Update, Finch spokesman responds: One’s a Republican, the other a Democrat. Both aren’t bashful about puking up what’s in their respective heads. Tensions between Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst and Mayor Bill Finch have erupted. CT Capitol Report headline describes it as War. From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
In a lengthy letter circulated Friday, Trumbull First Selectman Timothy Herbst, a Republican, unloads on Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, a Democrat, about the latter’s alleged behavior at a regional planning meeting the day prior.
The full letter can be read here: Herbst Letter to Mayor Bill Finch, April 3, 2015
Finch and Herbst are not the friendliest of neighbors. But instead of fighting over loud parties or one family’s dog pooping on the other family’s lawn, these two neighbors butt heads over development, sewage treatment plants and government ethics.
Oh the drama!
Full story here.
Statement from Finch spokesman Brett Broesder:
“Per usual, Tim Herbst’s politically charged manifesto is absurd and full of half-stories and mistruths. When it comes to the meeting in question, the truth is that it’s normal procedure for the head of any organization, including the Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (METROCOG), to give voting members a heads up about relevant items on an agenda before they are voted on. But much to the shock of several METROCOG voting members, including Mayor Finch, that didn’t happen. Tim Herbst threw an item on the agenda that effectively moved the organization’s office out of Bridgeport, without any pre-meeting notice or giving the public a chance to chime in, and tried–but failed–to push it through.
“So of course Mayor Finch wasn’t pleased with being sandbagged like this. Mayor Finch’s kids go to public schools in Bridgeport, he’s a longtime leader and statesman, and helping Bridgeport get better every day. To learn of an organization moving out of the city due to a backroom political deal on the part of Tim Herbst, served as disappointing news. Especially as so many new job creators and investors are coming to Bridgeport as the city is on the verge of a major comeback.
“Mayor Finch has shown time and time again that he’s willing to roll up his sleeves and work with leaders from all parties, whether it’s local, regional, or national level. He’s worked with Mayor Harkins to secure a more than $40 million federal grant and renovate Sikorsky Airport, moving the long-stalled safety improvements forward. He’s worked with First Selectman Vavrek to bolster access to buses. He’s worked with city and town leaders from across the state as the former head of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. And, he co-chairs the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Task Force with Republican Carmel, Indiana Mayor James Brainard.
“In Trumbull, behaving like a Tea Party radical and taking shots at Bridgeport might score some cheap political points with Republicans. But it’s not an effective way to govern elsewhere, including the state’s largest city or a regional organization.”
Statement from city development director David Kooris:
“Tim Herbst is wrong on the Pequonnock River Bike Trail. We’re making significant progress. We completed the planning study, and our final design meeting with ConnDOT is next month. There was a temporary delay because Ted Grabarz, Bridgeport’s Sustainability Director, was spearheading the project. But he was called to active duty for his service in the United States Military. That said, the project is now on track, moving forward, and once complete will serve as a significant boost for the community. Furthermore, we hope Tim Herbst will abide by Federal Law and provide parking access to the rail trail in Trumbull for out of town residents since funding was provided by all Federal taxpayers, not just those from Trumbull. Unfortunately, Tim Herbst has been opposed to this so far.”
Beavis and Butthead!
This is the type of behavior Governor Malloy endorses? I hardly think so. This is the type of sophomoric behavior that is “well received” in Hartford? Well, Hartford if you like him, we implore you to take him off of our hands. Now-ish, savvy?
Governor Dannel has to make astute choices. He could endorse Ganim but that would make him look corrupt by association. So he has to endorse Bill Finch, the man with the Pepsodent smile.
Why does he have to endorse anyone?
Oh well, what’s new? Anybody who has any dealings with Bill Finch knows what Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst has written is no surprise to them. The only way to deal with a bully is to step up to them and push back harder.
If I’m Joe Ganim, I go to the next one of these meetings just to see and learn what goes on.
I’m guessing at that point Finch will throw him out.
Let the fun begin.
If I’m Tim Herbst, I’d be wondering why Finch showed up when he did. Can anyone say listening devices? It’d be right up the paranoid mayor’s alley.
Thank you, Timothy Herbst. Although most of us already know Mayor Finch is incompetent and behaves like a dictator, this is further evidence we are on point.
According to the attachment that shows Mayor Finch, or his designee, missed 9 out of 21 meetings, which equates to a 43% absence rate. In the BPS, Mayor Finch would be considered a truant. If you have 15 unexcused absences in a school year, you automatically fail. A school year has 180 days, not the few meetings this organization has per year.
The comments regarding Mayor Finch’s competence, and that of his appointees is pretty embarrassing.
Lennie–LOVE OIB. Also love that in the comments for the poll on the next mayor, Mr. Wade gives positive feedback on Finch and is told to essentially mind his business because he is not from BPT, yet on this comment page, Herbst from Trumbull goes anti-Finch and is applauded … LOL LOL.
Lifelong Bpt, this organization is made up of several municipalities, not just Bridgeport. Timothy Herbst is the Chair of the organization in question.
Timothy Herbst didn’t comment on who the mayor of Bridgeport should, or should not be. His letter is in reference to Mayor Finch and his interaction with this particular organization.
Is it September yet?
Great theater. Nothing more.
The mayor was raised in Trumbull. The Finch clan is still based in Trumbull. Bill Finch is really a Trumbullite. Herbst knows that.
I’m sure there’s nothing between Bill Finch and Tim Herbst–two “good ol’ boys” from Trumbull–that a good sewer deal for Trumbull from the Bridgeport Mayor’s Office couldn’t fix. (Maybe even a Bridgeport Regional Sewer Authority, headed by Tim Herbst?)
I’d bet Governor Malloy would be willing to make an appearance at the next Steel Point dirt-moving ceremony, flanked by Bill Finch and Tim Herbst, to promote such enlightened, regional cooperation.
But from another perspective, a good sewer deal from Bridgeport for Trumbull is just the sort of election-year thing the other mayoral candidates should be praying for. It is just the type of thing that if brought to light, publicly, BEFORE THE ELECTION, could take some of the shine off the steel girders at the tax-deferred Bass Pro site at the planned Steel Point super strip mall.
One of the things that could greatly help to tip this Bridgeport mayoral election in favor of a dark-horse candidate would be the elucidation of the exploitative relationship of the suburbs with Bridgeport (especially the Trumbull relationship), and the stated policy of that candidate to challenge and end that exploitative relationship.
You can bet that “Regional Bill” is not a candidate of that stripe. He is much too proud of our “green,” regional role–“Give us your garbage, your sewage, your recyclables, your power plants; your poor and huddled masses of debris and suburban remodeling waste …”
Jeff,
I’m sorry, but sharing the Herbst letter with fellow Connecticut residents across the state has led me to believe you’re missing something here:
1. People’s astonishment with this peculiar mayor of Bridgeport named Finch.
2. People whose tax dollars keep Bridgeport financially above water, for now, calling me up and asking, in light of the CT Post article:
“Really? Did he show up and pound the table because the building where the poop was found in the elevator is managed by one of his big donors?”
or
“Really? The Mayor who defends having city employees on the city council as good government is getting in an uproar because a regional council he doesn’t head wants and whose meetings he misses almost half the time is flying off the handle because that regional council wants to move out of Bridgeport because its employees feel at risk and there’s sh** in the elevator?”
Jeff, as you know, Finch’s behavior is not acceptable behavior for an elected official.
If Trumbull selectman Herbst were angling for something from Finch–other than another pointless tirade–would this be the way to do it? I think not.
Yes, there are powers beyond our control that move things around here and, sometimes, back Finch; however that doesn’t mean there aren’t major fissures in the rotting body politic Finch currently rides like a bucking bronco.
Naughty boys. A huge, boring story.
It appears Mayor Finch has plenty of detractors on the blog, but I think one’s opinion on this is influenced by their perspective. As a Trumbull Democrat, I am embarrassed by Tim Herbst’s comments and I think they do nothing to help our town. Herbst has shown repeatedly he can’t work well with others. He sued Bridgeport over the Fairchild-Wheeler Multi-Magnet school, and ended up getting fleeced by Bridgeport in that deal when he pushed too far and ended up losing millions and having the state legislature carve 49 acres out of Trumbull and put it in Bridgeport. Trumbull has had another lawsuit and FOI Commission battles with Bridgeport over the sewer contract, which expired on June 30, 2012 and we seem to be nowhere near an agreement. Trumbull also sued Monroe when Herbst didn’t like the Super Walmart that was approved by the Monroe PZC. I really wish our First Selectman realized Trumbull is not in a state of war. Trumbull has lots of residents who work in Bridgeport or commute from the Bridgeport train station. It is in our town’s best interests to have a good relationship. I thought Herbst’s letter sounded childish. It’s not just what you say, but the way you say it as well. I would prefer to see our FS ratchet down the rhetoric and actually get something done of mutual benefit to both communities.
TKelly–your comment is on the money. Well-stated.
What a joke. I’ve lost a lot of respect for Tim Herbst. I find it outrageous regular bloggers have the audacity to applaud Tim Herbst. Mayor Finch, the leader of our city, was grossly insulted by the Trumbull selectman who lost an election and they are still reacting in anti-Finch mode. Let’s face it. I will assume all of you anti-Finch people with your total disrespect will be eating shit for another four years. This is where I sign off. I would like Bridgeport to start taxing Trumbull residents for everything they get from Bridgeport. Let’s see how they like it and their Selectman. To all on this blog–enough is enough, best wishes to all of you miserable, negative, self-serving, pathetic losers who believe it’s better to love a convicted felon who will watch his comeback drop like a lead balloon than support our Mayor who is going to be elected to another four-year term. I am certain Tim Herbst is supporting Ganim and that alone is beginning to make Trumbullites very uneasy. It makes me very uneasy. The golden boy of Trumbull has lost his way.
Steve, Finch has lost elections, too. And from what I am seeing and hearing around town, he is likely to lose another one in September.
Did you look at Finch’s attendance record? For heaven’s sake, the meetings are held in Bridgeport and he missed nine out of 21 meetings. He is even allowed to send a designee, and did not.
I just couldn’t imagine that every couple of months, 5-6 mayors/first selectmen come to my town for a meeting of an organization I am part of, and I repeatedly blow it off.
Herbst and Ganim’s families go way back and Herbst is a regular at Mario’s Madison Ave, so throwing mud at Finch is a well-scripted plan.
Bpt Rebel–you spoke the truth indeed.
Apparently there were no adults at the meeting.
If (and it’s a big if) Tim Herbst proposed a major action like moving your offices out of Bridgeport and didn’t put it on the agenda ahead of time, his behavior is outrageous.
This organization is defined as a public agency therefore it must comply with the FOIA. If the item was not published on the agenda in advance, the only way it can be added to the agenda is by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting.
If it was not on the agenda and not added to the agenda by a two-thirds vote, the entire discussion would have been illegal.
It would also fail the smell test.
If the worst thing Finch has done is missed meetings to discuss what? Tell us a subject Finch missed. Finch banged on the table about what? I’ve never seen Finch bang on the table.
He should have missed every meeting if this is what happens. If no more taxes are needed who cares about Herbst? He comes to Bpt and eats spaghetti. Wow, that’s good to know. I recommend the veal parm.
Steve,
You are either lying or have never seen Finch in action.
Cut it out.
Bring on the Finchettes!
Nice job, Tim Herbst!
Run Joe, Run!
Kooris Light and Brett Boaster need to learn how to correctly spell the name of the river, unless they are referring to a New Jersey river.
There hasn’t been an Airport Commission meeting in 10 months. After flying under the radar, one will take place on Thursday.
For those of you who are glorifying the nonsensical grandstanding by Tim Herbst, you obviously don’t really know him. He’s full of himself who has delusions of grandeur. He has demonstrated his combative behavior and lack of finesse on many occasions and Finch is just his newest target. He has an agenda, and that is to see the family friend get re-elected as Mayor. Trumbull worked very hard to get this kid elected to State treasurer so they could be rid of him, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. He’s in no position to call anyone a bully when he is one himself.
If Bridgeport people decide to wake up about Finch’s decisions, ask Finch why the GE factory disappeared. The taxes GE paid to Bridgeport disappeared too. Can you tax property that isn’t there? Why did Finch and the council allow GE to evade taxes?
I haven’t read any proposals that would generate jobs or generate more tax revenue to reduce the tax burden on each business located here.
It’s reprehensible, the “Mayor” has done nothing about the connection of the Pequonnock Trail to the Housatonic Avenue Trail. Now he wants to re-direct it through Knowlton Street to go through his new park there. Seriously incompetent and that letter from the State DOT that implies his incompetence is not made up.