Attention City Employees, Election For Civil Service Commissioner

Hey, there’s another election going on and the deadline to vote is this Friday. The resignation of Willie McBride as the city employee representative on the Civil Service Commission has triggered a vote among city employees to replace him.

McBride resigned from the commission apparently because he has started an electrical contracting company to position for city contracting work. The Civil Service Commission has five members, four appointed by the mayor. The fifth member is voted to the commission by city employees.

John Fabrizi, Val Sorrentino and Charlie Carroll are three city employees who have served on the commission.

Nine city employees are vying for the challenge to fill out McBride’s five-year term ending 2018, including his brother Dwayne McBridge who works in the emergency operations center. One intriguing candidate is Associate City Attorney Russell Liskov who apparently isn’t thrilled with changes Mayor Bill Finch has made within the legal office. Hmmm, if Liskov wins, the mayor might need his vote for something. Russell, you wouldn’t stick up the mayor for a vote, would ya?

City employee ballots must be returned to the Civil Service office on Friday. Votes will be counted by an elections committee on August 15. Candidates may review the vote count.

The other candidates are Fire Captain Sal Emanuel, electrical inspector Tony Cavalli, school board roofer William DeLeo, Police Sergeant John Gale, vital statistics assistant registrar Patty Ulatowski, benefits coordinator Geri Evans, and school board custodian Gilbert Velez.

Former City Councilman Joel “Speedy” Gonzalez, a custodian in the police department, is stumping for Gale. Speedy shares this statement with OIB:

I work for Public Facilities at the Police Department and heard that Sgt. John R. Gale was running for the position. I asked around about who he was and what kind of person he is. I heard enough positive things about him that I took the time to find him and let him know I voted for him and wanted to do more than that. Sgt. John R. Gale is a 14-year Bridgeport Police veteran currently serving as Patrol Sergeant on the midnight shift. He serves on the Executive Board of the Police Union, Local 1159 and has been a Union Steward for 10 years. He is an Instructor in the Bridgeport Police Academy and a member of the SWAT Team. Does this sound like a person who is likely to be a pushover and be intimidated by a majority holding ballpoint pens like him?

I don’t have a personal relationship with John other than cleaning the building he works in and during all the contacts I had with him he has always been professional and respectful to me.

Vote for John R. Gale for City Employee Representative on the Civil Service Commission. When you do this, you can sleep much better at night regardless of what city or town you live in.