No one can accuse former city development chief Don Eversley of backing down. Eversley, who’s taken all kinds of heat from OIB posters, defends his honor in this lengthy rejoinder to his critics, as a follow-up to his statement the other day characterizing OIB posters as “miserable, bitter old people that post online.” In fact, he says, he’s received many kudos for the statement. Check it out.
Oh, did I strike a NERVE? If you’re gonna dish it, be ready to take it.
Thanks! Your responses just validated the accuracy of my observation. Given the vast number of OIB regulars who read the blog but never post (confirmed by Lennie) because of the viciousness of the regular cyber-bullies, I was hardly surprised by the “insanely huge” number of atta-boys I’ve gotten yesterday and today from all over town for my comment.
FYI: these remarks are coming NOW because I’m back in the private sector. As a senior government official, professional decorum required me to be more circumspect lest my comments be interpreted as an official, rather than personal, position.
As Mr. Lee stated, who hasn’t dozed in a long meeting at some point. So one person posted it on OIB four years ago and from that point on the sleepy nonsense was repeated ad infinitum every time my name came up, often from people I’ve never even met.
Ridiculous, and one of many silly, sloppy inaccuracies perpetuated on this blog.
For example, an individual who posts on this blog has long claimed that the only reason I was hired by Mayor Finch was “as a favor” to NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg. A truly bizarre allegation and completely fabricated. I never worked for Bloomberg, never even met the man, don’t know him and he doesn’t know me. And in any case why would the billionaire need a favor from Bill Finch??
Right here in the comments above the nonsense continues, what’s all this Harvard stuff? My credentials are no secret and I didn’t go to Harvard. One dope mentions it and the other idiots just keep the riff going. WRONG AGAIN … but typical.
Despite the continued distortions in this space, my record of economic development is well establish in City records and documented in the press. See my April report to City Council which details dramatic impacts on downtown (getting the Mechanics & Farmers building and the six Downtown North blocks into the hands of experienced developers), completing the new residential projects at Bijou Square and 333 State Street (which were dead-cold when I arrived), re-structuring the (inherited) Steel Point contract to create a vastly improved deal for the City, brownfield remediation and waterfront recapture, founding the Bridgeport Arts Fest, aggressive Anti-Blight initiatives (more properties cleaned and demolished in 4 years than in the prior decade), successfully managing a complicated Department with multiple fiefdoms and more than its share of ornery characters, hiring highly credentialed professionals for two long-vacant positions (with zero political or personal connections or interference), and new and expanded businesses in numerous sectors.
Did I find a big fat magic bullet to transform Bridgeport into Stamford? No, and guess what? There ain’t one coming. Sorry if the facts on the ground don’t conveniently fit with your warped view of the world.
Mayor Finch and I agree on many things and have “agreed to disagree” on others. I obviously think changing the Planning & Development Director was the wrong move and time will tell. When you are under pressure for results it’s always tempting to think someone else’s ice cubes might be a little bit colder. Unfortunately there is no secret sauce in economic development any more than there is in education. But that call is the prerogative of an elected executive. The Mayor gets to reshuffle his cabinet and the voters get to reshuffle the Mayors.
Very much around, continuing the good work, fighting the good fight.
Such a humble guy, since you did not want to brag, I will for you–you can also walk on water.
I resent being called an idiot by an idiot. If Eversley were as accomplished as he portrays, would he still not be employed by the city as the Economic Development Director? Furthermore, would he still not be employed by BEDCO if he were such a hit? We look for business to bring back prosperity and restore economic stability. I saw no meaningful growth in that area. He claims he was unable to make Bridgeport comparable to Stamford. I would have been happy if Bridgeport rose to be comparable with Devon.
BTW Big E. In the ’60s Downtown Stamford was a desperate slum. Visionaries supported by a highly skilled Economic Development Director transformed that town to what it is today. FD Rich was the catalyst. In your defense, Rich didn’t have to deal with the cheap-shoe sycophants who claim to control this town.
YIKES! Donald woke up! Talk about hitting a nerve … if he had that kind of energy and focus in Bridgeport, he might have kept one of his jobs. As it is, he goes down as just one more failure of the Finch administration.
Baffled, haven’t you heard the most recent OIB rumor? Rumor has it Eversley was sleep-bloggin’ at the time he wrote this piece.
“Unfortunately there is no secret sauce in economic development any more than there is in education.”
Paging Bill Finch, paging Bill Finch, paging Bill Finch. Even the sleeping know Paul Vallas and your hand-picked BOE majority is “no secret sauce.”
Why did I get the feeling Don would awaken posters from their slumber!
Relax Don, it was all a bad dream …
“… what would be the benefit of any further comment by me?”–Don Eversley
Lennie, can you think of any other benefit from this latest comment from Don?
Methinks Eversley’s friends could have crossed the OIB border and defended him a long time ago. With friends like that, who needs enemies?
When you snooze you lose! The attaboys you are receiving are coming from the same bunch of circle-jerks who have been giving us the Litany of Aint’s for years!
BTW–How did that Taint George thing never work out?
He’s right, though … there are plenty of armchair politicians posting on OIB from their little troll cellars who will quickly defame someone for having opposing political viewpoints.
It’s one thing to disagree with someone’s politics, but it’s completely different when you attack a person’s character.
*** Though OIB does have “some” character assassins who attack at the drop of a hearsay rumor and tend to hide behind their blog masks while making insulting remarks, there are still many bloggers who have accurate inside info and/or are just plain tired of the go-nowhere, one-party pay-to-play nepotism and do-nothing politics that have plagued this city for years! OIB is a stress relief outlet that helps taxpaying voters and those who may be interested in expressing their feelings, opinions and info concerning the city of Bpt and the State in general. Those who may be offended by OIB’s spotlight from time to time if in the right have nothing to fear but fear itself, no? *** TIME TO STOP DRINKING THE TAINTED POLITICAL KOOL-AID! ***
*** Could everyone who blogs on OIB with info, news or an opinion be wrong or just misunderstood about what’s happening in the city of Bpt and/or the state in general? Or are they just tired of drinking the tainted political kool-aid? ***
You know what, Mojo? The way I see it is everyone who has a theory may as well put it out there. THEY are reading, and there is a pretty good brain trust on this blog. Someone will get it right, and it will be seen.
There have been some pretty interesting positive correlations to ideas that have been thrown out on this blog, and “spur of the moment” meetings called and actions taken by the City Politicos.
Bloggers are powerful. If we weren’t then we would get not any attention or press mention at all.
All right, now. We have Mojo to give us the straight poop about what’s happening. I missed the memo appointing him the final authority.
*** Seems you’ve been missing a lot of memos in your lifetime, no? So here’s the latest little rascal poop-scoop, “don’t drink the political milk, it’s sour!” ***
I wish I could figure out what in hell you talk about. Lately you have been making Joel appear literate.
Well, I think I’ll follow Pollyanna Mojo’s lead and give Eversley a break by wishing him well in his new attempt at professionalism. Bon Chance Big E, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
Am I imagining things or did he really just give himself credit for the Kuchma projects, Bijou and the new apartments on Fairfield Ave???
*** And credit for things that had been on the economic development drawing board since the Fabrizi admin too! Might as well toot your own horn when nobody else will, no? *** WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD ***
The new guy hasn’t done much so far either.
It’s too bad Eversley’s words couldn’t plug the leaks of the roofs of the Middle Street Boys Club, the Jason Building and the Newfield Building where water continues to seep and rot these structures for the past five years. This rhetoric hasn’t stopped the vandalism, theft and destruction of the Palace and Majestic Theater for the past five years. The bulldozed carousel on Pleasure Beach remains in a pile and the harbor remains a collection of deteriorating shacks, but don’t worry. Eversley did a great job! And it’s true, Kooris isn’t doing much but planting bushes around dollar stores and new McDonalds.
And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement walls. OIB breaks the sounds of silence.