On Monday, 6 p.m. in City Council chambers the 13-member Charter Revision Commission will conduct a public hearing for community input as it navigates an update of the city’s rules and regulations document.
Reduce the size of the City Council?
Compensate the legislative body?
The council president chairing meetings instead of the mayor?
How about allowing people who live outside of Bridgeport but work there apply for boards and commissions spots? Don’t they have skin in the game? Property owners as well.
We reprise two-time mayoral candidate, ex council and State House member Chris Caruso’s suggestions about modernizing the Bridgeport City Charter.
1. A Code of Conduct (Ethics) coupled with an independent and staffed Ethics Commission to hold accountable the actions of elected officials, lobbyists, gifts for all elected officials, appointed Commissioners & City employees. The Commission budget is to be submitted to the Executive Branch and forwarded to the Council for action.
2. Expand and better define the role and powers of the City Council. The Council needs to be a separate yet equal branch of government. There should also be minority political party representation on the Council similar to the Board of Education.
3. The Mayor and Executive Branch is required to prepare and present a strategic plan for the City’s development and growth. As part of the Plan, recruitment of BRIDGEPORT residents to serve on boards and commissions is to be included.
4. Expectations of performance required of appointed Commissioners and elected officials. Expectations should include but not limited to, attendance, part time and full time elected officials receiving taxpayer compensation. A prohibition on full time elected officials receiving outside income while be compensated by the taxpayers.
5. Create a Contract Standards Review Board to review all City contracts including privatization of City services for accountability of taxpayer money to curb waste, abuse, to increase transparency and curb corruption.
6. Elect ZBA and P&Z Commissioners and alternates.
1. A Code of Conduct (Ethics) coupled with an independent and staffed Ethics Commission to hold accountable the actions of elected officials, lobbyists, gifts for all elected officials, appointed Commissioners & City employees. The Commission budget is to be submitted to the Executive Branch and forwarded to the Council for action.
Requirement all Commission to be fill, extension for current members if a replacement can not be found/filled for the deration for said new time seat/commission. I am pretty liberal on “perks” 🙂 though, cool with budget submitting to Executive and and forwarded to CC action.
2. Expand and better define the role and powers of the City Council. The Council needs to be a separate yet equal branch of government. There should also be minority political party representation on the Council similar to the Board of Education.
Separate but equal, what does that even mean?
While I think there should be political only one party seat for each CC district and the Mayor is not required to chair every CC meeting. However council member for their respective district collectively should have more say and vote power on development and issues regarding their respective districts and have their own
required prepare and present a strategic plan development and growth to be sent to the executive branch and held more accountable for the progress and issues in their districts ie what street needs paving or repairs.
I mean Mosses and Martinez play a the political game well but lets face some facts some of East End development seem to take way to long.
With that being said, a paid CC is warranted.
3. The Mayor and Executive Branch is required to prepare and present a strategic plan for the City’s development and growth. As part of the Plan, recruitment of BRIDGEPORT residents to serve on boards and commissions is to be included.
Cool with EB strategic plan for development vote. board covered but City stake i.e. employment or taxpayer/investment for commissions seats.
4. Expectations of performance required of appointed Commissioners and elected officials. Expectations should include but not limited to, attendance, part time and full time elected officials receiving taxpayer compensation.
Expectation of Performance, Blah Blah Blah. A prohibition on full time elected officials receiving outside income while be compensated by the taxpayers.. No
5. Create a Contract Standards Review Board to review all City contracts including privatization of City services for accountability of taxpayer money to curb waste, abuse, to increase transparency and curb corruption.
5. Create a Contract Standards Review Board to review all City contracts including privatization of City services for accountability of taxpayer money to curb waste, abuse, to increase transparency and curb corruption.
No, just another layer that is nothing but, a waste, abuse, and corruption, with no real accountability or transparency. Thought light is the best disinfectant, contracts/expenditure should be accessible for view and scrutinize.
6. Elect ZBA and P&Z Commissioners and alternates.
No, Can say elected official need check for corruption and then say lets have a Elected ZBA P&Z commissioners and alternates. Just a wasted lay of democracy bullshit.
7. Better define requirements to avoid ambiguity in the lease and sale of parkland.
don’t know the current requirements. so perhaps needed. 🙂
8. Reduce the size of the City Council?
No
9. Compensate the legislative body?
Yes with contingency with item 2
10. The council president chairing meetings instead of the mayor?
Covered in Item 2 Mayor to chair meetings not required, though either CC president or Mayor needs to be in attendance and chaired
11, How about allowing people who live outside of Bridgeport but work there apply for boards and commissions spots? Don’t they have skin in the game? Property owners as well.
Covered, Yes but not on ZBA and P&Z Commissioners, if that’s a current thing. 🙂
12. We reprise two-time mayoral candidate, ex council and State House member Chris Caruso’s suggestions about modernizing the Bridgeport City Charter.
Hell No 😂
See John, plenty of time.
Ain’t nothing but an opionion, and you know what they say about opinion, Asshole everyone Got one. 🙂
Oh, lets not for get, prohibit CC members access to speak at public speaking sessions.
Narcissist and pontificate on your own time. Take it to Facebook. 🙂
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Compensate the legislative body??.Last spring,while doing budget,didn’t Joe include a bump in the council’s compensation from $11,000, to $15,000 each??..How much more do they need??…and where will it come from?.
Honestly,giving some of the,shall we say,” less than upstanding members” any stipend is an invitation to abuse…$15,000 each is more than enough,we’re a city that can’t even fund our schools,and we’re thinking about giving more $$ to this council??..
Who oversees this stipend anyway?,I remember reading about fine restaurants,4 star hotels,etc,etc…
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