From Brian Lockhart, CT Post
Over 600 businesses and non-profits have applied for a share of $25 million in federal coronavirus relief funds the city has made available.
“We got bombarded the last two days” of the application process, Tom Gaudett, an aide to Mayor Joe Ganim, said late last week. “It was very successful.”
The deadline was 2 p.m. Aug. 31. Now 12 different committees, from five to as many as a dozen members each of elected officials, municipal staff and community leaders, will be tasked with sifting through all of the paperwork to begin awarding the money.
“The committees will begin work this month,” Gaudett said. “The goal is to have some transparency around the process–a diversity of viewpoints–to make sure this money is put out in a responsible way and in a way that we are giving out the money as widely and effectively as possible.”
He said applicants will gradually be notified about whether they qualified or if they need to present additional information.
“We’re not trying to trip people up,” Gaudett emphasized. “If people missed things they were supposed to include, we’re giving them the opportunity to remedy those issues. We’re happy to do it to make sure everyone has a fair shot at this.”
Full story here.
600 for profit and not-for profit applications? In less than a month?
Successful response according to Tom Gaudett. Will the City create a list of all applicants?
And while at it, why not a list of the 12 committees with diverse (and presumably non-conflicted membership) and the standards to be applied in their assessments of grant applicants?
“Some transparency is a goal” of Gaudett. Wonderful. How about total transparency for this distribution of $25 Million to avoid the feedback from recent $$$ distributions?
OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT, and HONEST are governance values I often repeat in writing and speaking. Time will tell.
This will be a process filled with “taking care of friends,political supporters,& own self interests”..Sooo many opportunities for favoritisim & fraud,which happen to be the foundation of this Admins…
Lmao!! Good one JML!! “Non conflicting membership”. “C’mon man”…. It’s Bridgeport!! The perfect job for those sitting at the round “espresso” table at Mario’s….. Or what’s left of them!
Cheers !!!!!
Maybe Defilippo can get some $$$ for all the years he was prevented from opening his liquor store. What do you think Tom???!!!!! (Grin). Lol.
You just scratched the surface JML.
12 committee with 5 – 12 members?
Why not the same number and same criteria for membership?
Well all that matters is who is running the show. We all know its Joe so why go through all this BS.
And John conflicted members? They just horse trade the grants. You take care of A, B and C for me and I’ll take care of D, E and E for you.
It just to much reading. It gives me a headache.
Just more Park City Hot Air, oh, I mean Wind.
Is this the City of Bridgeport or the Stress Factory?
Truth is that Joe will make the call and everyone else will follow.
Hey Tom, what’s the going rate?
10% of the grant to the mayor’s reelection campaign?
The city can’t seem to find anyone to serve on Boards and Commissions but for this? We’ll have nooo problem whatsoever.
I just want to see who Castillo approves.
And Aidee will need to mull this one over until she gets very clear instructions from the mayor.
Hey Tom, what about the council primaries?
You really screwed up the timing of this didn’t you?
Joe’s not gonna be happy with this.
Now that our application is in for just a measly 20 million dollars, Black Rock and it’s fifty thousand residents with there 150 million plus in taxes, can secede from the jaws of Bridgeport !
Their
Joe needs the Black Rock for cover to say he lives some where there so why not so let that to $40 million. In for a dollar in for a pound.
Let’s see if it is the usual non-profits lined up for handouts.
Next step for congressional delegation will be a declaration that this will be an annual handout for ‘social infrastructure’.