UPDATE: City Council Monday night referred this item to Public Safety and Transportation Committee with no discussion
. The City Council tonight, according to an agenda item, is expected to take up the “Pending Appeal concerning the Stratford ZBA’s Granting of a Variance for the New Access Way Constructed by Mark IV Construction Co. Inc. on Sikorsky Memorial Airport Property.” In response Republican Town Chairman John Slater today called on the legislative body to make public “the full details of the proposed settlement of litigation challenging the city’s construction of a $400,000 access road on airport property in the Town of Stratford.” Slater is also calling for a public hearing on the proposed settlement. From Slater:
“From the beginning the Finch administration has attempted to shroud this dubious project in secrecy. Given what we now know about the questionable decision-making and mismanagement related to the project that desire for secrecy is understandable. It is also wrong.
“Before the full Council takes action on this proposed ‘settlement’ the taxpayers should know all of the details regarding the agreement, including any additional cost to the city,” Slater said. “They should also have the opportunity to make their views known at a public hearing prior to any Council action on the settlement.
“For far too long government in Bridgeport has been conducted behind a shroud of secrecy. That has to stop. It’s time to make city decision-making public and to hold our elected officials accountable for the results.”
Other than one meeting and some public handwringing the last City Council showed little appetite for discussing, let alone getting to the bottom of, this mess.
We will soon find out whether the new, supposedly more “independent” City Council acts any differently. Council members’ choices will say a lot about where this Council is headed.