Fabs: UB A Jewel For Bridgeport, Eyes Mayoral Comeback

As mayor, John Fabrizi was a leading cheerleader for restaurants, arts and entertainment, destination points and educational institutions. Making the rounds to test a comeback as chief executive, Fabs has penned a letter to University of Bridgeport President Neil Salonen praising the South End campus as an economic driver, community innovator and education partner with the city’s Adult Education program he has headed for years as he prepares for retirement at the end of the school year. The letter serves to embrace a university Mayor Bill Finch has held in contempt while providing a nod to a potential mayoral rival Mary-Jane Foster, vice president of University Relations.

Finch’s disdain for UB where he was once employed goes back more than 20 years when an arm of the Unification Church financed the university’s recovery from the economic downturn of the early 1990s. Finch had become something of a student of organizations he classified as cult groups he blindly carried over to his political career without regard to the students, professionals running the university, the school’s economic impact on the city, brain power and community involvement.

Finch, in the early years of his mayoralty, made inflammatory remarks about UB that questioned his resolve for the greater good of the community. Mayoral aides, the business community and others prevailed upon the mayor to see the larger picture of the university’s assets. It reached the point the best compromise the mayor could swallow was saying nothing about the university. Perhaps Finch feels he’s too far out there to find a way back, but the university has made huge strides in recent years, building community partnerships, swelling enrollment and furthering technological advancements.

Finch’s myopia toward UB and other policy decisions ruined his friendship with Foster who challenged him in a 2011 Democratic primary. Will Foster run again in 2015? If not, could Fabs be her default candidate?

Fabs embracing UB provides all upside as the tries to draw a larger-picture contrast with Finch. The larger question for Fabs, however, is can he raise the money to wage a competitive race for mayor? If he can he’s in the game. It’s a big if as he finishes out his final months with the school system with an eye toward building coalitions. Fabs’ letter to Salonen:

As a former Mayor of Bridgeport, former member of the University of Bridgeport’s Board of Trustees, graduate of the University, father of a son who is also an alumni and a life-long Bridgeport resident, I want to congratulate you, your staff and the University on the significant strides and progress that you have spearheaded at the University during your tenure.

The University is the economic driver in Bridgeport’s south end and a jewel of the City of Bridgeport. Your increase in enrollment and course offerings alone has certainly portrayed the leadership that you have demonstrated since you joined the University. Your effort to work with the Board on all issues, and the Trefz family as well, has certainly improved the quality of life for your campus family especially with the addition of the Trefz School of Business.

Your innovative approach and strategy on adding a nursing component and nursing track, in partnership with the Bridgeport Hospital and Yale University collaborative, truly broadens the offerings in the health field for your students in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing … a field rich in jobs and need. Your recent announcement of the fuel cell initiative further exemplifies your University’s foresight in the areas of cost savings, power need and preparedness in case of disastrous storms. It’s my understanding that this initiative alone will save the University about $4 million dollars over a decade and power 80% of the University at peak. I know that the list continues and you and your staff are working hard every day improving the University’s quality and strength, which of course, makes for a better Bridgeport!

To this end, I say “thank you” for all that you have done in making the University of Bridgeport a high quality education institution. Thank you for your partnerships with the Bridgeport Board of Education in the Schools of Education and Engineering, and lastly thank you once again for giving a full 4 year scholarship to one of our annual Bridgeport Adult Education graduates 6 years in a row.

Keep up the fine work that you and the University do for your students, staff, Bridgeport and our surroundings.