Federal investigators are examining the work and relationships of Bridgeport-based Mark IV Construction, whether sewer construction in Trumbull (the town is suing him over this) or a rock-crushing operation in Bridgeport. The company is controlled by Manny Moutinho, an active contributor to numerous local political campaigns through the years.
From the Fairfield County Weekly:
The renegade rock-crushing operation at Mark IV Construction Company in the ramshackle East End neighborhood of Bridgeport leaves cars and houses coated in dust.
When the wind blows it whips dirt from huge uncovered mounds of dirt. And according to area residents, the company also creates considerable noise, has kicked up a rat problem for some nearby homeowners and pollutes the Yellow Mill River behind its property, which flows into the Long Island Sound.
Full story here.
This story seems to have big health issues, land use governance issues, City handling of administration issues, and maybe even some “big people” issues (as opposed to “little people”).
The issue I have seen poorly handled in other parts of the city is the illegal use of property that ends up in the Court system, that is clearly a violation and for which zoning enforcement action was initiated, but ends up in the legal system and is LOST for most practical purposes. I believe there is a tracking system for legal cases that is in use in the City. Who is accountable for the review of the status of cases? For assuring actions and responses are timely? For tracking the coordination with other City land use and/or inspecting parties? Who is accountable? Is the system open to review? Is it transparent?
And if such questions were put into CitiStat, would an answer come tumbling out of that system? That system was designed to produce efficiencies. This administration made the process gutless (it no longer is used for analysis to show where issues are forcing a productive response) and in the process reinforced its own lack of courage to deal with such issues.
So East End residents, put your questions to the City, in tens, or hundreds or even thousands and see what the official response is. After all, it is an election year.
Beacon2–Long-winded but accurate. The administration turns a blind eye to political contributors at our expense. This is further proof of the need to exorcise our demons. This is further proof to change the Capo Regime.
Manny Moutinho is the Portuguese Sal DiNardo. He has defied authority at every turn when it comes to pollution, quality of work and use of explosives to clear land for building purposes. When he built his house in Easton he had to use explosives in order to make a foundation for his uberhaus (about 7,000 sq. ft.). His employees overcharged the blasts without cover and my house and neighboring houses were showered with debris. I thought I was back in Vietnam being attacked as I was home during one session and the house shook. When the state police finally showed up to pull his blast certificate he defied them and told them they only issue the cert., but would have to take him to court to pull it. By the time they got him to court he had long finished and got away without any fine. The one exception is I sued him for the damages to my foundation and won a settlement through his insurance company.
And the list goes on …
I can’t wait to see what the Foster Campaign will uncover on their FOI request on the misuse of outside counsel by the city.
Millions for counsel and we don’t have pennies for a dirt case.