Mike Marella, who served for more than 10 years on the City Council, is scheduled to return to the city’s legislative body at Monday night’s meeting replacing Bob Curwen who submitted his official letter of resignation two weeks ago after announcing in January he was leaving the council for family medical reasons. City Council members vote to fill vacancies and Marella should have no problem being welcomed back to the council at the recommendation of Democratic town committee members from the 138th District which covers the city’s Upper East Side.
Marella, the long-time executive director of the Police Activities League, was a key figure on the council in the 1990s. He left the council in 2001 and his seat was filled by his nephew Richard Paoletto. Marella had moved out of Bridgeport years ago. Last month he registered to vote with an address on Huntington Turnpike in the 138th Council District he once served. Paoletto says his uncle now resides in an apartment complex on Huntington Turnpike.
Marella was the council spearhead in the establishment of the Bridgeport Bluefish professional baseball team and subsequent building of Harbor Yard. He also served as co-chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Council members vote to fill vacancies, but they historically lean toward the recommendations made by the respective town committee leadership. Marella received the overwhelmingly recommendation of the nine-member district committee. James Morton, a candidate for City Council in 2009 and neighborhood activist Helen Losak had also expressed interest in serving.
Jim Fox posted Marella’s return 10 months ago on OIB. He must have moles in City Hall.
No surprise here, the rumor has been circulating for a long while. Thanks Mario for allowing this to happen. Thanks to the lemmings on the council who I am sure will vote to seat Marella even though they know he has given an illegal address of 120 Huntington Turnpike.
This is just another example of an out-of-control Democratic party. The Rev Morton or Ann Barney would have been a logical choice but no, the problem with these two is they live in the district.
Remember, Martha Santiago, a city employee who works at the pleasure of the mayor, is on PAL board of directors. Chris Anastasi works at CitiStat and his dad is city attorney and his mom is or was on the board of directors for PAL. I am surprised city attorney Anastasi would not counsel his son on this boondoggle.
Let’s see, Martha Santiago is a city employee, Chris Anastasi city employee, Kevin Monks city employee, there is one retired city employee on the district town committee. I don’t know the rest of the lemmings Martha put on the 138th town committee.
Marella may have worked to get the ballfield here he also was the deciding vote on the golf course that lost a million dollars by leasing it out.
As usual the people in the 138th get screwed again.
Anastasi used his influence to get his son a part-time position doing accounting work for the city in a job that required a civil service exam without having to take an exam.
Why are we not demanding the city charter be changed so we have a special election to fill vacant seats on the city council? And is Sue Brannelly going to continue to act as Finch’s toady as she usually does and vote to seat Marella who probably doesn’t even live in Bridgeport on the City council? Guess she is too busy worrying about massage parlors to worry about a small thing like democracy.
Why would Mike want to come in at this point in the game–in the middle of a likely tax increase? Leaving the council in 2001 with a record of no tax increases during the Ganim administration to return when there isn’t much left–unless he counts the increase in debt–of the $51 million rainy day fund. The more things change …
Why assume Marella doesn’t live in the district? Give the guy a break.
anna, because he still lives in Shelton. Look at it this way, his car is registered in Shelton, his wife lives in Shelton. Would you move from a nice condo to a high-rise building in Bridgeport?
Really? You don’t know the answer to your own question?
Finch and his administration keep putting these ridiculous things out there and so far don’t seem remotely embarrassed or ashamed of themselves. Education reform a success? Huh? 6% tax increase best we can do? Huh? Oh, and Mike Marella lives in Bridgeport and is the most qualified person for Curwen’s seat? Huh? Amazing they can keep a straight face, never mind leave the house. We should start a list of the ridiculous things and hardly true things Finch and crowd put out there. In addition to education reform, real budget, the Marella family lives in Bridgeport–let’s not forget $600 to every taxpayer and those special water taxis. What’s your favorite?
We all know of the control of the DTC and its chairman, but where is the state of CT on this? Or the Feds? Political corruption has been de rigueur (socially obligatory) for Bridgeport since Jasper McLevy left office. It’s been the same people and their descendants and appointed successors who run Bridgeport. Voters be damned!!!
Bob,
Great question. I would like to know why this situation with Marella is not being investigated by the state. We recently had an elected official who claimed to be residing in their respective district, and if not for the police having been called to her ACTUAL ADDRESS we wouldn’t have ever known the truth. I think it’s time the state takes a closer look at all of Bridgeport’s elected officials.
Why is Sandy Ayala not being investigated? This type of situation is rampant among the well-connected pols of this city.
The only person who will mount a meaningful investigation into all of these electoral residential violations is the opposition candidate we need to identify right now. Feds? State? Brain-dead registered voters in Bridgeport? Hardly.