A special meeting of the City Council’s Contracts Committee will take place Wednesday 6 p.m. in City Hall to consider approval of the appointment letter for Fire Chief Richard Thode and the proposed warm-weather amphitheater operating agreement between the city and concert prompter Live Nation and sports-entertainment entrepreneur Howard Saffan at Harbor Yard.
Under a charter revision approved by voters nearly 30 years ago police and fire chiefs may serve up to two five-year appointments. The contract presented to the council represents Thode’s first.
The amphitheater proposal is more time-sensitive for Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration. A new City Council will be seated in December with many new faces. So there’s a short window for the council committee to send the concert contract to the full legislative body for approval in November. Otherwise, it will considered by the incoming City Council.
Please, lets stop saying that this contract is with “Live Nation”
Live Nation is not the invester here, there name is no where on this contract, and they are not putting one penny into this project or the city of Bridgeport.
They simply plan on booking events at the venue if it comes to fruition,no different than they have booked events at the arena in the past.
Kelvin, Howard Saffan cannot do this without Live Nation. So whether you like it or not it’s not happening without Live Nation whose official Jim Koplik says they are partnering with Saffan. If/when we learn otherwise I’ll report it. By the way Howard Saffan on his own has been a mighty Bridgeport promoter.
When did the police chief and fire chief become mayoral appointments?What does Christopher R Meyer have to say
Andy, charter revision approved in referendum in 1988.
Tom the job has to be advertised and qualifications set. You dont just name Joe blow to the job like Ganim is doing
Andy, the city conducted a search for fire chief that was completed last February. The finalists were Thode, former Washington DC fire chief Dennis Rubin and former Trenton, NJ deputy chief Leonard Carmichael. Ganim selected Thode to the five-year appointment. I don’t know why it’s taken this long for the council to consider this “appointment letter.” The city has not done a national search for a five-year police chief appointment. Meanwhile, AJ Perez serves as the department chief in lieu of that.
Thanks Lennie Maybe its taking so long for the police chief because he does not meet the requirements
Accomplishing anything in Morton Government Center is similar to mating elephants. There’s a lot of grunting and groaning and it takes years to get results.
Lennie, again, this is just another reason why Joe Ganim shouldn’t be governor because he’s not doing his current job as the mayor of Bridgeport. Richard Thode has done is part by becoming one of the three finalists and Mayor Ganim selected Thode and Ganim is and the City Council are refusing to appoint Thode. Richard Thode is a good person and he will be a good fire chief but why is Ganim just sitting on his hands. Mayor Ganim has not done a national search for a police chief and a Personnel Director. David Dunn has been a “Acting” Personnel Director for almost 10 years and he has NEVER taken any exam for the position that he holds. And Joe Ganim wants to be the governor of Connecticut while he can’t do his duties as the mayor.
Andy, you are 100% right, the fire chief, the police chief and Personnel Director all must be advertised and qualifications set. David Dunn, the Personnel Director, has NEVER taken any exam for the position that he during all of Bill Finch’s terms as mayor and during Joe Ganim second term as mayor, what the hell is Mayor Ganim waiting for? This just another reason why Ganim shouldn’t be governor because he’s not doing his current job as the mayor of Bridgeport.
I’m not convinced an amphitheater is the best use for that facility. We have Webster Arena, Klein Memorial Auditorium, the FTC Warehouse, numerous theaters and nightclubs showcasing nationally known performers.
I used to live in the Hartford area, remember when the Meadows Music Theater (now known as Xfinity Theater). Great facility, saw Pearl Jam and a few other road shows there. The indoor area holds 7,500 and the outdoor lawn area holds an additional 22,500 during the summer months, one of the largest amphitheatres in the country.
Has anyone drawn up a realistic plan of renovation for the baseball stadium? What is the projected capacity? Will there be indoor capability as Xfinity has? And what about the inevitable tax abatement? Bridgeport cannot afford to give away much more.
Governor Malloy’s inability to pass a budget has caught Bridgeport outdoors.
Is the Evil Empire going to pass this without asking any rekevant questions?
Of course Kid!
Darth Ganim rides again, eh? Take care of business before an indeoendent City Council is seated, a Council that is not going to ask relevant questions before voting on anything Darth sends over from the the Imperial mothership.
Happy trails to the outgoing Council. I’m sure the district leaders will use every truck in the book to ensure the keys to City Hall remain in the hands of the Emperor and his protegé Darth Ganim.
Don’t forget! tomorrow night is the public hearing at City Hall in Planning and Zoning Committee to consider a City text amendment C-1 (17-44)Petition of the Office of Planning and Economic Development to establish a comprehensive approach to all establishments serving or selling liquor within the City limits excluding full service restaurants under Section 12-10 of the City of Bridgeport Zoning Regulations. that will allow for more package stores in Bridgeport
Please come out and speak against it! Or email the P & Z attention Denis Buckley, Zoning Officer 45 Lyon Terrace. Make you voice part of the official record!
Oh my apologies, I stand corrected, it is slated for Monday October 30 at City Hall.
a mess every night in BPT.
This is a done deal. The contracts committee was cancelled for tonight(10/24/2017) because of storms passing through Bridgeport. As far as I know,there are plans for a Public Meeting on Oct 30(trick or treat or Mischief night) and the subcommittee will meet on November 6th,subcommittee will approve and it will go to the full CC same night in a matter of minutes where it will be approved by the puppets. That is the state of governance in Bridgeport.
Wait, I thought the Contracts Committee meets tonight?
Bob, Contracts is Wednesday night.
130 District- Bridgeport City Council
23 hrs ·
We’ve just learned that tonight’s Ordinance Committee meeting was cancelled by the Chair due to inclement weather. We will post when it is rescheduled which will need to be prior to the last full council meeting on November 6th.
The above was posted on Facebook on Tuesday,October 24,2017 at 5:14pm. Is this discussion of a WEDNESDAY meeting a mixup or was it rescheduled to happen next day,Wednesday 10/25/2017?/// Ohh my!!!
Yes they meet tonight 6 PM in the Wheeler Room
Ain’t politics great?!