Retired Bridgeport firefighter Andy Fardy is the quintessential meat-and-potatoes observer of neighborhood life from his perch on the Upper East Side. Small things, he says, add up when it comes to government services. He shares some thoughts about the little things not getting done. Do you agree?
The politicians running Bridgeport just don’t understand it is the small things that make people happy and content. The small things are also known as Quality of Life Issues. Let me explain the Quality of Life Issues issues in my neighborhood, then you can multiply these issues by the 10 City Council districts.
1. Grass clippings are scheduled to be picked up the day after recycling is picked up. It has been 8 days since the recycling was picked up the bags are out and starting to break down, they are not picked up. Why?
2. This weekend at 3 in the morning a group of young adults were at a foreclosed property partying and raising hell. My neighbor called 911 and was told she was the second call and a patrol car would respond. NO ONE FROM THE PD SHOWED UP.
3. We have a Sacred Heart group of students living here last year. The city checked it out and there were only 4 students there thus it was legal. This year there are 8 cars, many parked on the lawn.
4. We have a number of sewers that overflow when it rains thus creating a flooding problem that never seems to get fixed yet we are facing a WPCA rate increase.
5. Plowing–the city has done a terrible job of plowing and refuses to get its drivers trained thus we are stuck in our homes for a couple of days.
There are many more QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES but I just listed 5. The average citizen really does not think about economic development much, he/she is worried about the small stuff that affects their day-to-day lives. Politicians don’t get it. Do our elected officials tour the city? I doubt it. I ride around the city and believe me, there are enough quality-of-life issues that will actually keep the city workers busy.
The people who are not doing their jobs need to go, starting with these people.
A. Chief of Police
B. Public Facilities Director, whoever that is.
C. Head of maintenance for WPCA
D. Code and Blight department heads
E. Head of 911 call center
Just to name a few.
I go to the Hibachi Buffet and Teppanyakik buffet, in your neighborhood, twice a week for lunch. How can you beat $5.99 and $6.99 respectively? Beardsley Park is still gorgeous and you cannot beat Gregg Dancho’s Zoo, he does an amazing job. Andy, you live in the Mayor’s neighborhood. How is it there is no response? Have you spoken to Richie Paoletto and Mike Marella? Anytime I had an issue Richie would follow up. I am so sorry the quality of life issues in your area has reached a new low. It seems to me your Mayor, sharing the same space so to speak, would be most interested in addressing these issues. Now Andy, if you contacted the Mayor, Paoletto and Marella and they blew you off then that would be a serious issue to deal with. Maybe there needs to be a neighborhood meeting scheduled at the carousel with the council and Mayor to discuss these issues as well as officer Gaudett. I have not read any Post articles or editorials regarding these issues. If they are real let’s get the public to a meeting and address them.
Steve, I have met with Chief Gaudett, spoke to Rich Paoletto and will say I did get a response from him. I did not and will not speak to Mike Marella, while he is the council person he does not live here. Steve, I live 1 mile from the mayor, it might as well be 100 miles. I have been to a number of neighborhood meetings around the city and all you hear is rhetoric and there are no results. Telling me about the great new restaurants and the zoo does not address quality of life issues.
Steve,
Really? The Hibachi Buffet and the zoo is all you can come up with? What do either of those places have to do with the quality of life issues Andy is talking about?
Why would Marella care? He may sit on the council and represent the 138th but since he goes home to Shelton every night he has no clue what takes place in the district.
Richie has been the biggest waste of a council person for as long as I can remember. He looks the other way on every quality of life issue there is.
Why do you think the Mayor would be interested in discussing these issues? Just because he lives near the zoo?
When has the mayor discussed anything of importance with the people of Bridgeport? Was it when he promised a $600 tax refund? When he tried to promote himself as an education mayor?
Bridgeport is missing the boat when dealing with the quality of life issues. It is sometimes the littlest things that make people the happiest.
Just once this summer I would like the public grass cut on Nutmeg Circle without me having to call the city 10 times or having to do it myself.
I shouldn’t have to ask for a meeting with my council people to address these concerns. They are the same issues every year.
My council people supposedly live here. Are they dumb, deaf and blind? Do they not see and hear the same things we do? Why do I have to beg them to take care of what they were elected to do?
ANDY AND ANN, ironic isn’t it I would think the two restaurants were part of my quality of life issues. Let’s first admit you both hate Mayor Finch. Let’s also admit perhaps you want to replace Marella and Paoletto. Why haven’t you had letters, editorials and articles in the Post? Beardsley Park most certainly is an important quality of life issue as well as the zoo. Bridgeport Free Shakespeare is a huge quality of life issue … for me, anyway. I am sorry for slashed tires. Is it possible it is a personal assault? The students across the street, have you spoken to them? Mayor Finch does live in your neighborhood. Certainly closer than York St. you had mentioned in an earlier post. Shopping plaza a few years ago housing Teppanyaki had been a vacant eyesore other than Food World for the 17 years I have lived in your area. The Hibachi Buffet house in the former Fitzwillys or Fairway has been vacant for as many years. I do see improvement in the neighborhood. Maybe the area of grass on Nutmeg should be removed. Does the City really need to worry about cutting grass on a street? The Treeland area has always been a desirable neighborhood as well as Beardsley Park. If you believe the area needs improvement and you believe you are the answer as well as the neighborhood concurring with the dark picture you portray, then perhaps you should announce your candidacy and start running. You have also mentioned on more than eight occasions about Mike Marella living in Shelton. Is that a fact? Can it be proved? Is the Connecticut Post breaking a scandalous story? Does anybody believe whether he lived in the City or an estate in Greenwich he doesn’t care about the neighborhood he had invested so much time and effort? Come on guys. Either announce your candidacy or stop disparaging your own neighborhood.
Damn it Steve, get a clue. How many times do I have to tell you, buildings do not help in quality of life issues. Relate to me how a buffet helps police protection or picking up grass clippings. Just so you know, Ann and I did run for the council, we lost and we lost because a third group entered the race. Steve, tell me the effort Marella has put in the neighborhood all these years.
As far as my tires go it was not an isolated incident. I wrote a live letter to the Ct Post and got four responses from people in this district who had their tires slashed in that same week. They received no police response. The car that covers this area knew nothing of the slashing problem because he wasn’t sent to cover these losses.
Steve, do you think a loud group of people raising hell at 3 am would require a response especially if one needs to get up at 6am to go to work?
Steve, you really must have your head up your ass. Talking about quality of life issues is not disparaging the neighborhood, it is telling the truth. Maybe you think it’s better to say nothing and walk around singing EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL even when it’s not.
Geez Andy, my head is up my ass for only one reason, to stop your incessant whining. You are becoming a real drama queen. You stated you do no run from issues when someone suggested you move. You ran away from the DTC when you could have been part of the solution. Now you are just part of the problem. Now get a neighborhood meeting together and utilize your soapbox where it can have an impact.
Steve, Drama Queen, that’s a good one.
Steve,
First, I have never declared hate towards the mayor.
Second, Beardsley Park is part of the quality of life issues. Have you driven by or visited the park on a nice weekend? The parking on both sides of the street is an accident waiting to happen. Have you witnessed the amount of trash, empty beer bottles and other unsavory items left behind by park goers after a weekend? You are damn right the park is a quality of life issue. When is the last time you read the Post? Letters appear very frequently about such issues.
Can you prove Marella lives in town? I don’t have to prove anything. He is required to prove he lives in the district. But if you want proof, follow him home after work. Follow him home after a council meeting. All roads lead to Shelton. Look up PAL tax filings, he uses his Shelton address.
If Marella cared about the 138th he would live here.
I have said over and over again, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. I tried to be part of the solution. I did spend my own money and ran against my council people. I spent hours walking the district meeting people and spreading my message. The people voted and I lost. I just don’t bark Steve, I actually try to offer suggestions and solutions.
If my health were better, I would be walking the district next month collecting signatures. But unfortunately, at this point it seems unlikely I will be able to do that. So instead I will continue to raise awareness to issues that affect my neighborhood. And I will continue to make life better for more than just myself.
Ann, I am certain you were a good candidate. I am not sure how you were unable to get out your message. I go to Beardsley Park five times a week as I spend time at Nob Hill having political sparring with my Republican friends. To me Beardsley Park is beautiful, the zoo is magnificent and for the past 8 years or so I have enjoyed Bridgeport Free Shakespeare. I guess I just see things from a different perspective. Ann, you may not say you hate Finch, but you’d have to be a moron to think otherwise. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect you are involved with the city. As for Mike Marella I do not care to follow him home after work. Have you? To be honest Ann, I could care less if he lived on Huntington Tpke or in Scinto’s luxury highrise. I will judge him on his actions. I no longer vote in your district as I am in the 134th. I happen to like Richie Paoletto so I am of course useless to you in attempting to destroy them. I am curious as to why they do not respond on the blog. I am certain they are reading it and turning purple. I am glad you and Andy raise awareness and of course when it comes to Andy I just enjoy busting his balls.
Steve,
You say “To be honest Ann, I could care less if he lived on Huntington Tpke or in Scinto’s luxury highrise.” Well I care. I care because it is against the city charter to sit on the council and represent a district if you don’t reside there.
If he wants to represent the 138th, he should not be above the rules and regulations. He should have to abide by the rules, same as everyone else.
I suppose you also think it is okay for Vallas to run the school system? I don’t.
I don’t care if Vallas is the best leader in the world. He was not certified by the laws of this state when he was offered a contract. He is not above the law. If the 168 other superintendents have to be certified, so does Vallas. It has nothing to do with liking him or not.
Same with Marella. Like him. Hate him. Agree with him. Disagree with him. Live in the district and follow the rules like everyone else.
I didn’t know I was attempting to destroy anyone in my posting on this blog. Sorry you seem to come away with that position. It is never my goal to destroy anyone. Simply engage in meaningful conversation and sparring.
And FYI it takes a hell of a lot more to get me to turn purple.
Steve, maybe since you spend so much time in the 138th, you should consider moving back into the district. Then perhaps you would have a similar perspective.
Ann, I meant Richie and Mike turning purple. I do not live in the 138th, but after 20 years I have a strong connection to it. As for Mr. Vallas, I agree with you. He is not certified and therefore should not be considered for the position. At that salary especially. But alas, the B.O.E is more politically corrupt than the City.
He’s proven it to me: if you live under ideal conditions you can have an ideal life. Once the big things in life have been taken care of–don’t be afraid to thank the city of Bridgeport–the smaller things in life can be addressed.
I think ACF is a DoomFreak with a checklist.
Thank You.
Andy, I have a solution to your problem. MOVE! Your crybaby act has become stale. You moan all day and night, yet continue to allow this corrupt city to annoy you. Do you expect change? You are the true definition of insanity (look it up). So the police once told you they were too busy fighting real crime to go to your home to deal with juveniles who could never be punished anyway. You’ve had an axe to grind ever since. In a perfect world, police would be able to handle every situation all of the time. You apparently are the only person in this city who thinks it’s a perfect world. Put your big boy pants on, grow up, and put your house on the market. Maybe your next destination will have a police station on every block, the sky won’t be falling, and politicians won’t lie. Good luck with that.
The fact is “quality of life” issues directly impact perceptions of a community or a neighborhood and the willingness of people and businesses to live or do business there. For a city like Bridgeport, which desperately needs to expand its tax base, they are–and ought to be–a big deal.
Phantom, I guess your answer to everything is RUN Away. Do you think when your tires are cut three times you would see a cop just once? $3,000 is a lot to pay for tires. BTW we found out who did it and we took care of this person, thus no more slashed tires. BTW do you think 21 cops on a shift in a city of 140,000 plus is enough? Phantom, what is real crime, you must be watching too many cop shows.
Let me ask you another question. There are 440 cops on the payroll. 121 are in patrol, where are the other 319 cops?
BTW I don’t run from anything.
Andy, good article with good examples of the quality of life issues you reference. Regarding some of the respondents, particularly about the Police Department, have they looked at the expense of the Police budget??? Do they understand the $16 Million charge to repay the Pension Obligation Bond that provides no current service to the City because of sloth, errors and general mismanagement of long-term obligations of past administrations? And then the current administration sets up a new union contract with pension option that REWARDS OVERTIME, and causes public-safety employees at all levels to obtain as much overtime as possible. THIS PUSHES THE CURRENT BUDGETARY ASSUMPTIONS FOR OVERTIME OF ALL KINDS TO BE OUT OF BALANCE LAST YEAR and again THIS YEAR.
Budget and Appropriations met again on Tuesday night to listen to the advocates for Municipal Bond Funding of the new Jewish Home For The Elderly on the current land occupied by the Jewish CC. Anne Kelly-Lenz was present and stayed for a conversation on reporting and format after the adjournment of the meeting on the Bonding. SHE WAS NEVER ASKED HOW IT LOOKS FOR THE CITY TO CLOSE THEIR BOOKS WITHIN THE WEEK. WILL WE BALANCE, OR WILL THERE BE A DEFICIT? Why not ask? Time will tell.
*** Seems like for every “one” new restaurant or business that opens up in Bpt or new development that’s built, sooner or later down the road there are “two” leaving or closing up, no? *** FOR EVERY PLUS THERE’S ALWAYS A MINUS IN THIS OVERTAXED, OVERPOPULATED, RUN-DOWN, PIPE-DREAMED, POLITICAL NEPOTISMED HACK URBAN GOVERNMENT, ONE-WAY CRIME-INFESTED, ZOMBIE NON-THINKING CITY! *** HELP ***
The whole city is a quality of life issue. Ha!