Mayor Finch’s Olive Branch To The University Of Bridgeport

The University of Bridgeport is an unsung jewel in the city: it employs hundreds, educates thousands with an economic impact in the countless millions. It’s the reason the South End of the city hasn’t imploded. The reason the annual Gathering of the Vibes music festival has an infrastructure for existence. The reason countless needy local kids have a higher education, a dental program, a chance for something better. Mayor Bill Finch, who worked at the university 25 years ago and resided in the South End for many years, has had cooled relations with the institution, but he has shown signs recently that maybe, just maybe those relations could warm up. Wishful thinking?

As an impressionable young man Finch began researching the impact religious cults had on young people. The Professors World Peace Academy, an arm of Unification Church which saved the university from closure during the torturous recession of the early 1990s, was within Finch’s cultish scope, irrespective of the fact there’s no evidence students, staff, administrators or board members are operating under some seduction. (Hey, how’s the Catholic Church doing these days?)

The mayor’s vitriol toward the university had students, administrators, business leaders, media members and residents shaking heads. What’s the point?

But lately the mayor has shown signs he may be taking steps to frame the university as an asset, even if he’s not yet ready to visit. His appointment of George Estrada, an executive at UB to the Charter Revision Commission he empaneled, is an olive branch of sorts after another UB executive Mary-Jane Foster had challenged Finch in a Democratic primary last September.

Finch needed a couple of Republicans on the panel. In Estrada he named someone intimately familiar with its infrastructure having served ably in two city administrations as director of public works. The business of reforming an antiquated charter is tricky business. What you want must be approved by voters. Sometimes things a mayor wants will live and die by his popularity. Finch clearly wants to keep the charter amendment focus on an appointed school board. Estrada is one of the panelists who’ll say okay mayor I respect your opinion, but there are other things we need to examine as well to present to the City Council for voter approval. Estrada tends to have a mind of his own, but he does so with the greater good of the city in mind.

Every week the mayor issues an e-blast that highlights his initiatives, visits of the week with a shout out to upcoming community events. The latest mayoral e-blast, Coming Up In The Park City, promotes Black History Month events including the Harlem Globetrotters to the Webster Bank Arena, as well as Mardi Gras celebration at Bijou Square, and Amazing Kreskin at the Downtown Cabaret this weekend. And then there’s this:

Senator Blumenthal to Host Job Fair Thursday, Feb. 23, 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m., University of Bridgeport, 84 Iranistan Ave. Arnold Bernhard Center. Join Senator Blumenthal as he hosts a free job fair to connect employers in Connecticut with potential employees.

Mayoral staff is well aware of Finch’s sensitive side when it comes to UB. They would not include it unless they thought he’d be okay putting his name on it. It’s not often the mayor puts his name on anything having to do with UB.

Sometimes pols need to save face in very small doses. Are we seeing a real mayoral olive branch to UB? Wishful thinking?