’s register as to their full official residence

address. I have reported this on more than one occasion to the attention of

every Council person. Five of you continue to avoid or ignore the annual

process. More importantly it is your Ordinance 2.02.080, passed years ago

to eliminate the bad examples of folks residing and voting in area towns,

but sitting on Bridgeport commissions, to assure only residents who are

registered for city voting, effective for the 150 or more members of Boards

and Commission who are appointed or re-appointed.

Who oversees this Ordinance in Bridgeport? What does enforcement mean? How will new

Board or Commission members know about the responsibility? Are we

organized for ethical and practical results?

Time will tell.

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