Ahead of appointing a replacement for the retiring Fire Chief Brian Rooney, Mayor Joe Ganim on Friday named Henry Polite fire marshal.
From city Communications Director Av Harris:
Mayor Joe Ganim announced today that he has appointed veteran fire inspector Henry Polite as Bridgeport’s next Fire Marshal. Polite is a 28-year veteran of the Bridgeport Fire Department and has served as a Senior Inspector in the Fire Marshal’s division since 2010. As Fire Marshal he will oversee a 21-person division responsible for fire safety inspections and fire investigations in the city of Bridgeport. He is the second African American to serve as Fire Marshal in Bridgeport. Polite becomes Fire Marshal following the retirement last month of longtime Bridgeport Fire Marshal William Cosgrove.
“We are grateful for Bill Cosgrove’s many years of service and we are also very proud to have veteran fire inspector Henry Polite take over as Fire Marshal,” said Mayor Ganim. “As Marshal, Henry will oversee critical fire safety inspections and investigate the causes of fires. Henry has a keen eye gained over decades of experience and reflects the diversity in leadership we will have going forward.”
Polite previously served as a firefighter and Lieutenant in the East End of Bridgeport on truck and ladder six. He also later served as a pumper-engineer, and fire inspector starting in 2000.
Ron and Don,
Correct me if I am wrong but I am reading this as proof positive Ganim will not be naming an African American to the post of Acting Chief and he will point to this promotion to prove he is proactive in promoting minorities.
BREAKING NEWS:
Bridgeport’s biggest labor union NAGE Ri-200 released the results of the two days of voting on union concessions the Ganim Administration was seeking. There where two ballots for two different agreements. The five days with no layoffs received: 225 NO to 82 YES
The 10-day furloughs: 279 NO to 24 YES
Yep!!! You got it, Bubba! Placate, placate, placate. I hope we’re wrong. Ron, there’s a fundraiser for Ed Wednesday the 25th, I’d love to see you!
He lives in my neighborhood and is very courteous, polite and professional. The Hispanics got AJ Perez and the Black Community deserves the Fire Chief position because there are several highly qualified individuals who can fill this critical position.
That fundraiser is next Wednesday at Ms. Thelma’s from 6:00 to 8:00.
LOL, I told that to Don at 10:58am today.
I’m tapping your phone, Mackey.
I’m going to post everything before you and Donald can.
Gotcha!!!
I tried tapping Andy’s phone but all that yelling just kept on giving me a headache.
Congratulations Henry, we all know you will do a great job. Henry is a real professional but he is also one of the nicest individuals you’ll ever meet, a gentleman, friendly, honest and he’s someone who cares.
Since when is the fire marshal a mayoral appointment?
As the Fire Marshal for the entire city, it is a mayoral appointment.
I politely say Good Luck Mr. Polite.
Bob, Ron indeed said that this morning. Congratulations to Hank on his promotion to Fire Marshall and there is no one in the BFD more rewarding.
Having said that Bob, you can rest assured this was done placate the black community and to shut Ron and me up, at least that was his plan in my humble opinion.
Mayor Ganim, I can assure you that appointment will not do that and we will continue to be the voice of righteousness with respect to the black community and the BFD.
Given Ganim’s record so far with minority issues, funding for the schools, causing or allowing to be caused the primaries against Gomes and Moore, can someone explain why the minorities backed him so strongly?
Because they believed him. He was very convincing and engaged. Since the white community shunned him and the Hispanics were lukewarm, he embraced the black community as if his life depended on them, and it did. I supported him because I knew the first time he had potential as a candidate, as a person I never really knew him. As I sat working and watching throughout the campaign, my intuition was in high gear. I knew he could never maintain a genuine connection with those who supported him. He emanated a paranoia that while well masked, I saw. Without the potential to rise any higher than mayor, G2 will never walk among the masses and try to be pleasing. One thing I know, he’s always been up to a challenge, so he will try to make a difference in Bridgeport, but unless he reaches out to experienced professionals and lets his firewall down, he may not have the opportunity to hold this job for more than four years.
Lisa, wow, that’s powerful and straight to the point. This conversation needs to have its own topic on OIB and I hope Lennie reaches out to you to make this on a separate subject instead of being here on Henry Polite being Bridgeport’s next Fire Marshal.
Lisa, your background being a former City Council President and your support of Mayor Ganim’s being elected both times and your knowledge of Mario Testa and the honesty and respect you have makes it even more important that Lennie reaches out to you so you can share your thoughts on this subject. Time will tell (JML).
Bobby, I wish I had an answer for you. Under G1 blacks were getting jobs as police, fire and city jobs and all was right with the world. Under G2 blacks are being marginalized and taken for granted. My hope is we as a people realize we were hoodwinked, bamboozled and bullshitted by Ganim and he is a one-term mayor. This can only happen if our ministers, the IMA specifically realize just because he gave the hookup to one member doesn’t trickle down to the masses.
I think this is the smartest decision that has been made so far during G2. Senior Inspector Polite is the best choice for this position. He has always been very diplomatic during the times needed in his profession. He has handled himself well, like a mature, well-schooled representative of the City fire department is expected. His levelheaded attributes will work in his and the department’s favor. Congratulations to Fire Marshal Polite!
BARF, in knowing you, your compliments for Fire Marshal Polite are sincere and well stated, the best to you.