On a day former Success Village board leader Ty Bird tried once again to rationalize the mess he helped create, at an informal news conference with chants of “Bye, bye birdie,” it was disclosed the co-op has more than $1 million in a Milford bank not previously shared with the court that appointed a receiver to oversee the fix for heat and hot water.
From Dan Tepfer, CT Post:
Success Village may have much more money in the bank than previously thought after a court disclosure Tuesday that the housing complex has more than $1 million in a Milford bank.
The cooperative had previously been thought to have less than $4,000.
“I want to know how this money got there,” said Barry Knott, who was recently appointed by a judge to take over the 924-unit co-op’s finances. “I’ve never heard of it before.”
According to prior court testimony, Tyreke Bird, as president of the co-op board had access to the co-op’s bank accounts, was one of only two people who could access the complex’s accounts. Reached Tuesday afternoon he declined to comment on the money’s discovery.
“I haven’t looked at those accounts in a long time,” he said. “I can’t comment on finances, Barry Knott is now responsible for finances. You should ask him.”
Full story here
Not sure if Mr Bird secured legal counsel for himself going forward,but if he hasn’t,he should.. at the very least,he needs to stop talking at this point.
Bird said “ “I haven’t looked at those accounts in a long time,”
When judge Radcliff allows Barry to gain co trol of those accts in Milford,he will be able to see all the transactions..Very “odd” that Mr Bird didn’t remember an acct with $1 mill in it..
I think we have a (Dirty Birdie) on our hands, who wants Bridgeport and Stratford taxpayers to underwrite his tragedy and he’s sitting on a Million Dollars in a Milford Bank!
The scope of this Success Village tale continues to overflow the limits of one storyteller today as the front page of the CT Post carries news stories from both generalist Bridgeport staff writer Brian Lockhart and crime coverage staff writer Dan Tepfer on developments. Big story continues!! Million dollars discovered from insurance payments in formally and formerly unreported bank accounts. Attorney Dennis Bradley has to modify his story to account for this financial find!!
But this profound and ultimately expensive story of failed self-governance without a local municipal safety net available ( or in this case two town safety nets) affecting 924 residential units in two communities, shows little executive response, in my opinion. Where is the activity for Bridgeport on the part of the photo seeking Mayor to convene an open meeting that can be attended by the public to consider the Ordinance for Fair Housing Commission, two years ago revised, but not supported by Ganim2 action? If there are other condos or coops with failing or non-functioning self-governance, is there a thought to providing basic Civics education to avoid conditions like those from Success Village to appear on a future CT Post front page?
Development of bylaws for residents, and by residents, with regular meetings, agendas, minutes reported including all financial reports and opportunities for the people to ask questions and receive satisfactory answers need oversight and support. Having individual civil rights also holds within its concept the notion of duties to respect the human dignity of others and to operate in civil communication with them.
At this historic time I happen to be reading THE BILL OF OBLIGATIONS: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, a 2023 book by Richard Haass and ON FREEDOM by Timothy Snyder, a 2024 publication by the Yale History Professor, a deep text of the centuries long development of political philosophy and the practical consequences today when autocratic practices are accepted by the public without pushback, and great force is used by partisans, often in the dark under cover of laws they have prepared to ignore, avoid, or ultimately break in pursuit of fascist aims.
Does democratic inactivity by a voter with rights and access to information give rise to behavior by leadership that is totalitarian? Who is pursuing governance at each level that is open to citizen questions, accountable regularly as to facts and finances, transparent as to structure and purpose, and honest in telling a whole and compelling story with integrity to all people? Time will tell.
Maybe Birdie tried to feather away a little money to help him fly the coup before the FBI could substitute the moniker “Jail” for Tyreke…. Looks like he will soon become Ty “Jail” Bird — TJ Bird… Unless he is soon able to fly the coup!
(But why all of this craziness at Success. It really looks like a much more sinister conspiracy — to cause an abandonment of the whole development — rather than just simple embezzlement.
Could it be that there are much bigger political/$ players that wanted to get their hands on the property for nefarious purposes (wrt the residents being rendered homeless and otherwise severely financially damaged)?! Looks like a major crime against humanity by way of ruthless theft and profiteering from persons in authority and positions of financial advantage….
There is corporate and political corruption — from fairly high levels — involved here. Birdie and company are very, very connected and have operated the Success BOD as an arm of the local/state political machine for many years…. Politcians and developers were set to profit (reap theri reward) here.