Don’t ya love power of incumbency in election year?
Joined by Public Facilities Director Crag Nadrizny, Mayor Joe Ganim on Wednesday highlighted the launch of a $10 million, 200-street milling and paving plan, what he describes as one of the largest public works street investments in history.
They stood at the corner of Housatonic and Congress near fire headquarters Downtown for the announcement.
2+
When you spend $2 million annually routinely and then need to spend $10 Million, do you call it delayed maintenance? Especially when folks do not believe that all neighborhoods are treated equally?
And wonder why requests for years for long term capital plans regarding street paving intentions are not shared with the public? And why the seven year incumbent waits to tell us about it now, while asphalt plants have been open for some time already? Is the $10 Million to be spent before November or over a series of years?
Assuming there is a plan, where is it posted on the “new website” and who is responsible for answering questions on the subject other than Council Persons? 200 Streets are in the plan for what time period(s)?
My goodness, Lennie, “one of the largest public works investments in history” as you report, compared to the Congress Street Bridge? Or what other infrastructure project? Annual maintenantce results for recent years, posted where routinely and accessible by taxpayers? And street traffic markings through all the City, newly paved or not? Time will tell.
John, clarification, the $10 million reference is re largest street paving project.
After listening to the audio and reading Lennie’s clarification (thank you) I looked up Public Facilities Dept. on the new web site figuring that the list of 200 streets were likely to be found there. Alas, there is no list and no subsection of the site that would provide a five year plan for Capital and Annual budget projects like street paving. Why not? That would be OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT, and HONEST behavior. Department by department there must be attempts by Department managers to provide information in a timely fashion, on a regular basis, and provide a name, phone, and internet info so that questions may gain credible responses. Is that the kind of “quality practice” I expect from the City with a Mayor who has served as long as G2. Why is it missing from his 20th year in office? Time will tell.
Lennie,
Sorry to return with another question but that is how ‘time does tell’.
I went to the materials for the June 20 Council meeting and found the Capital Budget report likely voted on just one month ago on May 20, 2023.
According to this 2024 budget, $3 Million was approved for Roadway Paving, CUlverts and Intersection. (Amended) The article claims $10 Million will be spent though there was no answer to the first question I asked about whether all of the work will be done this year. $10 Million or $3 Million? Something in between? What streets (on the new web site), not yet.
And a quick look at Exhibit B shows an approved reallocation of $2.5 Million of Capital funding that removes funding of $1.5 Million to repair the Downtown Parking Garage. Is that where scaffholding is masking all the street facades for that structure within a block of the Mayor’s office and nearby McLevy Green? Perhaps a sign about the interruption would at least let visitors to the area know what the City contemplates. That has not been true of renovations to City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport where work has been held up for years. What part of “time will tell” does City Hall (both of them) not reflect upon and understand from a City proud taxpayer viewpoint? Time will tell.
JML,
There is no mechanism to show the transparency you desire.
The normal pattern of checks and balances does not apply here.
The juicy stuff is kept hidden.
It’s called the (stealth government of Joe Ganim .)
Open, Accountable, Transparent and Honest?
Local says it is not possible.
The failure of ‘normal checks and balances’ is observed.
Doesn’t that call for more citizen oversight and leader accountability?
A stealth government is one thing, but if stealth creates wealth, it becomes another thing.
If G2 did not change his respect of governance values from the top line, in your opinion, than why does he expect the community to reward him with their vote? Time will tell.