City Council - Regular Meeting

for the big dance. No,

Denise, are you coming down to public speaking?

A copy of the agenda, please. This is your

We're going to call the meeting of the public speaking to order. Can I have a roll call, please? Yep. Yeah.

Galamur, Nicole Nelson. Can you presel

Rolanda Smith Akim Boy Janet Herren present Loretta Dubag here Michelle Lions not you Mary Mcly, Richard Ortiz,

Alfredo Castillo, Fred Hodes, Idanz, Maria, Kayla Medina, Maria Pereira, Brenda Martinez, Ernes Newton. We have a quir. Our first speaker is John Marshall Lee. You'll have three minutes. Bridgeport, as we celebrate the attention of the state of Connecticut administration, our state legislators and local council and board of education members, as well as citizen supporters for the dollars available to the school system in the coming year. Let's keep the youth in mind. They are shaped by successor or failure of adults today in securing rights and teaching public service responsibilities. When elected leaders fail to address their most basic statutory duties, they must rely on oversight. To point that out, I'm referring to the residency reporting ordinance 202.080 080 annually for elected and appointed officials to sign in January with the town clerk. At previous meetings of the council, I've made several reminders of the overdue status of city council members. Yet tonight or as of Friday, there are six council members still reluctant or indifferent to this duty. Included are council members Boyd, Hajes, Lions, Neves, Smith, and Spell. New folks on the council have dealt with the responsibility once informed. That might be a routine duty of a city council

president, but it seems not. Town clerk and city clerk have signed as have both voter registration and mayor Ganham as of midmay, but there are no reminders from the administration's community relations office where candidates for boards and commissions are developed. There is no training program for folks who wish to participate more fully in city governance either. Civics is the study of citizen rights and responsibilities. Local schools had to eliminate that subject matter from curriculum leadership in recent years. Only two education board members signed a town clerk register. One of them is here tonight. Missing are Daniels, Graales, Jennings, Himenez, Perez, Traver, and Woodson. There are approximately a hundred or more board and commission members who are failing the responsibility also, but not the library board whose leadership believes in following the rules. When will Mayor Ganham specifically assign the duties of educating, informing, and oversight of citizen participants seeking positions on boards and commissions? Will it assist in finding qualified and motivated candidates? Time will tell. Good evening. Joseph Kavik 334 Burnsford Avenue speaking as an individual this evening. I want to begin by acknowledging something important. Over the past few years, Bridgeport has made progress. And that progress is because happening because of our partnership between the city, the board of education, and our state delegation. And that partnership has delivered. We've seen millions of additional dollars come into Bridgeport schools because we worked together and advocated together. So, thank you for that. So, tonight I'm here to say, let's continue that partnership. Let's strengthen it and let's lead with it because we're now

learning something very clearly from the city. Even with a record level of funding increase, we're still falling $9 million short of avoiding potential cuts. The city states we cannot do more for our schools due to fiscal constraints. And if that's the reality, then we have to respond to it honestly and strategically. Since 2017, Bridgeport has been eligible to apply to the Municipal Accounting Review Board or MARB. That's not new information. That's been true for nearly a decade. Other cities, Harford, West Haven, have stepped forward, applied, and secured significant financial support from the state. Bridgeport did not. Not because we weren't eligible, not because we didn't have need, but because the city never fully moved in that direction. Now, here we are in 2026, and I hear members of the city council encouraging the board of education to consider joining MARB. That's a serious conversation, and I appreciate that it's happening. But here's my point. Leadership requires consistency. If MARB is worth considering for the board of education, then it's worth considering for the city itself. Many of the leaders sitting here today were also here when Bridgewwater first had that opportunity, including Mayor Joe Ganam, Janetta Haron, Ernest Newton, Michelle Lions, Id Neves, Anita Martinez, Maria Vajay, Mary Mcryle, and Alfredo Cassido the Castillo. This is experienced leadership with institutional knowledge, which means we are not starting from scratch. We are building on years of understanding. So my message tonight is simple and as respectful as I can be. If the city says it cannot fully fund schools, then the city should lead by example. Apply tomorrow for help. Take the first step. Demonstrate to the public that every option is on the table. And show the board of education and the state of Connecticut and the city of Bridgeport that the city of Bridgeport is fully committed to securing the resources our students deserve. Because let's be honest, we cannot we cannot say there are no more options if we haven't taken every step to pursue them. And the city cannot ask the board of education take on the risk if the city

is not willing to go first. But here's the opportunity and where the partnership comes in. If the city of Bridgeport, the mayor and the city council step forward and apply to MARB, I will stand with you. I will publicly support that effort and I will advocate for it across the state and I will champion the push for the board of education to follow your leadership because this is not about blame. This is about alignment. This is about leadership and this is about doing everything possible for our children. We've already shown what partnership can accomplish. So now let's take the step, next step. Lead the way and we will follow together. Thank you. I'm

anybody will take the documents.

Um, thank you ma'am. I did leave documents for the city clerk yourself and my councilwoman Smith and Councilwoman Spell before the session began. Thank you. Um, Amanda Berry, 850 Brooklyn Avenue, 132nd district. I'm formally requesting that our road, Brooklyn Avenue, from Grasso Terrace to Suburban, is repaved this year. It'll be the first time in the 26 years my husband and I have lived in our home that the street will have been repaved. As you can see from the photos in the packets, that this section of the road is in severe need of repaving. And we're all aware that poor infrastructure, such as damaged roads, decreases our property values and can cause safety issues. Many of the roads that intersect Brooklyn in this area have been repaved recently, including Grasso Terrace, which was just done in 2024. Also, the Fairfield side of Brooklyn Avenue has been repaved at least twice in the past 26 years, the last time just a few years ago. Brookon is the dividing line between the municipalities. And that means, good news for us, we only have half the whiff of the road to pave because Fairfield's done their half. the deteriorating condition of our section of Brooklyn Avenue. You can see it creeping into and breaking down the other roads that have been um repaved. And as I was just walking the road yesterday, we have grass growing in our cracks. Last year, I did reach out and spoke with and emailed my council woman. Um, and I had originally um requested a longer stretch of road to be repaved, which I then learned would have taken up a good amount of the budget that we have for our district. Upon further evaluation, Grasso Terrace to suburban, this section of Brooklyn is the section that seems to have been ignored for 26 years. from suburban to park looks like it has been repaved and its cracks and

potholes are being repaired. So in closing, I'm asking to please improve the infrastructure and our little section of Bridgeport this year in 2026 by repaving Brooklon Avenue from Grasso Terrace to suburban. This is only 210 of a mile and again it's only half the width requiring less of the budget that we have for our district. Uh, Councilwoman Smith, Councilwoman Spell, I look forward to hearing updates from you and working on this again this year um, very soon and I thank you all for your time and your service to our city.

Thank Thank you. Next speaker is Daniel Darnell Stevenson. Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the city council. Um I am going to refer back to the constitution of the United States. Again the constitution of the United States is a very important document in which allows us to have the freedom of democracy, the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion and the right to bear arms. However, $25 million has been donated to the Bridgeport public schools. However, our street, our kids are dying in your streets. Gun violence. Gun violence is the number one leading killing for teenagers under the age of 18. However, Sandy Hook and Caliban has been victims of mass murders in your public schools. However, we don't have the education or the resources to protect our children from dying to gun violence in our public school systems. However, I do have a number one option. Donate that money to the Bridgeport Police Department because they have the right resources and the police and women who dedicate their lives to saving our children. dedicate that money to our Bridgeport Fire Department because they dedicate their lives in the line of duty to saving our children, our paramedics, our women and our men who serve in the military have the right to that finances for retirement, health care, medications, insuranceances to protect our children, to learning about the education, not to

dying from our streets due gun violence. However, the Constitution of the United States allows us the right to bear arms to protect ourselves from any threat to persons, property, or life. However, that money is being donated to our senators, our politicians who do not even represent us in public office, but however, every November, they want our vote and then get get into public office and use our taxpayer dollars to send money to Ukraine. Now, if you don't understand this politician of the Constitution, read the Emancipation Proclamation. However, I'm going to drop one more dime on you so that way we do support our men and women in the military, our Bridgeport Police Department, and our Bridgeport Fire Department to donate that money to saving our kids from gun violence. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Maria Pereira. Maria Pereira, 80 Granfield Avenue. I came before this body on April 6 to really expressed concern about what was going on with the miscellaneous matters committee, particularly nominees for boards and commissions. Um, and so I started watching ethics commission meetings, which are all being held on Zoom. I'm really concerned that there's an attempt to consolidate power on the ethics commission, which is the only body that will be able to um appoint an executive director other than the library board. And um when I look at um there was a political action committee that was formed to support the charter and it was the chair was John Hoer, the treasurer was the gentleman from Black Rockck. The officers were Faith Sweeney and Scott uh Burns. And I'm concerned because when you look at all the commissioners coming before us, they're all connected to those individuals. And as we know, the gentleman from Black Rockck read two letters into the record the Saturday of budget. Those are two ethics commissioners who represent BlackRock. Now we have a nominee by the gentleman from Black Rockck. We have a a nominee from John Hoer who is tied to that pack. And then of course we have Faith Sweeney. And I'm concerned that there's a consolidation of power of five members who are writing the job description for that job, who've already started that. And I believe they likely have somebody they already want to place in that job. And I argued against this when somebody was trying to consolidate power two years ago on planning and zoning. It wasn't because I had an issue with the nominee. It was that we were going to have four of the seven planning and zoning commissioners from Black Rockck. Yet that board and commission decides critical things in every single

district. And if for those of you who were here, we defeated that nominee. Not because they were a bad nominee, but because there was an effort to consolidate power into one district. And I believe that's what's going on here now. that five of these commissioners are aligned with a very specific few people and that there's intention to hire somebody specific for that job which is not hired by the council or the executive branch but is hired by those commissioners. So I'm just seeing that from what I've been reading. I've been going to the meetings and I have real concern and not for any of the individuals but the consolidation of power loyal to one or two people that is concerning. I would my faith I would champion her on any border commission except that one. It's not that I think she's disqualified. I just think she should she well she can't be on there. That's a violation of the charter and the city and the ethics ordinance. But I am really concerned by what I'm seeing and nobody's been attending more meetings than me on this and I am legitimately concerned about what's going on here and I just want to bring it to your attention. Thank you.

Thank you. That concludes public speaking.

city administration that are here to recognize this. Now, the city council meeting of Monday the 18th of May in the year 2026 is 700 p.m. or shortly thereafter. And um I'd ask us all to stand for a prayer. I think most council members that are in the building and are are close by. So we'll go slow, but we can start with a prayer. And I always invite anyone from the public who uh feels that they would like to or some member of the clergy that would like to lead in a prayer. Uh and usually at this point um Reverend Lee leads us in a prayer. And I'd ask you if you would once again Father God, in the name of Jesus, Lord, we thank you for this day that you made. We thank you, God, because we rejoicing in it. Thank you, God, for keeping us all day without hurt, harm. Thank you, oh God, for all that you've done for us, for waking us up this morning. We God, we ask you to bless us all one by one and bless us collectively in the name of Jesus. ask you God to continue to bless this great city in the name of Jesus. Every council member that's represented here God, we ask you to look on them right now. You know their needs. You know their circumstances. In the name of Jesus, bless the mayor of this great city. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Um Councilman Ortiz, you lead us in a prayer. A pledge. Pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stand indivisible and justice for all. With that, can we take uh attendance roll call uh ensuring a quorum prior to commencing the balance of the agenda. Madame clerk, you have the floor whenever you're ready.

Thank you. Nicole Nelson, Denise Deloy, Jorge Cruz, Dasha Bell, Rolanda Smith, Aim Boy, Janet Herren, Loretta Dubac, Miriam Lee, Mel McBride Lee, here. Ortiz Alfredo Castillo

Kayla Medina Maria Pereira and Martinez and Miss Newton. We have a call. Thank you, Councilman. Point of personal privilege.

Thank you, mayor. Um, I want to address the fact that we just had a council member use public speaking to personally attack me with uh unsubstantiated accusations. I really don't think this is appropriate for council members to be doing behaving in this way. I do want to clear up that the fact that the ethics commission currently has one member from my district and that there is a second now applying has no bearing on me. It's not related to me as a a council member. There's nothing nefarious about that fact. There should also be nothing that surprises anyone that supporters of a public referendum would come together to move that referendum forward. This is just logical. So using what is the public's forum to attack another council member is just very inappropriate. I also like to remind the council that this council member is currently trying to sue us all for passing the charter and has also reached out to the chair of this commission on her own and threatened to sue the commission as well. So this is again just unacceptable behavior. There's a lot of positioning going on behind the scenes to make it sound like I myself am some sort of power broker. I'm a dad of three kids and I can't get them to do to put on their shoes. So,

council, at this point, I'm going to ask the city attorney to take your comments and to ensure I don't know what the substance of them are, but if they rise to the level they need attention for her to do that. Council president's not here. I think she's in attendance and I defer anything that might impact the council rules or the council's uh uh decorum to the council president at this time. We're going to move on. Is that okay?

Thank you. All right. We are now at uh mayoral proclamation and city council citation recognizing Walter Luckett Jr. for his contributions to sports education and the Bridgeport community. I know councilwoman Denise Taylor Moy is uh moving towards the center of the uh city council chambers. So that's an indication that we have to get her a microphone. And if Walter is here, which I know he is, and family, please come down as I will join her. And I know members of the council would like to as well for what is a duly recognized citation from this body and a proclamation. And can we ask them to come up?

Those that want to come up, would you please come up for the presentation? I don't know if there's a hand mic that we can give. Oh, Councilman Cruz has it. Beautiful. With that, we'll go with the flow here.

Mayor, also we have the youth um ambassadors here. They're going to sit in front so to be recognized. And George Cruz is going to read the proclamation for you guys because they represent the district. You okay, man? I'm sure somewhere is here.

Right after the picture, will you walk around? Welcome to the chambers. Champ,

we like to read to you the Bridgeport City Council official citation. Be it hereby known to all that the Bridgeport City Council honors a legendary basketball player and dedicated philanthropist whose remarkable impact spans athletics to youth development, Walter Locker Jr., an icon of talent, perseverance, and service. On this special occasion, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you for your hard work fostering opportunities for education and personal growth. You have inspired and helped shape help to shape the future of numerous Brisb youth. Your legacy, sir, has been a blessing to us all. Accept our best wishes and sincere gratitude for your dedication, resilience, and community leadership. Given this 18th day of May 2026 at city hall, Bridgeport, Connecticut, signed by council president Janette Herren and the entire city council. I bless you, sir. What you all don't know about Mr. Luckett, Mr. Lugget holds the record of the most points ever scored in the state of Connecticut. And when he was a freshman,

and I've never seen this done. He was on Sports Illustrate as a freshman. And I said to him not too long ago

and to Wes Matthews, who's a great ball player, and what if they had the three-point line when he was playing? No one. They haven't broken the record yet, but it would have been so far. But we just want to say thank you, man, because you came back to help community and you've helped a lot of kids. So, thank you. As city council woman for the 131st district as well as Mr. Jorge Cruz, this is an honor. We humbly want this here day to come and for this day here to stay in the minds of everyone. We have talked throughout the times in regards to getting a street sign for Mr. Lucket. I'm hoping that everyone in this room and all the council members will be in agreement with let's get this signed.

Not just a brick. We want a sign. We want that sign up for Mr. Walter Luckett. He has done so much for us here in the city of Bridgeport. our children and he's done so much for us just knowing that here in Bridgeport we had somebody like Ernie said made Sports Illustrated and it's very important for us to carry this on to all the children in the in the city of Bridgeport Basque High School Harden Central everywhere you know this is not just a Southoun thing this is a city thing you know this is for the city of Bridgeport and Um, we're hoping to get that sign up in maybe one, two months. I'm I'mma put that in the mayor's hand. I'mma give that to him. And

let me let me add to to that, Walter. And um, citation and a proclamation are our most official way to recognize um, individuals, events. And today along with the city council collectively here and you and your family and it's a beautiful thing. I would like to uh issue the following wherees on a official proclamation. Whereas Walter Lucketta Jr. is a former American basketball player and a native of Bridgeport, Connecticut. And Newton reminds me from where? Green Holmes, right? Green Holmes. That's right.

Growing up in his hometown, Walter honored his talents. I should say honed his talents at Nannyo Park as a student at Kobe Boy High School. He established a record- setting career that saw him score more than any other high school player in the history of New England. All right. Oh, there's more.

Walter scored 2,691 points, which as of 2012 has been the highest total in New England history. So, so with paragraphs uh even too much to add to this page and those that I know personally in more recent years with your commitment to young people um and not only supporting programs and individuals but everything that's good to give opportunities to young people in the city of Bridgeport and so much more that's contained in here. Walter along with the members of the city council I as Joseph began a mayor of the city of Bridgeport recognizing this and all of your contributions exceptional contributions and achievements do hereby proclaim this day Walter Luck at Junior Day here in the city of Bridgeport and present this to you.

I'm going to give you the mic because if I give it to Ernie we'll be here all night.

Well, thank you. Thank you so much. Uh first I want to thank the city council for this wonderful honor. Uh my wife and Via and I for 52 years who's been at my side. I I have not done this alone but she it's been a wonderful journey being with my wife and our vision for the city of Bridgeport. Um we feel that the best investment we can make is in our community. Um our young people, you're 100% of our future and as you grow, we grow with you. uh our investments in education, youth development goes a long way but most important we want to prepare you for this global market. So that's why we put emphasis on SAT training remedial we have a books to books to basketball program but it's essential that education is first and paramount. Uh the board of education has a new breath of fresh air with the with Dr. Avery. Uh the council has been 100% behind the luck family. I can't say enough about how wonderful this city's been to my family. My mother and father are looking down and they're smiling because the sea was playing it a long time ago and all we're doing is putting the water to make it grow.

So, uh, thank you so much. I I want my wife to still say a few words if you have it because uh I I you know I I have to admit I I've been truly blessed and that's why we feel being blessed we have to share our blessings.

That's right. I know really to the city council, to the mayor, to uh the constituents of Bridgeport, this is really such an honor. Uh we are products of Bridgeport. Uh our education was from Bridgeport and again it's just so important to give back to the community. So we're so appreciative of this designation today and uh look forward to continued work. Thank you. picture.

Good job. with them. Okay, let's get this uh

as council members make their way back to their seats, let's just talk about the next couple items. So, the next item is a public hearing. So, we're going to do that in the order that it's on the agenda. It's it's item number 6425. It's entitled, as I said, public hearing proposed resolution authorizing execution of a land development agreement for 157 and 171 Golden Hill Street with the Douglas Allen Group. So, let the record reflect that uh my watch has 7:36. I've opened a public hearing for item 6425 um acknowledging that it is about a proposed resolution authorizing execution of a land development agreement LDA for 157 and 171 Golden Hill Street with the Douglas Allen Group. Does anybody want to speak in favor of this matter? They can approach the microphone um that's on the floor and if anybody wants to speak opposed to it, they could as well. If anybody wants to speak about it, they could. Uh if you're if you're going to speak, just make it um if you you want to speak. Uh Councilwoman, go ahead.

I like to speak in opposition to it. You have the Let me just make sure the microphone Let me make sure the microphone's on. It's on. It's on. Okay. Madam, you have the floor. Please state your name and address like anyone else would. Maria Pereira, 80 Granfield Avenue. I feel like this is Basic High School deja vu.

If you not you've not been to the two parcels, you can go out the front door, make a right, make a left on Golden Hill, and it's at the bottom of the hill on your right. So, you can leave here and go right by it tonight. This is a parcel. Um, first of all, the the person who's being awarded this agreement formed their LLC December 7th, 2023. They're already delinquent on their 2025 and 2026 report. The principal is a Douglas Woods Jr. I don't know if that's a relationship to Adam Wood, the former CEO and the lobbyist, but this is a fairly recent LLC that's already delinquent and missing two annual reports. The Bridge these two properties were purchased by the city of Bridgeport under Bridgeport Development 157 Golden Hill Street was purchased in November 1999, 27 years ago for $82,000. Yet now it just got re-evaluated at 120 120,800 or only a 44% increase over 27 years. That's 1.74% inflation. There's no way any parcel, especially with 2025 Val has only increased in value by 44% over 27 years.

The other one is 171 Golden Hill Street. It was purchased, taxpayers paid 450,000 for it in 2000 and now they're saying it's only valued at $216,000. So the property value in 25 years went down by 62%. Give you one more minute. Okay, council. Yeah, that's a loss of $233,000. What parcel of land would be negative 62%. Uh, it's 9,000 square feet. It's going to be 75 units, 20% affordable. But a Fairfield County AMI 101,000. You could go down.

Not Bridgeport's AMA 56. Bridgeorters have spent 20some years paying for landscaping maintenance. They paid for it. And somehow we want to sell these two parcels for 250,000 for an 8 floor complex with 74 um units of one bedroom. Time is up. Councilwoman, this again is you could submit. We're giving away land to people and the and our taxpayers are losing. Thank you. You could submit anything else further you have in writing to the clerk if you'd like to. Anyone else would like to speak in favor or against Councilman Cruz's approach being said that he would? Please state your name and address as you uh appear on the microphone.

Yes, sir. Thank you, mayor. My name is City Councilman George Cruz, 131st District, represent the district with my colleague, Denise Telmoy. Um, first thing I got to say is that when is council members going to mind their own business in their own district? This is our district. We already had our meetings. This is a parcel that's been empty for years. for years. And we have a person who was born in Bridgeport, had business in Bridgeport, an African-American brother who wants to do good things, build affordable housing and mix rate. And for someone from another district to have the audacity, I'm

to come into my district without consulting with me and my colleague and stand here to talk against it. My colleague and I, Denise Taylor, we support this project. We met with the gentleman. We met with the office of planning economic development. And we need a building. And that person is going to present it at the committee level with the renderings and the pictures of what he's going or planning to build there. So this thing about the $400,000, forget about all that $250,000. That land was vacant for years. It's time that we allow someone to build something there to create a tax base. We're always crying about we ain't got no money. We can't find no money for Brisport. And yet we want to throw a monkey wrench to a developer. Come on people. And I said this respectfully before you come to my district. We have another my council colleague Denny's telling talk to us instead of trying to humiliate us here in public. That's not right. That's not going with me with I don't care who it is. My district is to be respected. If you have a problem with it, you take it on a committee level and you can vote no or vote yes. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Is there anyone else like to speak on this matter uh from the public? Uh I'm going to let Denise Taylor Moyes speak on this matter from her seat. If there's no objection uh from any members of the of the uh of the body because of uh obvious reasons that would be challenging unnecessarily to make her go to the other microphone. With that, uh, Councilwoman, Taylor Moore, you have the microphone on. Me.

Um, mayor, I just want to say, you know, um, my council partner, he expressed everything that I do feel. You know, I think it's a time that each one of us as city council people um, take heed to others that are coming in in our districts. We're all council people, but we're not all council people for my side of town and your side of town. You don't know the needs of our side of town the way that we do. You don't know that this is not something that was given. This was something that was put out to bid. You don't know how many times our RFP or whatever was put out for this. We're not talking about $400 and something thousands years ago. We're talking about what the city of Bridgeport, what we can get for this that will be bringing in some form of revenue or taxes or whatever they going to call it and in sometime soon when this is done. This is not we giving away something. This is that we are trying to bring something back into the city of Bridgeport. But most importantly, we're trying to bring something back into our housing that would be beneficial for people that are say they run around. There's no affordable housing, there's no subsidy housing, there's no housing, you know. So now 74, 75 units, 50 units, whatever. It's something for our community to have, you know. So I I'm I'm I'm all for it. We sat down, we met, not once, you know, more than once. You understand? So this is not like this was something that was shot across the council people table and they didn't know anything what was going on. We were thought about and it was brought to our attention of what needed to be done and how it needed to be done. You know, a piece of land that's sitting

there and nobody else wants or want to take the time to put anything there is not beneficial for the city of Bridgeport. It's not beneficial for our constituents. It's not beneficial for our residents. It's not beneficial at all for people that are looking for some form of housing. 75 units will be there and that would be off the list of not having, you know, um I heard one time we was trying to get 6,000 affordable housing or subsidy housing and all the whole mixture of everything. So this 75 is part of that. So I'm looking forward for my Thank you, council.

Council people um to support us, the 131st district on this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, councilwoman. Okay. Uh unless someone else wants to be heard on this at this public hearing. Um and I'm looking left and right and I'm looking throughout the chambers. I see no members of the public or any more members of city council. So we will close the public hearing and have the record reflect that we had a public hearing and that people did speak. Is there approval of the minutes motion? Any well anyone want to be heard on the minutes before we vote? Hearing none seeing none. All in favor indicate by saying I.

Any opposed? Okay. Um we're ordering uh did I miss something here? Yes. We're ordering requesting is that the next matter? Yes. 7125 is a request from OPED2. Order public hearing for the date of June 1st. Uh and there's a motion second. Anybody want to be heard? Seeing hearing none, all in favor? Any get by saying I? All right. So that's so ordered. There's a motion collaboratively to to collectively to refer the Is there a second? That's to refer to all the appropriate boards of commissions made and second. And all in favor indicate by saying I.

All right. So now we're on immediate consideration and for the sake of everyone's specific and general knowledge, it is 75-25 and this is the setting of the mill rate, the tax rate for the city of Bridgeport. And um council uh woman council uh Heron's going to make the motion or motions.

Mr. Mayor, before I make the motion, I'd like to have the youth ambassador stand up. They've graduated today. They've done their program long and hard. They've done great work. So, I'd like to acknowledge them. Yeah. A number of the council members please sit again and uh wanted to say stopped in, but we all want to say thank you, congratulations, and those that had opportunity to listen to your presentations um were found them to be amazing as I did. So, thank you. You have great futures. Let us know whatever we can do to make sure that you can attain the goals and we can eliminate any barriers to your success. Your success is our success. As you've heard it said to the youth, you're our future. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Councilwoman. You retain the floor. I make a motion to suspend the council rules for the purpose of adopting item number 7525 by immediate consideration pursuant to the city charter deadline requiring we set the mill rate within 7 days of the final budget action motion's made second any discussion hearing none in favor by saying I councilman you want to be heard what is there a question understand how this is an emergency the Just so we're clear, there's a motion to refer. There's a to add to not to add for immediate consideration. It's to add. We're going to vote on it tonight. It's already here. It's on the agenda.

We're going to we're going to add it to the agenda and the goal is to vote on it tonight. It's already on the agenda. Okay. But you're you're not referring it to committee and I'd like to comment on I don't understand how this qualifies for an emergency. The budget doesn't start till July 1st. We have a meeting on June 1st. The charter requires that this be done within seven days of final budget action. Final budget actions, not the budget year. But but why wasn't it submitted by Wednesday? I'm not I'm not going to Okay, so that's why you're saying it's immediate. Okay, I understand. Thank you. Madam President, you have the floor. Oh, did you do all those in favor for

Okay, so we had a motion to second. We had discussion. No one else wants to be heard. I think we clarified your question. voice vote for immediate consideration to add it to the agenda for the purposes of being voted on tonight. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. Any opposed? Unanimously. Uh, councilwoman, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I make a motion to adopt item number 7525 setting the mill rate for re for real and personal property at 27.95 and the motor vehicle mill rate as 31.75. Is there a second? Uh, Councilman Newton wants to Could you say the number again?

I just like hearing it. 27. It is 27.95 and the motor vehicle mill rate will be 31.75. So, I've been here since the early 90s. We never had numbers like that. Councilman Newton was old old as Dirt could probably go back longer than me. Go ahead.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I I want the council to really be proud and the mayor because this has been the lowest mill rate I would say 30 years. And what we did and what we're doing here today is historic because now people don't have to run around this city and around this state saying we're the highest tax community in the state of Connecticut. That's not true. A lot of people looked at it. We still got to pay. We still got to do this. I always remind the taxpayers that you haven't had a tax increase in a long time. When other cities was raising taxes and doing what they had to do, Bridgeport didn't raise taxes. So, I'm just glad to see this historical day happen today because it it's going to send a message that Bridgeport's on the rebound. And um thank you all mayor and council members for supporting this historical and I'm going to get my paper signed so cuz it's history. Thank you ma'am

Janette was made and seconded. Anyone else want to be heard? All in favor indicate by saying I I. Any opposed? Now did we just set both mill rates? Yes. Or one motion.

There's another motion needed. Councilwoman, anyone need a motion on this further, Tom? Anyone? All right, I had a long long uh reflection on how many amendments to amendments we had the last time. Anyways, so that's a great let Why don't we go if if there's no objection? I don't know what unfinished business means, but I know the uh community development block grant matter, which is the next thing in the order of our agenda, which is noted at 38.25, sometimes requires individuals to leave the chamber. And so I'd like to do that last if that's what it's going to happen. Is that the understanding you usually put that last right council president? Is that correct?

Which one? 46. Table it. All right. I'm going to do this. If there's no objection, I'm going to take 4625 out of order knowing there's a motion the table come. Uh, and if there's no objection and we'll do that. Councilwoman, you want to be take motion to table 46. Motion to table. Is there a second? No discussion on a motion to table. All in favor I. All right. It is so tabled. Um 3828. This is a special committee committ report for 3825. What did I say? 3828.

Okay, it's 38 25. And uh as I understand this, I'm willing to just put it out there, but there are council members sometimes that find they have to leave because of a perceived conflict. So now would be that time as we put this item on the agenda for a vote. Does anybody feel they have to leave because of a conflict of interest with regards to community vote and block grant voting for homeless emergency solutions grant home investment partnership program and the housing opportunity for persons with AIDS HOPWA? uh the report that's coming out right now on the five-year annual plan. Is there a motion?

I just asked that. Now's the time for anyone who wants to leave to leave. If you don't want to vote or be in the part of you uh community block grant, now's the time. This will be the last item on the agenda. I will entertain a motion to adjourn as soon as we address this item and the meeting will be over. So, if you leave, you won't miss any other council business. I won't allow anybody to add anything after either. Okay. Just out of fairness to people. Anita is going to make a very quick amendment and then adopt.

Okay. Anyone else? Uh the record could reflect and should reflect I think right what council members have remained and those that have left. I'd ask the city clerk's office to note at least for this vote if they're absent uh to mark them absent um at this time so they can't be confused with with voting. Is that what you normally do? Yeah. Well, we have to read it into the record first. All right. The uh we're going to read into the read the uh the motion into the record. Yeah. After Reverend Lee leaves. We have to wait till they leave.

Okay. Okay. Madam Clerk, you have the floor to acknowledge uh who's in the uh what council members are here or not. Just so the record's clear. Okay. Item number 38-25, special committee on CDBG report program year 52, annual action plan, community development block grant, homeless emergency solutions grant, home investment partnership program, and housing opportunities for person with AIDS. Do I have a motion? Someone want to make a motion on this? Yes.

Okay. I'm so sorry. I knew that. Uh, Councilwoman Martinez, you have the floor. Thank you, mayor. I would like to make a motion to amend item number 38-25 by removing $10,000 from the Cabaret Theater and adding it to Ortiz Boxing in the amount of $10,000. All right, there's a motion to second on the amendment. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor by saying I. Any opposed? Okay. The now it's a mo a vote would be a motion to be made as amended. Mo uh do you want to make that motion? Mayor, I would like to make a motion to accept item number 38-25 as amended.

Motion's made and second. Any discussion? Seeing and hearing none, all in favor by saying I. Any opposed? All right. As promised to the other council members, is there a motion to adjurnn? All in favor indicate by saying I. Thank you.