City Council - Regular Meeting

We're calling the meeting to order. The police is here? Yes, let me listen. All right, please, everybody, it is 6.30. I've called the public speeding meeting to order. I'm going to ask first, no yelling out, no screaming, no vulgarity. Please follow our rules or you will be escorted out of this room. That goes for anybody. Also, when you come up here, I'm gonna ask that you announce your name and your address. But I want to tell the bus drivers that are here now, we have more than... Thank you. I guess I need you because nobody listens. We are going to try to vote... when the meeting starts to have a public hearing next week for anybody that's in favor or against this ordinance so everyone has their time to speak. So the people that are on our list tonight will speak. I will have this list if you come next week or Thursday for the 17th. That's the easiest way to do it. I've asked the city attorney what was the best form of action and that was what we were told. Our charter is very clear now and our rules are even clearer. So I will start calling names. Please, please, please abide by our rules. I don't want to have anybody escorted out. Can you take the attendance please?

Thank you. Colin Murray. Nicole Nelson.

Present.

Denise Delamoye. Present. Jorge Cruz.

Not here, he's absent.

Dasha Spell. Present. Rolanda Smith.

Not here yet.

Akin Boyd. Here. Janet Herron.

Present.

Loretta Duback. Michelle Lyons. Mary McBride Lee. Richard Ortiz. Alfredo Castillo. Fred Hodges. Aiden Nieves. Maria Valle. Kayla Medina. Maria Pereira. And Ada Martinez Ernest Newton. We have a quorum.

First speaker is John Marshall Lee.

You have three minutes.

I live at 30 Beacon Street. Neighbors, fellow citizens. Council members who listened tonight, I report to you in my comments at public speaking sessions, which you know, my words bring little or no result, it may seem. They do have effects. What do I mean specifically, you may ask. Well, two years ago, in October of 2024, I presented an idea to you and to the community about casual civics conversations. in each district, 10 districts. This was an opportunity for a council person to informally learn what their residents were seeking and feeling about the city. Before the 2025 election, how many of you council members have been to one or more, one hour monthly, 12 hours annually? And it's sad. Only two or three have done that. The council is the local body that creates ordinances. Eight years ago, to prevent imposters who resided and were electors outside Bridgeport, from serving on our boards and commissions, this city passed an ordinance. It requires all elected and appointed officials to sign an official register in the town clerk's office in January of each year, attesting to their residence. Five of your council members have failed ignored that duty in 2026. They joined seven current members of the Board of Education and most current board or commission members today, except the library board. Why is that? Leadership. What was your oversight and enforcement mechanism? Why hasn't the mayor shown administrative responsibility? Who speaks for housing? Where is the Fair Housing Commission that existed more than 20 years ago? Along with the Fair Rent Commission, it died in plain sight for want of members, but leaves residents and seekers unprepared for affordable, energy-sustaining responses from Bridgeport governance. Tonight, I can inform you that casual civic conversations are alive monthly in six districts of the 10 in pursuit of the common good. We are discussing locations in the other four districts to expand the learning. about civics, the study of citizen rights and obligations, not otherwise organized at this time in our schools. City council elections will return in 14 months. Therefore, as you know, 90% of our registered eligible voters don't vote. So I offer you tonight how to become a better voter. It doesn't accuse you of anything. It just asks you how you become a better voter. And then I have a city council accountability scorecard will soon be available to encourage. And I just say that 90% of voters are not wrong.

They're just disaffected. And you may get these from me.

Thank you, John. Shante Hanks.

Good evening. My name is Shante Hanks. I reside at 145 Clover Hill Avenue, Bridgeport 06606. Good evening, members of the council. Seaside Park was designed by the same visionaries who designed Central Park. It belongs in the same echelon and is part of the reason Bridgeport is known as the Park City. Environmental stewardship means protecting not only trees, water, and open space, but also public access and the public's interest in this historic land. Today is September 8th, and on this day in 1504, Michelangelo's Statue of David was unveiled in Italy. More than five centuries later, it remains a masterpiece because people understood that something valuable deserves protection and care. With that said, I support restoring and developing the casino bathhouse, stables, and rare buildings in a way that recognizes their true potential. But supporting redevelopment does not require supporting any and everything presented to us. We must have standards. A development proposal has been presented to the Board of Park Commissioners that includes approximately 3 million in private investment. In exchange, the developer could potentially control this historic borderfront property for 30 years. The proposed rent begins at only $5,000 per month, includes a rent-free year at the beginning of each 10-year term, and increases by only 10% every five years. That amount is extremely low. could become a premier waterfront property in Fairfield County. West Haven's waterfront conference center lease is $9,000 per month and includes consumer price index adjustments every five years. That property is in New Haven County. It is not an exact comparison, but demonstrates why Bridgeport should independently establish the value of its own waterfront property. Two principals of the development company were previously involved in the Rome Development Ventures Hamlet at Saugatuck proposal, which the town of Westport denied. Following an extensive land use review, That project should not solely determine Bridgeport's decision, but its public record concerning the project should be reviewed because many of those same issues are before us now. The city should also verify which projects the developers proposed and their proposed architect have actually completed. The only current firm project identified here in the US is a private tennis pavilion in Fairfield, but the submission list completion of professional services not completed construction. Before this proposal reaches your desk, the city should also require a proposed lease or a complete term sheet, development and operating pro formas, project-specific renderings, and a defined parking plan, and an independent market analysis. Excuse me. The developer must also prove it can finance the $3 million project and cover cost overruns without returning to the city for additional abatements, public subsidies, or gap financing. As Rod Tidwell famously demanded in Jerry Maguire, show me the money. Bridgeport already requires major commercial uses of Seaside Park. We would expect the same. Thank you for your time. I will submit everything in writing, and I know you will do your due diligence at researching this developer. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Clyde Nicholson.

Good evening, Clyde. 396 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport. Taxpayers, owners of commercial vehicles, should have a right to park on city streets. Commercial vehicles are bringing in the food to the supermarket, medicine to the drug stores, building material, gas for the gas station, moving companies, home heating oil, businesses throughout Bridgeport, commercial vehicles, school buses. Without us, the city would close down. Let us say it. You don't want to, you're saying you can't express yourself.

I want to hear y'all express yourself.

Come on.

All right.

All right.

Yes, sir. But see, what they don't understand is this. Without us, it would be no city.

It would be no city.

I want to know who running this. We are running this. We pay the police department. We pay the mayor. Where's the mayor?

Where's Gannon? Where's Gannon?

Yes, sir. And now what you do, whatever you put in, These rules and regulations, what you need to be doing is worrying about taking care of, you want something to do, city council? Start getting these heating bills, helping the public with the heating bills that's coming up. And these rents. They said low income, how about no income? Stop talking about something to do. I don't hear you saying nothing about these guns that's on the street that's killing our kids and killing people. Every time you look around, somebody's getting shot. But where's the city council on that? They're worrying about where we're going to park at.

And if we can't park... And if we can't...

If we can't park on the street, then where? You got a designated spot that you're going to have us park? And I said, if I'm paying taxes, I'm paying taxes to park. Now, if you want to designate a spot for us, you're going to have to put 24-hour protection on that space. Police present. Now, if you want to do it legally, you're going to have to post signs all over Bridgeport legally. What we're going to do, we're going to bring a lawsuit against the city. Council members that voted for it. the mayor, and everybody that voted for it. And if we can't appeal it, you know what? We're going to vote you out of office. And we're going to do it right. But until you get a ticket, we're going to organize and have attorneys present so then we can then take you all to court. Because it's illegal taxation without representation.

It ain't right. It ain't right. It ain't right. Clive, Clive, your time is over. Clive, your time is over.

Clive, your time is over. Clive, we don't want to throw you out. Your time is over. Thank you for your kind words. Again, I'm gonna ask each speaker to please take their time. You have three minutes. We can't go through the list if you don't follow the rules here. And I know people are asking to have the others. We're trying to figure that out right now. So please be respectful of everybody's time. And Clive, no, we're not gonna throw you out. Giovanna De Sousa. Giovanna De Sousa, General City Inquiries. Okay, we'll go to the next one. Angelina Van Norton. Please let her speak, please let her speak. And also, can you please tell us how many petition signatures you have here? And most are Bridgeport, I looked. I'm gonna put yours on now, sorry. Ladies and gentlemen, again, please follow the rules or I will have to have you removed. Go ahead.

When I printed it out this morning, we were at 650. Last time I looked, we were at like 670. Excellent. Thank you. I want to start by saying good evening. My name is Angie Ortiz Van Norden. I live on 3196 East Main Street, and I'm a school bus driver in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a resident all my life, and these are my people behind me. I want to begin by thanking the council members who have taken the time to review this ordinance and listen and hear our concerns. We appreciate your willingness to understand what our jobs actually look like. This started as a petition to bring awareness to what school bus drivers do every day, and we don't simply just pick up children and drop them off. We are an essential part of how schools operate. When buses aren't where they need to be, schools are affected, families are affected, and most importantly, children are affected. There are things that the public does not get to see that we do every day. When there was a citywide shooting threat and an unexpected early dismissal was called after a delay was called, the drivers who kept their buses responded to get the children home. When school was dismissed this last spring early because of heat last minute, we responded again. On one of those days, my own son remained at school to 2 p.m. while I was transporting other people's children and making sure that they got home safely. We work split shift schedules. Some drivers report as early as 5 in the morning and finish their morning routes at 9 AM and return around 1 in the afternoon for routes. Half days can leave a very short break in between runs, and not every school allows drivers inside to use their restrooms. During those breaks, we can't simply just sit comfortably in our buses. We cannot idle a school bus for more than three minutes. Turn off the bus in the winter and it becomes cold very quickly. On an 80 degree day, the temperature inside of a school bus can reach 100 or more. It becomes dangerously hot. Sometimes the driver simply needs a safe stop to use the restroom, eat, rest, physically and mentally prepare for the next group of children. This is what we are asking you to consider. We are not asking to park overnight. We are not asking to store the buses on city streets for days at a time. We are asking for reasonable flexibility during our split shifts to park in a safe and appropriate location while still respecting the purpose of the ordinance. School bus drivers carry the most precious cargo in this city. We make split-second decisions with children's safety as our highest priority. To do the job well, drivers also need reasonable working conditions. At a time when recruiting and retaining qualified school bus drivers is already difficult, quality of life matters. A reasonable accommodation like this can help experienced drivers stay in the profession and continue to show up for Bridgeport's children, family, schools, and community. Please give us the flexibility. We need to continue doing the job we love safely and responsibly. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next speaker is Linda Frank. Linda Frank.

Hi, I'm Linda Frank. I live at 398 Remington Street in Bridgeport. Ladies and gentlemen, excuse me, Ms. Frank, we're not gonna do any booing.

We're not gonna do any of that. Be respectful to the speakers, please. Go ahead, Ms. Frank.

What do you want me to do? I was talking to the audience.

Okay.

I am in support of the ordinance prohibiting the tractor trailers, boxcars, et cetera, being on public residential streets. Where I live, there are multiple group homes, senior housing units, a reentry program, two high schools, one middle school, four elementary schools from Bond Street, Boston Terrace, Palisades. These oversized vehicles make it harder for city buses to get through. They block bus stops. They make it hard for the police, the fire, and emergency vehicles to get through. School bus drivers want to be exempt for their convenience, while, God forbid, should there be a school shooting or any related casualty, their oversized buses hindering emergency personnel now become part of the problem. We live in a society where there is at least two automobiles per household. So when you allow said vehicles to park in residential areas that already have limited spaces, it doesn't make sense. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

Dawn Gonzalez?

Dawn Gonzalez?

Okay.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Dawn Gonzalez. I live at 57 Louisiana Avenue. I'm retired from the Bridgeport Board of Ed, where I was a dedicated special ed paraprofessional at Columbus School for 22 years. I loved my job. As a taxpayer and homeowner, I'm speaking in regards to the new ordinance restricting and prohibiting large commercial vehicles from parking on our city streets. This is a safety issue for motorists and pedestrians as well. I 100% agree with and support this ordinance. School bus drivers parking on our streets between shifts should not be given special consideration to be exempt from this ordinance. There are driving large commercial vehicles and need to adhere to this restriction. Yes, they are transporting special cargo, our children. However, there is no way, shape or form this ordinance will affect their safety or well-being as passengers on these buses. This requested exemption is put forward by some bus drivers because it's inconveniencing them. Many of our surrounding towns, including Trumbull, Fairfield, and Milford, strictly prohibit commercial vehicles, which include school buses, from parking on city streets between shifts. Change happens, new laws and ordinances come into effect, and no one is or should be considered above the law. I love my city. Bridgeport is my home. Family, friends, neighbors, residents, east side, west side, north end, south end, we must all stand united with every effort to better Bridgeport. We must continue this fight against blight. Only then will we see our neighborhoods and communities once again flourish and shine. Thank you all and good night.

Okay. Okay, okay. Okay, we need, I'm going to start putting people and asking you to leave.

Be respectful. Whether you like it or not, everyone has a right to speak. Councilwoman Pereira?

Good evening. Councilwoman Maria Pereira, AD Granfield Avenue. First of all, what's important is that no exemption can be made in an ordinance because our city charter under Chapter 6, Section 6, clearly says the city council... The city council shall have no authority to exempt the city of Bridgeport, any public or private industry, which is the bus transportation, or any enterprise from the provisions of any ordinance. Now, Scott tried this, if you remember. He wanted to have one of his friends get a nine. Okay, this has gotta stop. I'm sorry, can you rule this people out of order, Jeanette? They're yelling while I'm talking.

I'll do it when it's necessary. Go ahead. Okay.

So we already know there will be litigation if there's any exemption for school buses, okay? Because we're not gonna violate our own city charter that says you can't do it. I also wanna express concern about councilman, I mean, school board member, Willie Medina, who stated on social media, who's Kayla Medina's husband, a former WeTransport driver, who said our children's safety is at risk Our students deserve safe, reliable transportation. The issue is, we're talking about buses when no children are on the bus. They're already safely delivered in our schools or safely delivered home. They're parking on our streets all the time. I've caught a bus personally on August 6th, parked on Palisade Avenue at midnight. Midnight, and when I called the office the next day, the office person told me... Ladies and gentlemen, please let her speak. The office manager told me, well, he had a private charter to LaGuardia at 3 a.m., and I said, and how would that be my problem or my constituent's problem? Now he tried to hide around Stewart Street, and he parked right in front of the only Greater Bridgeport Transit bus stop for all the seniors and disabled people at Fireside on the Stewart Street side. So statutes are for everybody. I figure that there are approximately 240 bus drivers. They're not all Bridgeporters. And if you calculate that by the number of adults in our city, voting adults, 113,000, these 240 school drivers represent 0.21% of the adult population. I want to legislate for the 99%. The people in my district who are fed up with tractors, with trailers, with school buses. Angie, who is my constituent, doesn't park her bus in front of her house because she can't. She drives around the corner to another street and parks it in front of other people's houses who pay over $6,000 a year taxes. That whole neighborhood, that entire neighborhood is fed up with her. I was out there canvassing all weekend, okay? Ladies and gentlemen, please. Can I just? I'm telling them, keep on going. So having 40 foot, whether it's 10, 11 feet school buses, eight feet wide, emanating dangerous diesel toxins in our neighborhoods. No, I'm not wrapped up, no. Your time is up. No, no, no, no. Ladies and gentlemen, please. They're constantly interrupting me. I'm gonna finish my statement.

You were speaking during that time, Maria. Your time is up.

I'm gonna finish. I'm gonna finish my statement. How much more do you have?

Ladies and gentlemen, I will clear this arena.

I'd like to finish.

I was repeatedly interrupted. You kept on talking, Maria. Finish it up. I'd just like to finish my statement. Finish the statement. Okay, okay. Well, stop.

Be quiet. Did I interrupt you when you were speaking?

Ladies and gentlemen, there's only one chair here. That's me.

What I'm going to explain to you is I wrote this ordinance because... I wrote this ordinance because of my constituents, and I can assure you 90% of my constituents are 100% for this ordinance. 90%. Thank you, Maria. The amount of people driving these commercial vehicles all around the neighborhood.

Thank you, Maria. You're not reading your statement. Thank you.

How many times was I interrupted by you?

Catalina Acevedo. Catalina Acevedo. She's not here. She's sick. Okay, so that's not. Colleen? Colleen. Danito?

Hi, my name is Colleen Danito. I reside at 107 Luigi.

We can't hear. Colleen, give me a second. Let me get them in order. Ladies and gentlemen, it's getting repetitious now. Please be respectful to the speakers. You may not like what you hear, but you need to hear it. Go ahead, Catalina. Colleen.

My name is Colleen Donito. I live at 107 Louisiana Avenue. Good evening and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak. I'm here tonight in support of Chapter 10.12, specifically the provisions addressing the large vehicles, including bussings on residential streets. I want to make it clear this is not about being against school bus drivers or the important service they provide to our children. This is about the impact that parking large commercial vehicles on residential streets has on the people who actually live there. I live in a condo complex with 114 units and only about 70 parking spaces. That means we have about 44 fewer parking spaces than we have units. We simply do not have enough parking. So many residents depend on street parking. Now consider what we're paying to live here. My property taxes went up by 120%. And with that increase, I think it's reasonable for residents to expect like our neighborhoods be well managed in a way that protects our quality of life, including access to the very limited street parking that we depend on. When the large vehicles occupy parking space.

Your time is up. Your time is up.

on a street that is 2.5 less parking spaces in a neighborhood where parking is already limited. Every space matters. We pay our property taxes.

Colleen, your time is up. Time's up. You have three minutes. Thank you.

Can I get your attention, please? You all got to respect the time. If she says your time is up, your time is up. You get three minutes. Katie Adams.

Shh.

Now listen, we can all sing together, but we can't talk together. Now be respectful, just a minute. Is she there? Come on. Am I good? Ready?

Good evening, members of the council. My name is Jessica Resto, Jennings Avenue from the 138th.

Excuse me. Make sure you give me your name and your address, please.

Okay, so I start again? Good evening, members of the council. My name is Jessica Resto, 110 Jennings Avenue from the 138th. I originally was coming tonight to speak about school bus drivers, but I think this conversation is bigger than where a school bus parks. These drivers are our neighbors, our friends, our family. They are the people we trust every morning with our children. I understand that residents have concerns about buses on residential streets, and those concerns matter, but the people driving those buses matter too. A driver who brings a school bus home during a split shift isn't storing a commercial vehicle on the street for convenience. They're at work. The drivers are asking for a narrow, reasonable exception during their daytime or split shift break. No overnight parking, no blocked access, no safety hazards, just common sense. But there's another thing, there's another reason why I'm standing here tonight. This situation has reminded me of something that we need to talk about in Bridgeport. Ethics isn't just about whether someone broke a rule, it's about how people use power. When you're elected to represent people, you don't get to... I had to start again. That's not fair.

You stopped there and had to start again.

I want you, hold it, hold it.

That was no way three minutes. That wasn't three minutes. That was not three minutes.

I'm going to ask the officers, if you all on this side of the aisle do that again, I'm going to ask them officers to escort you out. I didn't do any of that. It's not your ruling to call anything. You got one more time to disrespect this chamber. Listen, we got one more speaker. I'm going to let this last after you finish.

No, I didn't even do three minutes.

I know you didn't do three minutes because I got somebody timing. Thank you. Go ahead and finish.

Thank you. When you're elected to represent people, you don't get to choose which constituents deserve respect. You don't have to agree with us. You don't have to like what we say. But you do have a responsibility to treat people you represent with dignity and respect. You should be able to disagree with a constituent without belittling them, bullying them, or intimidating them, and certainly without encouraging others or enabling them to target harassed people simply because they have the courage to disagree. That's not leadership. And when people start thinking twice about coming to this microphone because they're afraid of how they'll be treated afterward, we've created a problem much bigger than a parking ordinance. We talk about accountability. We talk about transparency. We talk about restoring trust. Then let's actually do it. We can't demand better from our residents while accepting worse from the people sitting in positions of power. If we want Bridgeport to change, it has to start at the top. The people sitting at the microphone are not your enemies, we are your constituents. So disagree with us, debate us, tell us we're wrong, that's democracy. Trying to silence, shame, or punish people for speaking truth isn't. That's why I believe Bridgeport needs stronger ethics standards and real accountability when those standards aren't met. Because until people sitting around the table can disagree without tearing each other down...

Your time is up. Thank you. Our last speaker for the night, Jose Izizari. Jose Izizari. I can't hear. Now listen, listen. All of y'all are grownups. I expect children to do this. Now, be courtesy and let the people speak, okay?

Go right ahead, sir. Hi, my name is Jose Rosario. I live at 28 Rose Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Okay, I'm here because... of the situation of parking my bus out. I work all morning, I might work at 5.45, I don't get off until about 12, I run to my house, I eat something with my bus, okay? And then I go straight to my school. I'm only in my house for 45 minutes, that's it. When I see people surrounding my buses or my coworkers' buses, Okay, that's intimidation. Now you over here looking for trouble with one of us. When you go to the job, okay, and you go into our property, all right, and start talking and start asking questions, okay, about who's taking buses and who's not taking buses, okay, that's going over the limit. Okay, that's really all I got to say, so.

Thank you. This concludes the public speaking session. I said this concludes the speaking for this evening. It's your phone, baby.

Bye.

Testing.

Let me get your... Testing. Can I get your attention? We have a council meeting, so those that don't want to stay for the council meeting, can you please exit? Can you hear me now? Testing. Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? All right, listen, we have a council meeting. So those that aren't going to stay for the council meeting, can you please exit? We're not going to vote on this tonight to my knowledge. You know what I'm saying? Right.

We're going to start the meeting, and they're going to make some type of motion to reconsider.

Who's stuff is this?

How are you? Madam Clerk, how are you?

All right.

Mary Lee, will you do a prayer?

All right.

If I could please ask the members of the council to please take their seats. I'd ask the members of the public to also join us as we start this meeting. And as we start this meeting, we will begin as we always do, allow council members a moment or two to get to their seats as they proceed to their seats. I'd draw your attention to the printed agenda, which starts with city council meeting. This is the formal meeting Tuesday, September 9th, 2026, which commences by public notice at 7 p.m., certainly following the appropriate public speaking section that is concluded, and I would ask the council members join me, and Councilwoman Reverend Lee, would you lead us in a prayer as we do, and I'd ask council members and the public to respect the prayer and stand in silence as we're led in a prayer asking for God's blessing over this body, this city, and all of its residents. Give me one second. I've got to find your microphone.

Today, we want to be prayerful for him and his family that the Lord will show mercy and strengthen them in an hour of bereavement. I also would like to say before I pray is that Everybody deserves respect and we have our own opinion about stuff. We might not agree, but at least we can respect each other. And that's all I have to say about that. Father God, in the name of Jesus, Lord, we thank you right now for your mercy and for your grace. Thank you, O God, for those that gather here tonight. I ask you, O God, to bring us together in unity in the name of Jesus. I ask you, O God, to bless the city of Bridgeport. Bless the mayor of this city and the council member that's represented here tonight. Lord, we ask you to continue to strengthen us where we are weak. Build us up where we are torn down. In the name of Jesus. Now, Lord, we want you to bless us one by one. Then bless us collectively in the name of Jesus. And, oh, God, as we go into this meeting, give us an open mind. In Jesus' holy name, I pray. Amen. Amen.

Denise, Councilwoman Denise Taylor Moye. I would ask you to please in a pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, if we could please, we're going to take the roll call. Councilwoman. You're going to make a motion, I'm going to consider. It's going to be, suspend the rules, you're going to have to add it to the agenda. You're going to need two-thirds. But you're going to need two-thirds.

Roll call vote for attendance.

Before we do, Councilman Newton has a point of personal privilege with respect to a moment of silence. Councilman Newton, you have the microphone for a point of personal privilege. I know what it is, please.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I've asked everyone to rise for a moment on the loss of Steve Nelson's brother, Bruce Nelson. who passed away this week or last week. Thank you, ma'am.

If we could just pause for a moment of silence here with those intentions and any other appropriate intentions that anyone would like to suggest in silence. Thank you. Madam Clerk, if you could, you have the microphone, if you could do the roll call so that we can identify for the record that we have a quorum so that we can conduct the city's business.

Nicole Nelson. Mr. President. Denise Delamoye.

Mr. President. Dasha Spell.

Mr. President. Rolanda Smith. Mr. President. Akeem Roy. Mr. President. Janet Herring. Mr. President.

I don't know where it's at. Mr. President.

Mary A. McBride-Lee. Richard Ortiz. Alfredo Castillo. Aiden Nieves. Maria Valle. Kayla Medina. Maria Pereira. And Ada Martinez. Ernest Newton. We have a quorum.

Okay, we have the first item on the agenda. It is the approval of the city council minutes from June 1st, 2026. If council members have had a chance to review it prior to the meeting, I would entertain a motion to approve. Motion's made and seconded. Unless there's some substantive issue that someone would like to comment on, I'm going to move for a vote. I look to both sides. I see none. All in favor? Indicate by saying aye. Any opposed? Ernie made the motion, and I think... Rich Ortiz made a second. That was the minutes. There are communications, which generally are done in the aggregate, in other words, collectively, on pages one, and if my eyes serve me correctly, carry over to page two, down to the matters that are referred to as the consent calendar. These are appropriate to refer to committee. Is there such a motion? Is there a second? Motion is made and seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. All right, so stay with me. We're on the midway, almost the top of page two. And now there's a thing called the consent calendar. And I like to read some of this into the record. The consent calendar by council rules allows any council member to take an item off what is otherwise a action and vote without argument, discussion, or debate. There are a number of items there that carry over on page two. and onto the top of page three. At this time, without needing to identify a cause or reason, any council member can remove any item off of the consent calendar. Once that's done, the remainder would be read into the record by the city clerk and would be voted on without discussion or debate. Does any council member at this time want to exercise their right or privilege as a council member to remove any item off of the consent calendar that is presently on the agenda? I'm going to look to the left first and I see none. I'm going to look to the right. I see Councilman Newton's finger and I see Councilwoman Pereira's finger. If you just want to identify the item, that's all you need to state. It'll be taken off. Just identify the item. You don't want to take anything off. Well, this is what I'm calling for. Then I'm going to pass. Well, right now the question is, do you want to take any item off of the consent column? The answer should be yes or no. If it's yes, I'll give you the floor. If not, I'll move on to the next council member. 55, if I hear you right, Councilman Newton, it is number 5525 is not on the consent calendar. It is not on the consent calendar. So it has not affected the consent calendar. And if you understand that, I'm going to move on to the next member. Have I covered your point? Thank you. Councilwoman Prayer, yes or no, would you like to take a item off? So that I hear you correctly, it was 9625. And the second matter is what? 8025. 8025. Council members, note that those two items have been taken off the consent calendar. I think I've exhausted the exercises by members of the council to remove items off the consent calendar. Having said that and previously stated the procedure from here, Madam Clerk. There are remaining items on the consent calendar starting with item 9525 that would be appropriate for you to read verbatim into the record. And when you do, I will make a motion, see if there's a motion in a second to approve the consent calendar as it remains. Madam Clerk, you have the floor.

Thank you. 9525, Budget and Appropriation Committee Report Approval of General Obligation Bonds to Fund Certain Capital Improvement Projects. 9725, Budget and Appropriation Committee Report Approval of General Obligation Bonds to Refund Certain Obligation Bonds. 8525, Public Safety and Transportation Committee Report, grant submission, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, FY25, Assistant to Firefighters Grant Program, AFG, number 26455. 103.25, Public Safety and Transportation Committee Report Reduction to Authorize the Acquisition of Via Negotiated Agreement or Via Eminent Domain of Temporary Construction Eastman Ash Creek Pedestrian Bridge over a Portion of 925 Brewster Street. 76.25, Economic and Community Development and Environment Committee Report Resolution granting a permanent easement to the United Illuminating Company for the installation and maintenance of an underground electrical vault and related infrastructure located beneath Baldwin Plaza, Aca 1130 Broad Street. 102.25, Economic and Community Development and Environment Committee Report. grant submission, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, DEEP, 2026 Urban Act Bond Award, Sliver by the River Waterfront Park and Phase 1, Seawalk number 27462. 125, Contracts Committee Report, Resolution authorizing the Health and Social Services Department to enter into a lease agreement with USHCP Bridgeport LLC to relocate the city's family health and wellness clinic to 900 Madison Avenue, Suite 218. 125 Contracts Committee report re-agreement with the Liberals International Union of North America, LOCO 665, New Una, regarding their collective bargaining unit from July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2030.

That is the consent calendar. Make a motion if you would like to move it and second it, and we'll vote on the consent calendar.

It's kind of late.

I mean, if you really want to, I'll let you know. Councilman Newton has asked, and he pulled me on a sidebar so that people understand that the item that he had indicated he wanted to pull off, he now identifies. If there's no objection, Councilman, just state the number of the item and I'll allow it to be pulled off.

25. Which one?

100-25. 103-25.

100-25.

So if there's no objection.

103.

I'm sorry, 103-25. I'm going to allow that to come off the consent calendar under the previous described council rules. 103-25, Madam Clerk, I know you read it into the record. But Councilman had made an indication prior to the vote, and then we just clarified that this is what he wanted, and he has that right, even though it's a little bit late, so I'm going to allow it. So with that, the balance of the consent calendar, noting that now 103-25 has also been removed, along with 96-25 and 80-25, is there a motion to approve the balance of the consent calendar? Is there a motion to approve the balance of the consent calendar? Moved by Councilman Newton. And there's a second by Councilman Ortiz. As I said, there's no debate or discussion on a consent calendar. With that, I will call for a voice vote. All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. If anybody would like to vote against it, now is the time. And he knows. Okay, so the record should reflect that the consent calendar minus those three items has been voted on unanimously. Now is next procedure that will continue with those three items in the order that they appear on the printed agenda. And that is 9625. It's a budget and appropriations committee matter. I'd ask one of the chairs to address that matter. Who would like to be heard? 9625. I'm going to have it moved first, Councilwoman. Would one of the chairs like to move the matter? Councilman Newton has moved 96-25. Is there a second? Seconded by Councilman Ortiz. Does anybody want to be heard on this? Councilwoman Pereira has made that indication. You have the floor, Councilwoman.

Yeah, I'm concerned that proceeds are being moved away from Northeast Flood Control, $209,000, and I'd like to know where that flood control, what district that flood control money was appropriated to.

If a chair can answer that, you have the floor. If you can answer it simply or succinctly as they say, please do that so we can vote on the item. Councilman Newton.

From my understanding, Those dollars were coming from Harper. Harper monies.

Please listen to the microphone so the record can be made, Councilman Newton.

From my understanding, Mr. Mayor, those dollars was coming from the Harper monies.

Is that correct? Is he correct, Mr. Flato, the finance director for the city? You can nod on the affirmative if it is.

Mr. Chair, the project was finished. There was a little extra money, but the project got a little of that arbor money that you built around a few years ago, and that's why it came in below budget. So the project was finished, but that bond $200,000 project was finished.

May I ask a follow-up question?

You can ask a follow-up question, then we'll try and move on.

Okay, I'm concerned. If that's ARPA money, didn't we have to have ARPA money spent by a certain date, or we would lose it?

I'm sorry, finish that. So, the old project...

Oh, so this is not ARPA. Okay. Can we have silence?

Councilwoman's question's been satisfied with that. I'm going to ask for, there's a motion and a second. Does anybody else want to be heard on this? If not, I'm looking left and looking right. All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

The matter carries. 103-25 is public safety and transportation. Would a chair like to move this matter, please? Is there a chair of public safety that would like to move this matter, please? Does anyone want to move this matter? It's a third request. If not, we're going to move on. Councilwoman Lyons, you have the floor.

Yes, I'm one of the co-chairs for public safety with Rolanda Smith. It was passed unanimously over in the meeting of the public safety meeting, and it was in reason of we did receive paperwork, and one of it says, whereas consistent with the directive of the NRZ plan there, On April 18, 2011, the City Council approved the Resolution 4810 to authorize the City to apply for this $120,000 Federal Service Transportation Program, and it was also presented with OPED as well, so it passed unanimously.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Is there a second?

Second.

Is there a second to this? Second. Please indicate so the City Clerk can recognize the second. Madam Clerk, do you have a second?

Is somebody there?

Rolanda Smith. Okay, I will entertain some brief discussion. If someone would like to be heard on this, I'm going to go by the order of the microphones. Councilwoman, you have the floor. Based on your request, you have the floor.

Mayor, there's a lot of echo in the back of the room, and we can hear it here, and I can hear the vulgarity and the conversations pretty loud, so if people could just tone it down or take your conversation outside, please, so we can hear our meetings. Echo that.

out of respect for the council. If you have conversations, you're welcome to have them, but it'd be better if you do it out in the hallway. Allow us, the meeting will be relatively quick, and we really appreciate your attention. There's a motion and there was a second, and who wanted to be heard over here? Councilman Newton, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm not against this, but I wanted to make a point. And that point being that we can... constructing an easement or a pedestrian bridge over to Fairfield, when we can't even find a bridge for Pleasure Beach. And now, I mean if you look at it, and when I saw this, I said something is wrong with this picture. Like I said, I'm not against it, but if we can build a bridge to go to Fairfield, We damn sure can find a way to open Pleasure Beach with an expand either from Stratford coming over to Bridgeport, which would make more sense. But I had to speak on that, not against it, but I want to bring some attention to Pleasure Beach. Anyone else want to be heard? Councilwoman?

Mayor, I sentiment my council colleague's statement. I as well brought this up to the attention of OPEC during the discussion when this came before the committee. Before it came in front of the committee, I questioned Mr. Coleman about it and I stated there are a lot of areas in the city of Bridgeport that are developed over and over again. with millions of dollars such as the Stratford Avenue Bridge and the slippery slope or whatever it's called, that investment could have had gone into Pleasure Beach. So with that being said, I am against it and I will not be voting in favor of this. So if a vote was taken, please excuse me out of that vote because I am not in favor of this. Pleasure Beach has been without a bridge that could have been developed many years ago. We had developers that came here with millions of dollars who wanted to invest in our park. But just recently, before us, we had some individuals who wanted to take the beach from us and met with my council colleague and I and offered to buy the park. to connect it from Stratford to Bridgeport, but we can't even come up with a grant or some state or federal dollars to build our bridge. So thank you, Mayor, and I am against item number 103-25.

Thank you. Anyone else want to be heard on this? If not, all in favor indicate by saying aye. Any opposed, please indicate by your hand so I can note it. Council members are recognized. Council members are recognized. Okay, it carries. 80-25... Jeanette, Councilwoman Hill. Okay, 80, I'm sorry, did Mary Lee, no, she didn't. Okay, 80-25 is miscellaneous matters. Does someone want to move that matter? Does anyone want to move 80-25? Motion to approve. Is there a second? Does anybody want to make a second? Councilwoman, I see your hand, but I don't know that's an indication you want to make a second, is it? Councilman, did you want to make a second? Thank you, Councilman. And Councilman Alfredo Castillo made the second. All right, anyone want to be heard on this before we vote? I will go by your light. Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Yes, I missed this meeting, and I left a message in the city attorney's office for the attorney on this case to return my call so I could ask questions. I never received a response, so I won't vote for anything that I don't get my basic questions answered, so it will be a no for that reason.

Thank you. Does anyone else wanna be heard before we vote? I don't see any other hands or lights. All in favor indicate by saying aye. Any opposed, please give me an indication. Councilwoman, you know and so recognize the motion carries. All right, so now look at page, we can go to page three, and we'll go to the roll call of items, and I've checked with the city attorney on this. It's unusual that we'd have withdrawals on here, but it sounds like by the way it's printed, the city clerk's office thinks that we need a roll call vote on these and the city attorney is nodding in the affirmative for the record. So why don't we vote on these by roll call vote? Look, I'm fine with consolidating them, If someone wants a move to consolidate them, I'm fine with that, and we can vote on motions to withdraw. They're all indicated that way, but we will do it by roll call vote. Are people comfortable with that? You can make the motion. Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Question, Mayor. Did we vote on item 100-25 and 101-25? Yes, they were part of the consent.

101 was part of the consent calendar, and 125 was part of the consent calendar. Can I make a statement on 100-25, please? I couldn't hear you. Say it again.

May I make a statement on 100-25?

100-25, where is that?

It's on the bottom. It wasn't removed from the consent calendar, so there's no discussion.

Well, can I do a point of personal privilege?

I will, she's right, but I will allow a brief point of personal privilege, Councilwoman, because there was some confusion I noted by Councilman Newton on the consent calendar. Thank you. So please, make your point. Thank you, Mayor.

I want to thank our nurse from the health department, Jody, for a job well done, for finally closing out on a facility for our clinic here for the city of Bridgeport. This has been long overdue, and the entire health department nursing lost a lot of revenue because we did not have a location for them to see patients, and Jody's here, so thank you so much for a job well done to you and your team, and we appreciate all the work that you all do in the health department, and I'm sure we're going to see a lot of revenue under your leadership coming in from that department. So thank you so much. We appreciate you all.

And for posting up in the neighborhoods too. Thank you. All right. So these items do not need a roll call. They could be subject to a motion to consolidation. Motion to consolidate. Is there a second? If it's necessary, I'll take discussion, but if I don't see anybody pushing, Councilman Newton, and then we'll vote. Councilman Newton.

Just for clarification for me, these individuals, they withdrew their names themselves? Can anyone answer that for me?

You can answer if you know the answer. No, but you can be on and then we can vote. Go ahead, Councilwoman.

All three of these people have over a year left on their term. The city charter says that they remain in office, and the charter also says if you're already a public official, you can't serve on ethics for three years. But all of them will remain in office because they have a year or more left on their term.

All right, if that's satisfied, there's a motion to consolidate. It was made and seconded. I think we need a vote on that. All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? All right, they're consolidated. Motion to approve the withdrawals. Is there a motion to do that?

A motion to consolidate?

No, a motion to approve the withdrawals.

Oh, I make a motion to re-approve 77, 25, 78, 25, and 79, no, I'm sorry. They're all together, it's four of them. I'm sorry, 55, 25, 56, 25, 57, 25, and 58, 25.

I'm sorry.

Is there a second? I'll let you be heard. There is one who withdrew because there was a big conflict, how they were serving, and he came and read a letter into the record.

Okay. All right. Motion's been made to consolidate and second. It was voted on. They're consolidating the motion and made to second and approve. There was discussion on it. I'm looking around. Councilman, did you want to be heard? Okay. Anybody? All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All right. So those are withdrawn. Wait, but doesn't it have to be done in roll call? You with me, Madam Clerk? All right. We have unfinished business.

I'm sorry, point of order?

Yes, point of order. What is it?

We've consolidated it, but doesn't it still have to be done by roll call?

It does not, according to the city attorney.

Okay.

Okay. Do not in the affirmative. Is that correct? It does not.

It does not. Okay.

Okay, for the record. How do you want to handle the unfinished business, Madam City Attorney? Vote on them individually or collectively? So is that approving them or denying them? What is it doing? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so the council's clear. It's my understanding it should be yours. that the final three items on the agenda, and I know Councilwoman Martinez, you have a matter that you want to raise, that we'll raise in a moment, but let's finish the printed agenda, and I will certainly give you that opportunity. But there are three items here, they're unfinished business 7725, 7825, and 7925, which the Council can move to consolidate if we're gonna vote on, and then we can vote on them. I would ask if there is such a motion. Motion to consolidate and second. All in favor indicate by saying aye. They're consolidated on the agenda. Do you want to move to approve the items? Is there a motion to approve? Motion approved by Councilman Ortiz. Is there a second? You got the second with me, Madam Clerk? All right, I will allow if someone wants to be heard on it. I saw two people on this side and I always disrespect the left side, I'm told by the Council President. Anybody on this side that wants to be heard? I see none. Council, who wants to be heard over here? Go ahead.

There we go. Mayor, I would like to make a motion to suspend the council.

Excuse me, let me vote on this first. Give me one second. Councilwoman Pereira, you want to be heard on the pending motions for unfinished business? That's okay. Councilwoman Pereira, did you want to be heard on the unfinished business you have before?

These are the solar projects on our schools. I'm not opposed to any solar. I think we should do everything in our power to do green energy. I'm opposed to how much the solar panel installer, which is Green Bank, they're going to make over $12 million. over this term claiming they need every dollar to cover the cost of solar panels. I don't know who believes that installing solar panels cost $12 million. Meanwhile, the Bridgeport Public Schools would get slightly over $2 million. Their percentage will not even cover 18% of a single utility bill at Central, at Curiel, at Louis Marin. So basically what you're looking at is Green Bank, who's claiming, we're just getting our costs back, but what they're doing is they're selling the solar into the utility system, all right? They're only giving the schools utility credits. So our schools won't even have 20% of their annual utility bill paid, and they're going to get over 80% of the solar. that they're going to sell into the grid. And so I'm not opposed to solar. This is really just a rip-off. It's not fair to taxpayers. And the schools should minimally get 50% of their yearly UI bill paid. They're not even giving 20% on each school. And that company, Green Bank, is keeping 80%? No. So I'm not against solar. I'm against that. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilman Newton, you have the floor, and then we'll vote.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm not going to belabor this, but I'm sure the Board of Education had their bean counters that if what the Councilwoman said is absolutely true, they would have not voted on this unanimously. So I think anytime that we can save money for the Board of Ed, through electric and they voted on it as a body, I have to take their words then from people who don't have anything to say on it. If the board thought it was bad, they would have voted against it. But the board said this is what we need to save energy and to save money that they don't have to pay. for electricity. So I would ask my colleagues to support it, and let's move on.

All right, does the motion second? I think we've exhausted discussion or debate. I'm looking left, and I'm looking right. I'm going to ask for a voice vote. All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, give me an indication. I'm opposed. Councilwoman, your opposition is so noted, the motion carries. We have dispensed with the printed agenda. However, there's an item that I think Is of interest not only to the council but members that are here I'm going to cede the floor for the purpose I think of suspending the rules to ask this council to take action or to recommend action And that is councilwoman Martinez with no objection. I'm going to give you the floor councilwoman you have the floor I

Thank you, Mayor. I make a motion to suspend the council rules solely for the purposes of ordering a public hearing to discuss whether or not item number 18-25 should be amended to consider the impact of bus drivers during the days public school is in session. Second.

Okay, motion is made. City Clerk, do you have a second? Recorded, you do. All right. I'm gonna move it. Let me just be clear on the rules. This is a motion to suspend the rules for the purpose of ordering a public hearing. Is that correct? I think with suspension of the rules, we're still gonna need a two-thirds vote. Unless someone thinks we're not gonna get there, I'm gonna do it by voice vote.

I wanna speak on the motion itself.

Council Member, I will recognize you if you wanna say something. I'd like to head in that direction. What did you wanna say?

Okay, under the city council rules, In order to request an item for immediate consideration, an emergency has to exist. A public hearing on an ordinance that's already passed, that is in effect, is not an emergency. That can come through regular order onto the next council agenda, which it would simply require a majority vote. This is not an emergency. And apparently there's going to be an attempt to put it on the 15th. We have to give a public hearing add in the paper with at least three days notice, that leaves four business days notice to the public. So I'm not opposed to holding a public hearing. I'm opposed to, this is not an emergency under any definition, and it should come through the regular council meeting at the next agenda where we can set a date for a public hearing with proper notice to the public and proper notice to the members because this is not an agenda item tonight.

Okay, I could, Council President, give me a moment, please, and Councilman Newton, give me a moment. I think I know where you want to go. Let me just try and address this. I think there's a strong will of the body, and I'm not going to presume that.

And I'm going to ask for a roll call vote.

We'll see on a vote that the council would like to suspend the rules, and we'll find out. You're going to need two-thirds to do that. I'm asking for a roll call vote. And suspend the rules does use the word. Let me just follow it, Ernie. I may save you that and get to the substance.

Roll call vote takes precedence.

That... The word emergency is used, but we've suspended the rules with not the most extreme definition of the word emergency. There are, I will for the record note, there are at least a couple, 200 individuals here that came here, I think, particularly for this matter, and would like the council, have heard the council,

They represent .21% of the population.

I would like the council to respond, and it sounds like this motion would do that. Having said that, I'm going to accept the motion as within the rules. I know there's been consultation with the city attorney. She has an opportunity to state an opinion if it's different than mine. I don't see anything coming, so with that, I'm going to allow the motion. Is there a second? Second. There's a second made.

Roll call vote.

And motion to suspend the rules.

Wait, wait, Michelle.

I will let you be heard on it. Motion is made and seconded to suspend the rules. If you'd like to be heard on it, I will look to the left for the first time. We're going to suspend the rules to add to the agenda the citing of a public hearing or not. Councilwoman on either side. Heron, you have the floor.

Thank you. This is not to vote on the amendment. This is not to make changes on the amendment. This is to hear the constituents either pro or con on this ordinance. We have a right to hear your views. We have a right to hear the negative views, but we have not heard them yet. So this immediate consideration to do this is going to help everyone be able to speak. It's not doing the ordinance yet that people are going to be working on that or amended if it gets approved or not, but that's determining what we hear from the audience. I just want to make that clear so you understand and so my colleagues understand.

Thank you. Councilwoman Lyons, you have the floor.

Yes. As co-chair of public safety, I do not mind people having a voice, but I also have voices in my district that need to be heard as well. So what the point of it is, is I want to know when this public hearing is because I have to have enough of time to let people know in my district to have them have a say as well. Because from my understanding, everybody has this indication that it's next Tuesday, but it should just go and throw, and let me finish speaking. It should go in front of the ordinance, because that's Anita's district, Anita's one of, she's one of the co-chairs, and then have it go through the process so everybody has, So it goes through the process of ordinance, then public hearing. So everybody here has a place to say something, as well as my people in my district have a place to say something as well. Because this doesn't just affect one district, two districts. This affects everybody's district, and we need enough time. And I don't think by having it in a week or so is enough time. People have a job. You all have a job. and you want to be heard, well, then there's other people that want to be heard as well. So it should make it fair to everyone. So everyone who doesn't want it, they have a say. Whoever wants it, they also have a say. Because this is a safety issue. You have over 200 people or more that probably drive school buses. Right now I have some good suggestions that took place with the past bus driver, bus company, which they had a shuttle that was able to help the people that drive in the school buses that had to get from one place to another. maybe have a stipend to help the people that are driving the school buses so that they have a way to get around. If they have to park the bus in one area, then they have a way. That's what was done in the past and it may be helpful to people here. So those are just some of the suggestions because everybody deserves a chance and everybody deserves something. But I need to have, you can't just have buses all over. They couldn't, the bus parked in front of my street They couldn't get the milling of the city go by the bus. They had to find the bus driver to move the bus so they could pave the streets. So there is issues all over on one side or another. Plus, I have constituents that want buses. Some want buses. So everybody needs to be heard.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker. is Councilwoman Martinez. Your microphone was next. It'll go in the order that you pressed it. We'll wait. We'll wait because you want to make the motion. Council, next speaker is Councilman Newton. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Real brief, I want to thank this council. This is only the motion to add to the agenda. I want to thank the council for putting this amendment forward because on our regular council meetings, so you know, we can only have 10 speakers. This will allow more people to come before us and talk about the buses, whether to have it, whether to not have it. We wanted to give you an opportunity to come before our body and express your concerns. We can't do it on a council meeting night because we're only allowed to do 10. So I want to commend the council for opening up for our constituents. And we don't know how it could be three hours long, four hours long. We don't know. But we want to give you an opportunity.

Thank you. Councilwoman Iden Nieves, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor. I just want to correct something that was said on the record about the requirement for it to be an emergency. This council has set the precedence previously in 2017 when an ordinance was passed regarding WPCA collections and it was a secondary, just a fact-finding public hearing which is being done again now by the Ordinance Committee to ensure that public input was put in place. I just wanted to correct that for the record. Even though it says emergency, the body has the opportunity for fact-finding purposes to order a public hearing to allow the public to come back and speak on an existing item that's already been passed.

Thank you. Councilwoman Lee-McBride, you have the floor. Marie, I see it goes in the order that the microphones were turned up.

Thank you very much, Mayor. I would like to say to the bus drivers that's here tonight, I am glad that you all came out to express yourself. You know, every day I drive behind some school bus, And I've noticed that when you, sometimes I have to wait five and 10 minutes because some parent decided they didn't get the child up until the bus got there. And you all were patient enough. And also what made me proud was, is that sometimes you all know those kids gonna be late. and you'll let the sign back in, down, so that we can get by and get to work. I can understand what you're going through, and especially those that drive the special needs of children. Now, I do agree that the community should have their say also. And I hope that you come out when they do have it and show what you are showing tonight so you can be serious about what you're doing. Because I believe, and my mom taught me that, Talking is cheap, but it don't buy no meat. So, you know, you come out and defend yourself as far as the bus driver is concerned. I really, really, really take my hat off to you all, and I understand where you're coming from.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you.

I'm not gonna say, I'm not gonna get into what we're gonna talk about when we hear that meeting, but I have quite a bit to say about what you all have to go through and about those parks and those buses, okay? Uh-huh, yes. Thank you. Okay, that's all I have to say.

Councilwoman Valiant, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor. It changed my mind.

We can't hear your microphone. I apologize, Councilwoman.

It's okay.

Are you okay? Okay. All right. I see two more microphones. Maria, are you good?

No, I'm done. Okay.

All right. I'm going to let Councilwoman Pereira go, then Councilwoman Martinez. We can follow up on the motion, right? Councilwoman, you have something else to add?

Yeah, I just want to be clear. Our city charter is our city constitution. It is legally binding. And whatever has happened previously, and I've never voted for these immediate considerations. This is not an emergency. It says here, we can only do, I would ask that they be quiet while I'm speaking. It says right here, only a matter may be concerned without being referred to committee if the two-thirds of the members, that an emergency exists which requires immediate action on the matter. And I just want to put it on the record because I think we all know we're probably heading to some form of litigation on this. So I want that on the record. I want it recorded. I want it in the minutes.

It's on the record. And let me put this on the record. They came here to speak and be heard. These are our bus drivers. We're going to give them a right to be heard. Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

We're going to get it. We're going to get this public hearing. But we need you to bear with us. Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor. First and foremost, I would like to do a point of personal privilege before I make my second motion, if allowed to. Let me just clarify that this is not a one-district issue. This is citywide. The mere fact that we transport is on Logan Street, which is on the 139th District. The buses transport children throughout the city of Bridgeport. So this is not an Anita Martinez district issue. Thank you. Let me also state for the record that it amazes me how some of my council colleagues never complain about school buses for as long as they have sat and served on this council. Many of these same folks Many of these same folks on this council have moaned and complained regarding lack of bus transportation. When a few years back, the Board of Education cut bus transportation, but now they have the audacity to complain because we are pushing an ordinance that we want to make amendments on. With that being said, let me move to, I make a motion.

We haven't voted on the first item.

Okay, so we have to vote on the first item, Mayor.

So motion on the floor to suspend the rules. This is not a substantive motion, so the technical definition of emergency is not handled in the strictest sense. To add it to the agenda, I will take a voice vote. All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Any opposed, please raise your hand. You need a two-thirds vote. I want a roll call.

All right, I'll give you a roll call vote. That's fine. But before we do that, before we do that, that's fine. Councilwoman wants to be heard. Councilwoman, you have the floor. Then we will do a roll call vote. Go ahead, Councilwoman. I'm requesting clarification. Is this meeting taking place on the 15th or on a later date? This is a motion to add, suspend the rules, to add it to the agenda. Then we will vote on the substantive motion. Has your question been answered? Yes. Yes or no? Okay. Voice vote yes is to suspend the rules, to add to the agenda for the purpose of designating a public hearing. I need you to bear with me, and we can let the council vote by voice vote. A yes is to support the motion, and a no is not to. Madam Clerk, you have the floor.

Thank you. Nicole Nelson. Yes. Denise Delamoye. Yes. Dasha Spell. Yes. Rolanda Smith. Akin Voi. Jeanette Herron. Loretta Duback. Michelle Lyons. Mary Anne McBride Lee. Richard Ortiz. Alfredo Castillo. Aiden Nieves. Maria Valle. Kayla Medina. Maria Pereira. Anaida Martinez. Ernest Newton. The vote passed.

So we have one more vote. Okay, so bear with us. We have one more vote. We have one more vote, and I appreciate your patience, your attention to this matter. It's very important, and Councilwoman and Councilmembers' actions here. Councilwoman Martinez, you have the floor for the substantive vote on which the rules have been suspended. You have the floor. Thank you, Mayor.

I make a motion to order an ordinance committee public hearing to be set for September 17th at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

Motion's made, seconded. If you'd like, you can be heard on it, but I think we've had exhausted. There will be a roll call vote if someone wants it. If someone wants, anybody asking for a roll call vote? I don't hear that. All in favor indicate. I'll give you the opportunity, but after, do you want a roll call vote? You want this, I'll give you the floor, and then we'll vote. Your microphone's on.

Today is the day after Labor Day. We have to run an ad in the paper. And so we wanna hold an ordinance hearing, and we're giving people seven days notice, and us, to get our constituents notified and organized. Okay, I'm gonna ask that you rule these people out of order who are yelling out of the audience.

I would ask you, as I would any member of the council, the respect and opportunity to be heard, and then we will have a vote. Madam, you have the floor.

I don't have a problem with the public hearing. The issue is the timing. And I would ask that it be the following week, I don't care what day of the week, and I would ask if it could be, just to give us a little bit more time to get the, 17th, is it possible that we do it on the 22nd? That's Tuesday the 22nd or the 23rd or the 24th so that we have time to communicate to our constituents and get them informed to get to the meeting. I'm making a motion. I'm going to do this, Councilman.

Unless you insist on speaking, I'm going to go to the movement, have her respond, and then we're going to vote, okay? I think... The movement is Councilwoman Martinez. You can just simply say if... Thank you, Mayor.

As the ordinance chair, I call the date, and the date I call the September 17th at 6 p.m. in the council chambers. Thank you.

Unless someone else needs to be heard, you good? Are you good? Is anybody asking for a roll call? I have not seen that. Oh, I'm sorry, Councilwoman. You have the floor.

Mayor, the reason it's the 17th, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, there are committee meetings. We didn't want to... interfere in those meetings thursday there's no other meeting so we can do it and we want to try to get this done before the next council meeting which is the following monday so we want to hear what the constituents have yes it's short notice we can get those notices out we can get to our constituents most of us have emails for our constituents so it's not that difficult to get out there we have social media so If we want to hear our constituents speak, and you are constituents, because most of you live in Bridgeport. We have to be considerate of everybody. And I want to hear the negatives as well. Some of my colleagues are not in agreement with that. I respect that because they have a right to do that. We represent our individual communities, but we also represent this city. Not one councilman can say they make a decision for this whole city. So we've got to really, really think about how we say things because I hear council people only represent their own district. That's not true. You represent your district as an entity, but you represent the city as a whole. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I told you I had a meeting planned on the 19th.

So they're holding the meeting. Okay, Michelle, did you want to be heard?

Right. I have Denise Taylor-Moy and then we'll vote. Denise, did you want to be heard? Yeah, I just want to say as co-chair of ordinance, I'm in total agreement with us moving this forward for the 17th. You know, we have people here that are in this audience that came here because they wanted to be heard. They came here because they wanted to hear us. We have our constituents and we have everyone else who is also concerned about this bus dilemma that's going on. I for one, I am in total agreement with my co-chair partner, Anita Martinez. I am in agreement with the bus drivers. I am in agreement with trying to move things forward here in the city of Bridgeport. And the only way that we can do that is by bringing attention to things and by everyone coming forward and doing what they have to do. I don't think that it's too short a notice, for us to come together and get this information out to our constituents, to get this information out to the city, because look at what's here now. You know, so I think that we should move forward with the 17th.

All right, with that. With that, I heard a motion for a public hearing for September 17th at 6 p.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. Any opposed? So noted. With that, is our motion to adjourn? Is there a second? All in favor indicate. Thank you for coming out tonight and participating.