A proposed settlement of litigation regarding what Trumbull will pay Bridgeport for processing its waste water in the past will be taken up Tuesday, 6 p.m. in the Wheeler Rooms of City Hall by the City Council’s Joint Committee on Miscellaneous Matters and Contracts.
Under terms of the agreement previously announced Trumbull will pay Bridgeport $1.6 million for processing waste. The city had initially sought $2.2 million in arrearage under a contract between the municipalities. Trumbull officials have approved the arrangement. Little information has been shared publicly about the agreement, say city officials, due to the pending approval.
Trumbull’s sewer relationship with Bridgeport goes back to the late 1960s. See here. Trumbull has sewers but no treatment plant so its waste water is processed through the city system.
On Wednesday the City Council will conduct a public hearing on Sacred Heart University’s proposal to purchase eight acres of what the city terms is excess property from the Fairchild Wheeler golf course. The city will receive $4 million. The public hearing will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Geraldine Johnson School cafeteria, 475 Lexington Avenue. The $4 million has not been factored into the budget year that starts July 1.
About two weeks ago, the Contracts Committee by a 5-0 vote approved the sale that had been previously approved by the Parks Commission. Sacred Heart wants the park property that abuts its campus for land coverage purposes to satisfy zoning regulations to allow the school to continue its major growth on campus proper in Fairfield. Fairchild Wheeler is owned by the city but located in the Town of Fairfield.
Associate City Attorney Lisa Trachtenburg who negotiated the proposed land transaction with SHU told the committee that SHU, in the city’s protection, can only improve dying trees. “Absent that they cannot do anything to the property.”
Trachtenburg said the $4 million can go to the general fund because the Parks Commission unanimously recommended that the money go there as a result of the property not changing usage. She added that there is precedence for park sale proceeds going to the general fund, instead of park capital improvements, when the state of Connecticut purchased Beardsley Park from the city in the early 1990s. She also stated there is legal precedence from a court decision that upheld park sale proceeds going to the general fund.
Mayor Joe Ganim would like to add the revenue for the budget year that starts July 1.
The Parks Commission has also approved a proposal by Sacred Heart to build six new tennis courts on Veterans Memorial Park across the street from the campus on Park Avenue. SHU will maintain the courts and allow Bridgeport residents usage, according to Associate City Attorney Mark Anastasi.
It’s going to be an interesting week for the lawyers. Before the week is out we should learn: (1) how the administration justifies keeping the sewer agreement secret even though all the other parties have approved it and the details are starting to leak to the media; (2) whether the council will approve the administration selling park land and placing the proceeds in the general fund, in clear violation of the charter; and (3) whether a Democrat or Republican has to fill the Board of Education seat left vacant by David Hennessey’s resignation, and intriguing question which could go either way. Hold onto your hat.
A sewer leak? That’s got to be messy.
I think the secrecy behind the Bridgeport/Trumbull Sewer “Agreement” is absolutely one of the most egregious local government activities I have seen. It is simply BEYOND BELIEF such a major change in regionalization activities is being kept a secret and the public (WHO WILL BE PAYING THIS) is being kept in the dark. I just don’t see how this can be legal.
And I am looking into my crystal ball and seeing this will be approved by both the sub-committee and then the full BPT CC. McCarthy may vote against it as he trolls for Trumbull votes.
The thing is Trumbull voters have no idea if the deal is good, bad or indifferent. Tim Herbst’s rubber stamp Town Council met in executive session to discuss and vote on the deal. NO info will be made public until the deal is signed by all parties, the public be damned.
The same thing is true of Bridgeport voters.
Decisions on two major issues that will determine Bridgeport’s future fiscal and residential health are on the Rubber Stamp list for the City Council this week.
1. Trumbull Tax base Theft/Sewer Services Theft Agreement–Tuesday, 6PM, City Hall, Lyon Terrace/Wheeler Rooms.
City Council set to rubber stamp another multi-year agreement with Trumbull whereby Bridgeport provides Trumbull with discounted access to Bridgeport sanitary sewage infrastructure, allowing Trumbull to steal many million$ more in tax base while we subsidize Trumbull’s suburban lifestyle at the expense of Bridgeport taxpayers.
We must keep in mind Trumbull has already stolen much of Bridgeport’s pre-existing and potential tax base (e.g., Bridgeport’s downtown retail tax base, via the construction of Trumbull Shopping Park, which was allowed courtesy of access to Bridgeport’s sanitary sewage system and other infrastructure services).
WE MUST ALSO KEEP IN MIND TRUMBULL, ARROGANTLY AND IN DEFIANCE OF LEGAL CHALLENGES TO THE PRACTICE, ENGAGES IN A POLICY OF PROFILING BRIDGEPORT RESIDENTS IN TRAFFIC STOPS.
TRUMBULL’S HOSTILITY TOWARD BRIDGEPORT MUST NOT CONTINUE TO BE REWARDED BY OUR OWN CITY COUNCIL. BRIDGEPORT RESIDENTS MUST HOLD THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE APPROVAL OF SECRET DEALS WITH TRUMBULL.
2. Sacred Heart University Services-Theft/Neighborhood Destruction Deal–Public Hearing WEDNESDAY, 5:30 PM, Geraldine Johnson School Cafeteria, 475 Lexington Avenue.
The City Council is set to rubber stamp the sale of large swaths of parkland in Veterans Memorial Park and Fairchild Wheeler golf course, within and adjacent to the SHU-besieged 134th District of the North End. (It should be kept in mind SHU rooming houses have sprouted throughout neighborhoods of the 133, 134, 135, 136, and 138th Council Districts, with the 134th District/Veteran’s Memorial Park-Fairchild Wheeler the most severely impacted (with the 135th District/Lake Forest/Charcoal Pond also severely impacted. (IT MUST BE KEPT IN MIND THAT BETWEEN THE DORMS AND OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING IN BRIDGEPORT, ALL THE TAXPAYERS OF BRIDGEPORT ARE SUBSIDIZING SHU’S PRESENCE IN BRIDGEPORT BY MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY VIA THE POLICE OVERTIME REQUIRED TO ADDRESS SHU STUDENT BEHAVIOR at the expense of the prevention of violent crime in the city. KEEPING IN MIND SHU TAKES GREAT PAINS TO EMPHASIZE THEIR FAIRFIELD LOCATION, WHILE AVOIDING THE MENTION OF BRIDGEPORT IN THEIR BROCHURES.)
IT MUST BE REALIZED THESE LAND DEALS WILL
i) LIMIT ACCESS OF BRIDGEPORT RESIDENTS TO THEIR PARKLAND, in particular, Veteran’s Memorial Park
ii) Allow Sacred Heart University to greatly increase the number of students attending the school, WHICH WILL CAUSE THE FURTHER INTRUSION OF DISRUPTIVE SHU STUDENTS INTO BRIDGEPORT NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH WILL ALSO RESULT IN THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT PROVIDING MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF FREE SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS FOR SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY AT THE EXPENSE OF BRIDGEPORT TAXPAYERS!!!
THUS, THE CITY COUNCIL IS SET TO CAPITULATE TO PRESSURE FROM THE POWERFUL BULLY–SHU–TO RELINQUISH PRECIOUS BRIDGEPORT PARK LAND AND PROVIDE MILLION$ MORE IN FREE SERVICES (EVERY YEAR, FOREVER) FOR DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS, ALL IN ORDER TO PLUG A BUDGET HOLE FOR PATRONAGE JOBS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT BRIDGEPORT ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON WEDNESDAY AND PREVENT THE COUNCIL FROM RUBBER-STAMPING ANOTHER HUGE ACCOMMODATION OF SHU ABUSE AND USERY OF BRIDGEPORT TAXPAYERS/RESIDENTS!!!
Lennie: Thanks for providing us with the info/details on these issues/meetings.
Lennie,
What is the revenue from the sale of this “surplus” park land included in the 2016–2017 city budget?
I would like to change the topic to say thanks to those who gave their lives in the service of our country as we celebrate Memorial Day today.
Amen, Ron. Thanks.
*** PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR WHAT? WHY BOTHER WHEN POLITICAL CITY GOV. WATCHDOGS KNOW IT’S A DONE DEAL, RUBBERSTAMP TYPE DEAL, NO? *** WATCH AND SEE! ***