A new “grass roots coalition” calling itself Join The Movement will host a “change for Bridgeport” forum on Tuesday, 6 p.m. at the North Branch Library, 3455 Madison Avenue. The group is “urging their fellow citizens to get involved in their city.” Bridgeport Banner editor Rob Sullivan and community fiscal watchdog John Marshall Lee described themselves as “neutral parties” involved in the organization.
Sullivan, serving as a spokesperson for the group, issued this release.
In November 2015, the voters of Bridgeport will decide who the next Bridgeport mayor will be and their choice will have a direct impact on lives of every Park City resident. JOIN THE MOVEMENT is presenting a program featuring a variety of Bridgeporters who are considering running for the city’s highest office.
The forum will provide the opportunity for city residents to hear these potential candidates discuss their personal history and involvement with Bridgeport, what they consider to be Bridgeport’s greatest challenges in the years ahead, their particular vision for the future of the city as well as why they believe they are the best person to lead the city forward during these challenging times.
Most importantly it will allow you to ask the potential candidates questions about what you believe to be the most important issues facing Bridgeport today.
Retired city police officer David Daniels, who’s considering a run for mayor, announced on his Facebook page he will be in attendance. Daniels is learning how difficult it is to attract concerned citizens to recent forums he has hosted about community issues.
Last year several residents led by the Black Rock neighborhood formed a group called Citizens Working For A Better Bridgeport that included David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General, who came up short in an August primary for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. The group has been largely quiet in recent months.
Mayor Bill Finch has already amassed a $200,000 war chest as he positions for a third four-year term in 2015. Challengers will be hard-pressed to build a community wide, organized opposition to the mayor less than a year from a Democratic primary. Can they raise money?
In addition to Daniels, others considering a run for the mayoralty include former mayors John Fabrizi and Joe Ganim, former State House member Bob Keeley, a three-time mayoral candidate, and Charlie Coviello, also a multiple mayoral candidate. Supporters of Finch’s 2011 Democratic primary opponent Mary-Jane Foster are awaiting word if she once again will challenge Finch.
Lee says several community meetings are planned across the city.
I am an OIB contributor, a City taxpayer-voter, and a seeker of OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT in City governance. I have come to know more than one of the potential candidates for leadership in the 2015 election. I have offered to meet and provide info about the City to each one at one time or another. I like the concept of holding a series of public meetings in different parts of the community in the coming months.
As a neutral party I was invited to meet with the group that was in process of becoming a “team” and am assisting them along with Rob Sullivan to arrange organized community gatherings, listen to members of the community and provide a platform to introduce a handful who may decide to be a candidate for the 2015 race. I am not committed to any candidate for Mayoral office at this time.
I am assisting all members of “The Movement” while they are in this team endeavor. They are responding well to questions and making decisions about their activity. It is an interesting and potentially productive activity for Bridgeport citizens. The community can benefit. Time will tell.
Mr. Walker, please show up and do the citizens and city a big favor. Granted your honesty will be a drawback, but if the 5%ers and Testa can be silenced, you will win.
A pretty lackluster group of potential candidates.
flub,
What do you wish for in a candidate? Perhaps if you and other OIB critics are more specific, one will magically appear on the spot, with all credentials well met?
Now if you cannot find the bottle or the genie supposedly present to grant wishes, who is actually more lackluster? A community with many people registered to vote, but less than 20% voting routinely?
So if one does not light your fire at this time, perhaps you might be interested in a gathering where the public can talk about a priority issue and be listened to? That does not lack luster because that is what goes undone routinely in this City.
This is not a beauty contest at this point. It’s a group of men (at this moment only men) who claim to love the City of their birth, education, vocation, experience, residence, etc. They love it enough to put their name in play. Realizing each one by himself has little chance of getting to the magical land of MOM (money, organization and message), they have realistically combined forces for a period of time, where as one of a group they can review the themes of City issues and find what the public feels is priority. Kinda like 5-6 guys showing up with basketballs for a game of hoops. Three on three. Learn, trust, respect and have some fun for a good cause? All possible the way things stand. No party T-shirts. No referee. The City game. No fee for the public to participate, either.
Something new under the sun? New for Bridgeport? At this moment they are like farmers in the early spring, turning over the soil and exposing the fields to the sunlight. But they have agreed to work together for a time. What will emerge when it comes time for seeding? Time will tell.
It is great to see grassroots organizations develop and present public forums. I look forward to following their progress.
I like Rob Sullivan but I hope this doesn’t turn into another CW4BB.
Ron,
I think it already has.
As long as they don’t use the name, Mystic Knights of the Seven Seas, let’s hope Sully doesn’t show up wearing a Stetson derby smoking an Evermore cigar.
Jesus, Sonny; I need some of your meds.
It might actually be SWMFBRWNTD.
I hope these folks are successful at flushing out candidates. I would love to know what is up with the folks in the mix. The only viable options I see listed here are Foster and Fabrizi.
I for one, think grassroots efforts to improve life in Bridgeport are welcome no matter what the makeup of them is or where the members live. I wish these folks well, and I welcome them without judgment.
Which is texting for Six White Men From Black Rock With Nothing To Do.
lollolololollllololo
lololllolollolololollolollol
Bob, that was priceless!
What have the White Democrats done for Bridgeport’s youth? More welfare and a prison cell.
CMT scores don’t lie.
Who is this organization?
Why are there no names attached to this?
This is totally bogus.
You are known by the company you keep so until names are put forward I will have no interest in this organization.
Do you equate your having no interest in an organization as equal to the kiss of death for such group, old troll?
A group of interested folks who love Bridgeport for a variety of reasons have come together to listen and converse. And interested citizens of Bridgeport are invited.
Bob, you begin an inquisition on “organization?” Stay tuned, out if you wish. Others may choose to be present, to inquire, to offer a governance issue they wish to pursue as part of the municipal campaign of 2015.
But Bob, if you have already made your own choice of a 2015 candidate who is not participating in these forums (for a variety of reasons) at this time and you feel being a provocateur is a good use of your talents, welcome to disclosing your coloration early.
The point is all are welcome, even the grumpy and suspicious. Time will tell.
Time won’t tell. Don’t hold anything up waiting for me to show. This apparently is your idea of being a provocateur. To others it might be called a sham. A grassroots organization is not afraid of its own shadow.
Bob Walsh, more and more this is starting to sound like CW4BB, please, I hope not because we don’t need another one.
Speak for yourself, Ron. I disagree. Who is WE? Any chance you get, you bring this group or Walker into things. Why? What are you doing for the city other than trying to find flaws with those who are active, and pointing out what they don’t do and what they do that is not up to your standards? Anyone can spew venom from behind a computer screen. If your standards serve the greater good so much better than those who actually DO something, then your are ripping off the City and the residents who need you, aren’t you? If you have the answers that serve the greater good, not just a selected demographic, do share. Don’t bother responding because I won’t engage.
Mustang Sally, I see you have no courage at all and you’re scared to give your name but you want people to respect what you say when you are a coward.
Ron,
You may not respect Sally. You may feel she has no courage. And you end up calling her a coward. We have plowed this field before, your right to express an opinion VERBALLY that is kind of an adult form of bullying?
Readers of OIB have seen my suggestions and invitations to meet on numerous occasions and your responses to basically ignore such a meeting. Did I accuse you of no courage? Wouldn’t that be silly to do to a retired fireman who runs to the flames when others run away? Would I accuse you of being scared to meet a fellow Bridgeporter, voter and taxpayer? Nope. I guess you have your reasons but they have not to date been substantive or impossible to overcome, if you had the desire.
So what is a reader to conclude? You provide me with time to do other things. What other writers conclude is theirs to share. But verbal aggression on females may frequently precede physical intimidation, according to the media. Are you certain who gets the respect, Mustang Sally or Ron Mackey, after they read your one-sentence statement? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, how do you know Mustang Sally is female?
John Marshall Lee, what does it mean for me to talk to you? It means NOTHING, it doesn’t matter if I agree with you or not, it proves NOTHING.
Why do I believe Ron Mackey is likely a male, rather than Veronica Mackey using a nickname? Just do, maybe wrong, but likely right.
And your very specific aversion to meeting me is really OK. I have a thick shell, I am told. But with you and Bob Walsh fixated on the subject of CW4BB, it almost gets me to think about the two of you as a Bridgeport duo and perhaps I will rename you as “Rock and Troll.” Good beat, but can you dance to the music? Time will tell.
Spoken by someone who refuses to reveal who they are. Talk about hiding behind a computer screen.
Bob and Ron, a recently retired city employee urged me to start writing on this blog and letters to the editor under a pen name. Was that a warning for my protection? A single woman often feels a bit more vulnerable and can be more easily intimidated, and if there are vulnerable family members living under her roof there can be even more risk in her mind. Not all of us are as strong as some of the women on this blog, and allowing those who choose to have a handle to write under might actually be giving a voice to someone who might remain silent otherwise. Just sayin’.
Jennifer Buchanan, I’m sorry to hear that, it’s a decision you will have to make. I have nothing but the highest respect for you, I have not agreed with you about CW4BB but you would reply back to my concerns and questions. I didn’t agree with you but I always respected you. I understand where you are coming from because I’ve had people strongly suggest to me I should speak out on issues of race in the fire department and on social issues. I was told my safety as a firefighter might be endangered because of how strongly I would speak out. Speaking the truth to power has never been a problem for me and for number of other black firefighters. Ms. Buchanan, I enjoy reading your comments and I don’t have to always agree with you but I will respect whichever direction you go, I wish you the best.
And I learn much from what you write Ron, and like you, I may not always agree, but I do have great respect for you also. I used to write under a handle just to test the waters and protect my privacy. Once I was a frequent host on Bridgeport Now, Lennie asked if I would comment under my name. No pressure from Lennie, but I was a public figure and made the decision to be public, so while I understand some people are frustrated by not knowing the identity of those who disagree with them, there is often a very personal reason for their Mark Twain. Granted, some people do hide behind a name in order to be, well, mean and hateful without fear of discovery, but I do think this host does a pretty good job of understanding who needs protection.