Read related story from Donald Eng, CT Post here.
From Mayor’s Office:
Mayor Ganim and the City of Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center (EOC) have canvassed the city following the Flash Flood Storm caused by the remnants of Ida on Wednesday night September 1, 2021 and Thursday September 2, 2021 to assess damages and loss due to the storm. Emergency Operations are now compiling this information and will be filing a comprehensive report to the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management.
Bridgeport dispatch reported more than 200 calls for service during the period of the storm. Most incidents were related to flooding and vehicles stuck traveling on the roads with 60 streets reported to have extensive flooding conditions. First responders assisted with over 20 water rescues and 45 locations with stranded vehicles submerged in water. Downed tree branches along with high flood waters caused damage throughout the city including in our many parks. Public Facilities is managing clean up efforts today to ensure opening on Friday for the Labor Day Weekend.
City and EOC officials advise that residents and business owners document and report any damage to their insurance company with appropriate photos and estimates.
EOC Director Appleby on WICC this am: https://youtu.be/plJefiJSuuw
The EOC requests that residents and businesses of Bridgeport that have uninsured damage or loss due to the storm please call EOC to report these damages at 203-579-3829. Representatives will be on staff to receive calls Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm. If your call is answered by voicemail, be sure to leave your full name, address, and a contact phone number. Residents and businesses may also choose to report damages online via the following link:
https://veoci.com/veoci/p/form/d6ep6tt9gfcwAll damages not covered by insurance will be included in the EOC report that will be reported to the CT DEMHS. Reports are needed to ensure our City can accurately describe and provide backup on those damages and losses sustained from the storm in the hopes of a FEMA Declaration for possible financial reimbursements. Please provide reports no later than Tuesday September 7, 2021.
Claim the downtown a complete loss, get tons of money and start all over again.
The Rooster River flooding has been a problem for 25 years, at least, and the Mayor and Common Council Representatives have got to be held responsible. I can go on and on about what has been done to “fix” it and yet it seems that all they have accomplished is move the problem down river a bit.
Maybe the voters should start with the common council this year and vote the incumbents out. then see how quickly Joe gets the message.
And don’t let them get off with a neighborhood meeting where they schmooze you and tell you how important you are and bring in engineers and consultants to appease you, Enough is enough
I heard on MSNBC today someone saying that the solutions that used to work don’t work anymore because of the frequency and severity of current flooding.
So don’t buy the lie that the city is improving flooding and other climate change related matters. New solutions are needed.
A big part of Bridgeport’s flooding problems are attributable to loss of watershed and environmentally-contraindicated overdevelopment upstream of Bridgeport — especially in Trumbull…
Our city leadership and state delegation — those elected to monitor and intervene in regionally- problematic situations involving Bridgeport — have done nothing (especially in recent years) but give a wink and a nod to contraindicated development (regarding Bridgeport/the region) in surrounding towns, as well as in the city itself… The Scinto Development in Trumbull (Old Town Road/Oakview Drive) has resulted in very destructive flooding in Lake Forest (as well as serious traffic-safety issues), per removal of many acres of watershed and replacement with buildings/impervious surface… This would be a huge problem even in a time of “normal,” stable, predictable weather… This aforementioned situation expanded exponentially under Mayors Ganim (I and II) and Finch, and under the auspices of State Senators Scarpetti, Finch, and Moore — in violation of a court settlement between the Lake Forest Association, Trumbull, and the Scinto Corporation reached 30 years ago, in which development of the aforementioned area (bounded by Old Town Road (Bridgeport border), the Merritt Parkway, and Reservoir Avenues, was limited to essentially what had been developed and planned at the time of the agreement, which was about 40 % of the area now developed… Well; so much for the protections of the government and the courts/legal system…
There are many, many other examples of such inappropriate development in and around Bridgeport that has taken place within the past 30-40 years, e.g., the proliferation of spot-zoned condominiums and single-family units throughout the city (especially in the North End…).
Now there is a new push to develop the Remington Woods — just what the East Side/Upper East Side, and North End needs in this time of climate change/catastrophic flooding…
Then do it Jeff. Draft legislation. You have a perfect storm. With climate change taking place figure a way a levying penalties for these such practices.
Do not make it about taxes but climate change.
Assess penalties for flooding made worse by development and watershed.
Contact Gen Later. Get their candidate for City Council to back it. Ask them to circulate petitions in support of it. I’m sure they could collect a ton of them. Get them to pressure Sen Moore. They endorsed her for mayor. Pay back time.