CITY BUSINESS: Casual Comments in lieu of Public Speaking on March 16, 2026
Allow me to call attention to a notice regarding next Monday’s City Council meeting and the preceding Public Speaking forum at 6:30 PM for March 16, 2026.
“Due to a lack of quorum, the Bridgeport City Council Meeting to be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, in the City Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport, Connecticut at 7:00 p.m. is hereby CANCELLED.
The Public Speaking forum for March 16, 2026, is also CANCELLED.
ATTEST:
LYDIA N. MARTINEZ
CITY CLERK”
I do not remember such a cancellation except for a Public Holiday and those exceptions are included in a publication by the City Clerk’s office. Any concern about a quorum, before taking attendance at such meeting, is important. In this case City Clerk Martinez tells me that an annual conference attended by many Council members and supported by stipends from taxpayers, will make a quorum at a second March Council meeting unlikely. She agreed that this is an unusual incident for missing a routine City Council meeting.
Who will attend the Conference in Washington, DC? What sessions will they attend of assistance to them in public service and how will they share their learning with us? How many of them have registered their residence address and signed the Town Clerk Register per Ordinance 2.02.080 in 2026? I can report nine as of March 2, 2026. Eleven have missed signing the statement of residence, along with most of the BOARD AND COMMISSION officials, who may not be aware of this responsibility but number more than one hundred people. The mayor also needs to sign the register annually. He may wish to consider how word of this Ordinance annual responsibility is communicated to elected and appointed who become city officials by assigning the duty to one of his cabinet members.
The revised Charter has also set out a requirement for Boards and Commissions to file an annual report each calendar year summarizing the work they have accomplished and plans for the next year. Perhaps the Mayor’s office can communicate that duty in print? Time will tell.
City Council Comments 4-6-2026
Neighbors, Bridgeport citizens, elected officials, or human persons whom I care about and therefore address with respect. I ask you whether you care about me, or all of us, unnamed or unknown to you, as people and individuals with rights and responsibilities, outlined to us as we dig into Civics as a subject, more deeply.
That is why I have worked to develop Casual Civics Conversations within all ten Council Districts. We have scheduled meetings, monthly or more frequent, at five locations in April representing three Districts. I will announce five other locations in five additional Districts for May. There is QR code welcoming you to our website, for more info. We are developing podcasts including folks who feel the need for more municipal information, commentary, and participation. It is not too late to join us at CCC!
We delve into subjects that affect each of us at one time or another: housing, education, youth activities, economic development, energy affordability, and opportunity for all to grow the city. We are working on a series of podcasts to raise awareness, questions, and answers for all. Our goal is the ‘common good.’
We were disappointed to learn about the last scheduled City Council session cancellation, rather than postponement. For those members who attended the DC meeting, what is the news you return to your constituents? How did they secure any value from your spending taxpayer funds when they do not hear from you?
I checked with the Town Clerk today. There are NINE Council members who have not signed the Town Clerk Registry from January 2026. And there are more than one hundred members of Boards and Commissions who receive no notice to register annually. Who reminds the mayor to register? Who reminds the mayor that there are no members of a Fair Housing Commission, which we had 20 years ago, to deal with a broad range of ‘housing and energy’ issues?
See this pin I am wearing? It calls all citizens to perform oversight, and question everything that seems outrageous or plain curious. Become informed. Vote when you are able. When you fail to vote, those in power who fail to include you in governance are happy because you have acquiesced to their conditions of cutting you from official information, knowing that keeping the constituents ignorant leads to frustration, and not voting. What will you do about becoming informed about State candidates this fall 2026? Will you cast your ballot then proving you will not be voiceless? Time will tell.
CITY BUSINESS: Casual Comments in lieu of Public Speaking on March 16, 2026
Allow me to call attention to a notice regarding next Monday’s City Council meeting and the preceding Public Speaking forum at 6:30 PM for March 16, 2026.
“Due to a lack of quorum, the Bridgeport City Council Meeting to be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, in the City Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport, Connecticut at 7:00 p.m. is hereby CANCELLED.
The Public Speaking forum for March 16, 2026, is also CANCELLED.
ATTEST:
LYDIA N. MARTINEZ
CITY CLERK”
I do not remember such a cancellation except for a Public Holiday and those exceptions are included in a publication by the City Clerk’s office. Any concern about a quorum, before taking attendance at such meeting, is important. In this case City Clerk Martinez tells me that an annual conference attended by many Council members and supported by stipends from taxpayers, will make a quorum at a second March Council meeting unlikely. She agreed that this is an unusual incident for missing a routine City Council meeting.
Who will attend the Conference in Washington, DC? What sessions will they attend of assistance to them in public service and how will they share their learning with us? How many of them have registered their residence address and signed the Town Clerk Register per Ordinance 2.02.080 in 2026? I can report nine as of March 2, 2026. Eleven have missed signing the statement of residence, along with most of the BOARD AND COMMISSION officials, who may not be aware of this responsibility but number more than one hundred people. The mayor also needs to sign the register annually. He may wish to consider how word of this Ordinance annual responsibility is communicated to elected and appointed who become city officials by assigning the duty to one of his cabinet members.
The revised Charter has also set out a requirement for Boards and Commissions to file an annual report each calendar year summarizing the work they have accomplished and plans for the next year. Perhaps the Mayor’s office can communicate that duty in print? Time will tell.
City Council Comments 4-6-2026
Neighbors, Bridgeport citizens, elected officials, or human persons whom I care about and therefore address with respect. I ask you whether you care about me, or all of us, unnamed or unknown to you, as people and individuals with rights and responsibilities, outlined to us as we dig into Civics as a subject, more deeply.
That is why I have worked to develop Casual Civics Conversations within all ten Council Districts. We have scheduled meetings, monthly or more frequent, at five locations in April representing three Districts. I will announce five other locations in five additional Districts for May. There is QR code welcoming you to our website, for more info. We are developing podcasts including folks who feel the need for more municipal information, commentary, and participation. It is not too late to join us at CCC!
We delve into subjects that affect each of us at one time or another: housing, education, youth activities, economic development, energy affordability, and opportunity for all to grow the city. We are working on a series of podcasts to raise awareness, questions, and answers for all. Our goal is the ‘common good.’
We were disappointed to learn about the last scheduled City Council session cancellation, rather than postponement. For those members who attended the DC meeting, what is the news you return to your constituents? How did they secure any value from your spending taxpayer funds when they do not hear from you?
I checked with the Town Clerk today. There are NINE Council members who have not signed the Town Clerk Registry from January 2026. And there are more than one hundred members of Boards and Commissions who receive no notice to register annually. Who reminds the mayor to register? Who reminds the mayor that there are no members of a Fair Housing Commission, which we had 20 years ago, to deal with a broad range of ‘housing and energy’ issues?
See this pin I am wearing? It calls all citizens to perform oversight, and question everything that seems outrageous or plain curious. Become informed. Vote when you are able. When you fail to vote, those in power who fail to include you in governance are happy because you have acquiesced to their conditions of cutting you from official information, knowing that keeping the constituents ignorant leads to frustration, and not voting. What will you do about becoming informed about State candidates this fall 2026? Will you cast your ballot then proving you will not be voiceless? Time will tell.