When Mayor Bill Finch last summer hired David Kooris to serve as the city’s chief development official he made sure Donald Eversley who had occupied that role wasn’t out in the cold. Finch, with the help of United Illuminating, funded Eversley’s $125,000 salary in efforts to revive the development authority Finch once headed himself, the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation. Now it appears, at least in the short term, the agency is once again mothballed.
Eversley has departed the quasi-public development authority and there’s no plans to replace him, according to Paul Timpanelli, president of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council where BEDCO had its offices on Middle Street Downtown. Timpanelli and Eversley did not have a warm and fuzzy relationship.
In an email to OIB Eversly wrote “BEDCO ‘Acting President’ Timpanelli and the Board claimed the organization was out of money and had no plan to continue.”
During the era Finch headed the agency roughly 15 years ago, one of the BEDCO projects was the Read’s Artspace housing development Downtown. A year or so before Finch became mayor, while also serving in the State Senate, the agency experienced funding challenges and was shut down.
Mayoral advisers and some business leaders were not happy with the city’s pace of redevelopment and prevailed upon Finch to make a change. Finch liked Eversley personally and wanted him to save face without an outright termination so Finch worked out an arrangement last summer to revive BEDCO with funding into 2013.
The burden, however, to keep BEDCO financed rested with Eversley, so BEDCO once again is no more, but Eversley says fundraising was not his responsibility.
“Fundraising was not my responsibility,” Eversley wrote in an email to OIB. “Contrary to the haters, (once again) my record in financially slim years deal-for-deal surpasses those who enjoyed the fat times. Facts are facts. Happily practicing law and part of development projects in CT, NY and NJ.”
*** In not so many words, the city gets rid of sleepy “E” who was a complete failure as head of Economic Development. Spend taxpayers’ money to help sleepy “E” save face and claim it as a B/S try to revive the sinking BEDCO. Timpanelli’s asked a favor by Finch to put up with sleepy “E” on a temp basis ’til the bottom falls out so everybody can save face in the end. Amazing! The Reads Art space (a BEDCO PROJECT) 15 years ago was falling apart, businesses were moving out, the housing tenement had druggies, pimps, dealers, mentally disabled and rent beaters living there and panhandling in the hallways or in front of the building. Now that it’s made somewhat of a turnaround along with other spots downtown, BEDCO is history! *** MIRACLES NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE US IN BPT. ***
“the housing tenement had druggies, pimps, dealers, mentally disabled and rent beaters living there and panhandling in the hallways or in front of the building.”
Sounds more like City Hall than Reads.
Money is scarce, everywhere. Productivity in the private marketplace is what provides job security, and even then it is not a 100% guarantee.
BEDCO, from the identities listed above, seems to be where the dead go. So if the quasi charitable intent of the UI ran out, along with practical accomplishments Eversley can point to, is anybody surprised? Who will shed a tear?
Who governs is a constant problem with quasi-public groups. Accountability and transparency are not practiced often, and the voter has no YEA or NAY on the operations though often is responsible for the funding through bonding or support of operational expense. Is there anything left of BEDCO other than some stationery? Any lease or debt responsibilities? Any assets, responsibilities or outstanding legal issues?
Are there enough legacy “wins” in the past to keep the name alive through “mothballing” or is a decent burial due? Time will tell.
Eversley was a waste of time and money. So is Timpanelli. When will this town figure that out?
I heard he went bye bye, to a new job in Dubai. Any truth to this rumor, Lennie?
Joel, I’m guessing you made that up, so it’s doubtful.
Ah yes, BEDCO, an oxymoron for economic development.
GOOD RIDDANCE. No one will even notice he’s gone his impact has been so insignificant. More $ City Hall and the business community pissed away taking care of their own. When will it stop?
Neversley is the epitome of lazy, useless and nonproductive. It will be interesting to see what government agency in New York City will pay him to sleep on the job.
Looks like BEDCO was just another example of wasting the taxpayer’s money in Bridgeport.
Boy. I hope Eversley’s new employer didn’t check OIB for references.
The future employer of ANY ex-Bridgeport employee (especially higher-level ones) should check OIB as a matter of course. It’s just good vetting. If they don’t, they deserve what they get.
*** Time to make another BEDCO “CLONE” that can help bring Park City businesses “back from the dead” and into the BASS PRO SHOPS future, no? *** GONE FISHING ***
Will anyone explain the governance mechanism through which the City funded $40,000 or more to BEDCO as a share of Don E.’s compensation during his (one will assume) final days with the City pursuing ‘economic development?’ What budget did it come from? Was there a meeting held to discuss and authorize? Who were City mayoral appointees on group? Is it a Board or Commission? Is it a group on the City web site listing its purpose, meeting schedule, etc.? Or is it just off the radar?
With whom did Finch work out this arrangement in order for Eversley ‘to save face?’ Don’t you like the way Mayor Finch spends the taxpayers’ money? Time will tell.