2026-11-02 - City Council

meeting of the public hearing to order. When I call your name, please state your name and address for the record and you'll have 3 minutes. Oh, can we have the roll call, please? >> Gallen Moore? >> He's sick. >> Nicole Nelson? >> Present. >> Denise Salamoy? >> Sick. >> Jorge Cruz? >> Here. >> Natasha Spell? >> Present. >> Rolanda Smith? Akim Boyd? >> Here. >> Jeanette Heron? >> Present. >> Loretta Dunbar? Michelle Lyons? >> Present. >> Miriam McBride-Lee? Richard Ortiz? >> Here. >> Alfredo Castillo? Freddie Hodges? Ida Nieves? Maria Valle? Carla Medina? Maria Pereira? >> Here. >> Zenaida Martinez? >> Here. >> Ernest Newton? >> Here. >> We have a quorum. >> Thank you. John Marshall Lee? >> Is that Can't hear me? Uh John Marshall Lee, 30 Beacon Street, Bridgeport. Ladies and gentlemen of the council and citizen neighbors in the audience, good evening. Tomorrow night after the polls close, we'll know whether we, as citizens who believe in active participation in an urban community, can see a positive turn towards a better future. Isn't that what you're seeking along with me? Why else do you devote the hours to public service without compensation otherwise? Likely you have your own reasons, but they're not widely shared with your constituents. Tell them your aspirations. So, a year ago, we voted for a city council and others along with a charter review that refreshed that city document successfully after more than 30 years. Barely 10% of eligible registered voters cast a ballot. A weak democracy sign. Each of you was elected and the charter review document was approved, even though it was broken into two parts with 75% of those voting in favor, but only 77 votes separating from the yes versus no votes on the political section, the second question. With a total of 5,613 ballots answering the question, was it a difference of opinion? What's new? Has the mayor created a city hall presentation for us to hear and question? Have vacancies on boards and commissions been filled as needed for good governance? Have all elected and appointed officials registered with the town clerk's office for their for the uh statute that says that you must register your home? Have the terms of the ethics section been acted upon? My time is limited to 3 minutes, though I have more questions. I can report to you the casual civics conversation is moving forward with the addition of four or five library locations into all districts in January 2027. The inclusion of porches at three locations in 2026 promises more activity next year. Look at the QR code for yourbridgeportvote.com and join us soon. Next year the ballot will have 20 council candidates to know, assess, and elect as usual. And this is an opportunity for you to speak to your constituents throughout the year. It's a year of a blue swell in Bridgeport civic learning as well, and time will tell. >> Thank you. Next speaker, Steve Nelson. Steve, you you wrote your name on here as well, so >> Where? >> You wrote it on the sign-in list as well. >> Oh, yeah. >> Because you're already on the list. >> I'm sorry. I didn't look at this. I mean, I apologize. >> I'm not [snorts] speaking twice. I hope >> Okay. Got it. >> I hope my message gets through the first time. >> Thank you. >> Uh greetings to all the council people. Some of you do know me. I do serve in a official [clears throat] capacity as one of your elected sheriffs. But I'm not here as an elected sheriff. I'm here as president of a low-to-moderate income housing development that's been in Bridgeport for over since 1960s. Second Stone Ridge Cooperative. And I have three major complaints that I'm bringing to the city because I know Trump is in office and we're all witnessing all this gangster stuff going on. But you know, this stuff's going on right here in Bridgeport. And I'mma tell you why I say that. The first thing is when they gave those boots out, and I respect if people owe taxes, you put a boot on their car. But we're private property, and they came on our property, booted cars, and towed them the next day. Now, how the heck are people going to have time to go pay it? And we're not in Black Rock, we're not in Upper North End. You know, we're a rock throw away from Biersy Terrace. And so, you boot the people's cars who may have not paid their taxes on time, and you don't even give them a chance to go pay it, and then you tow their car. Now, they got to pay for a tow and storage. If I didn't know no better, that's gangster. And I'm not trying to be disrespectful to the council. Please don't take it that way. But, somebody needs to be answering for this type of behavior, cuz if they're doing it to our low to moderate 55-and-older people up in Second Stone Ridge Co-op, they're doing it in other places in the city. So, I would like to get a response from this council about how this is taking place. Number two, I understand the reval. Our taxes, we've been in existence since the '60s. We have never missed paying our taxes since it our existence. Our taxes went up $130,000. And other co-ops didn't even go up that much. I And I don't Success, I know they have a lot of problems, but I'm told their taxes went up 85,000. With all the problems they got. Now, how does the heck does a 900-unit co-op go up 85,000 and a 190-unit co-op go up 130,000? So, something's not right. And no disrespect to Success. I was one of the main ones praying that they would get their stuff back on point, because the people that live there, they ain't They struggle every single day. They just want their bills paid, and they're That's all we all want. But, we we represent people that are struggling in Bridgeport based on what's going on in the world, never mind the city. But, I'm sorry, Judith. I got one more I just want to bring to your attention. Cuz that's gangster, too. WPCA billed Second Stone Ridge in September $16,000 $17,000. We pay every 3 months. Why are we getting a bill in October for $18,000? Back-to-back. You're not supposed to do that. They're supposed to be spread out. So, if they're doing that to us, what do they do Are they still You guys just don't know, but they're still doing this out to members of our city? I am wrapping it up. It is important that you hear this. And I would like to get a response. Because why is WPCA billing people 2 months in a row? I'm not talking about no house bill. We have a a complex. $18,000 one month, $17,000 the next. Suppose we didn't have the money, they would have put a lien on our property. I leave it with that. Um I'm sorry I have to sound a little upset, but I just gave you three examples that just happened to our co-op in the last 3 months. That is totally ridiculous. >> Thank you, Steve. Cecil Young. >> Good evening, you know, I said I wasn't going to come back down anymore because I was kind of sick and tired of coming down here and talking to folks that regardless of what you say, they seem to not want to really pay attention to you, but when I go into the dump the other last week and I was told by one of the guys that the transfer station one of the what they call one of them seasonal workers told me and gave me a notice that because I came there with a second load of some trash from my house that that would be the last load I would be able to dump because there's been a new rule now that you can only dump once a month and this is and then only not only just once a month then he ended the something to the effect that likewise you will make it up to go up to 200,000 lbs or some kind of but bottom line is that they told me once a month and it blew my mind. I couldn't believe it. You know, I said as much as we went through in terms of trying to get people to stop dumping on the city of Bridgeport. As much as we went through in terms of even my neighborhood, okay, where I had people dumping 24/7. I mean all kinds of rats and raccoons and all of the above within my neighborhood 24/7. Do you understand what I'm saying? All of this was going on in my neighborhood 24/7. It's not going on no more there now. Why? Because I got with the public works director on my TV show on the Cecil Young Show coming to you live and in color on Sound View Media that you can download on YouTube 7 days a week Monday through Sunday. Because of the talk show maybe apparently the director heard our cry and because of that look at Mill Hill Avenue now. We don't have no tractor trucks there. We don't have that much dumping there no more. And also too, I want to commend the public works director who was there in the past and say to him, "Keep it up." But likewise tell the state along with yourself to do something about trimming that grass so we can see our stop sign and our fire hydrant that's on the side of the road of Mill Hill Avenue and Union Avenue as well. There's so much more I want to tell you and say and again I know I can't say but so much for the little time that I do have. But I want you to keep in mind this week you want to turn into the Cecil Young Show which probably comes on this Wednesday again. Again and it'll be on for a while. But again I say to you you are council members. How dare they tell us we can only dump once a month? Okay, up under where Mark and Morton Funeral Parlor is located at, I don't see trash like I used to see every day. I don't see it over there on Mill Hill Avenue where I live at every day. Why? Because I got two trucks to come there every week with a payload every week, okay? And because they would come there every week I would often wonder why these stones here would be ignored. As much as they picked up the trash there 3 days a week and they did it 3 days a week for the last 6 months and I commend them for that. And I said, "Why didn't they pick up the stones?" I had to tell them to remind them, "Get the stones picked up too." And they told me the stones were heavy. We need a certain kind of truck for the stones. Nevertheless, regardless of what it should have been picked up 6 months ago. And I'm saying to you as councilperson, you need to be aware of the fact that when they talk about changing rules and putting things in effect that affect your constituents that we pay taxes to, you should want to care about that and want to know about that. My taxes went up. I paid $10,000 a year my taxes on my home. My home is paid for. I've owned it for the last 30 something years. All right, and they had the audacity to send me a notice to a collection agency about $74 that they said I own on a tax on a car that was still registered in one sense and another sense it wasn't registered. But the fact that they sent it to a collection agency, what are you there for? Tell them to tell you before they have the audacity to insult taxpayers that could ruin their credit over somebody who's been put in a position to get rich and we get poor. As the old saying is, they get paid and we get played. Let's stop this. You got elected to serve the people, not to have the people be taken advantage of. Especially what you preach and do more than what you teach and God will bless you cuz believe me when I tell you, what I've been telling y'all for the last 20 years about me and we and thee and the state, the federal government got a tooth. So I hope to God that you wake up and smell the coffee before it drops on you cuz it's coming soon. As I said, part two. Thank you and may God be with you. >> Maria Pereira. >> Good evening, Maria Pereira, 80 Greenfield Avenue. Good evening. My mentor once told me, if you want to test someone's character, give them a little bit of power. Then watch to see if they use that power for good or bad. There's nothing else I need to see from this council president. You and others here believe that I'm angry with councilwoman from the 139th about what transpired on October 19th regular meeting. However, I am most strongly with you. As you chaired that meeting in the mayor's absence, I was sitting in my seat quietly writing notes when the councilwoman from the 139th requested a personal point of privilege, which may not be used to attack a colleague. In fact, a point of personal privilege is used to defend oneself or a colleague against an attack. I repeatedly raised a point of order, which is the proper mechanism to raise a violation of the City Council rules. You are required to recognize the point of order as it takes precedence over all other matters. And you are required to rule on that point of order where my full name was repeatedly utilized in debate and my character was attacked. You seem to be incapable of showing the most basic leadership qualities as you never even contacted me to discuss how I felt about what transpired. If you had, I would have told you that your inability to properly chair that meeting is what I was most upset about. You are not proficient on the City Charter, the City Council rules, or Robert's Rules of Order, which is problematic. If you have any real concern, you would have picked up the phone and called both of us and asked if we would be willing to meet with you. That is real leadership. The Councilwoman from the 139th District and I were working well with each other just fine until the controversy over the parking ordinance in late August. The Councilwoman from the 139th is intelligent. She certainly isn't a dummy. But I do not agree with her outburst and personal attacks at Council meetings. I would also like to state on the record that we are 11 months into year one of our two-year term and the Councilwoman from the 139th and I have introduced more legislation than the other 18 Council members combined. What occurs before a meeting or after a meeting is adjourned is not controlled by the City Council rules. The City Council rules only govern decorum at official City Council meetings. The City Council rules does not govern us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, what we post on social media, our conduct at a restaurant at a Saturday night. Our constituents can hold us accountable at the ballot box. I believe in free speech and if someone believes they have slant slandered you, they can litigate that in a court of law. In closing, I was completely opposed to voting for you as Council President. I think everybody here knows that. I only did it at the behest of the Councilman from the 136th who promised if you did not keep your commitments, you would be removed. I told him I would hold them accountable and stated that from this podium the night I voted for the council president. He knows where I stand today. I will state here unequivocally that I will never vote for you to be council president again. And you will not receive any city council votes from the 138 district in December 2027 and I do mean none. Thank you. Darnell. >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the Bridgeport City Council. My name is Darnell Stevenson. And thank you for having me today. John F. Kennedy once said, "Do not ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Dr. Martin Luther King stated that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Malcolm X, "By any means necessary." Now, we have a convicted felon as the president of the United States. We have a convicted felon as the Bridgeport City Mayor. We have convicted felons in politicians and Democratic and Republican nominees in the state uh state senate and we have a convicted felon right now in Israel. Now, the Constitution of the United States allowed me the freedom of speech, but the right to bear arms under the Constitution of the United States, I have the expectation of privacy. So, I plead the fifth until I can get my attorney, so I will file another lawsuit after another lawsuit and I will send you to court again for a violation of my privacy. Again, it's a civil suit, not a criminal lawsuit. So, you send your Bridgeport Police Department Chief Roger Porter or your detective or any homicide or investigator that you want to put on my name on private property, I will send law enforcement after law enforcement investigation after investigation. The Constitution allows me the right to freedom of speech for the education of incarceration. So, next time you want me, put me in chains, think about the history of this country, slavery. So, again, I will file another lawsuit against another lawsuit, and I will see you in court again. I plead the fifth until I can get my attorney. Now, I still have 3 minutes to tell you how to be a black man in America. Raise my taxes, pay my bills, but fire me from my job, and still don't have the 9th Amendment of the expectation to live under the Constitution of the United States. I watch TV and the brainwashing is continuing it because I see another black man get shot down by a Bridgeport police officer in your jurisdiction. Election day is tomorrow, November 4th, but yet we still have politicians after politicians lying every election, but we still come by and cast our vote again. Our invite to vote is not our right to die in your jurisdiction. So, if I receive a bullet from your gun, I will file another lawsuit against another lawsuit, and I will see you in court. Again, mass shootings happened in Connecticut, [singing] Vermont, Sandy Hook, Connecticut, Bridgeport, Connecticut, Florida. We have gun violence after gun violence, and yet News 12 is not posting it on TV. So, you could post your cameras, and I will have it on Instagram tomorrow. >> Thank [bell] you. Joseph Sokolovic? >> Good evening. Joseph Sokolovic, 324 Bridgeport Burnsford Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut, speaking as an individual this evening. Last Monday, once again, an item came up on the agenda of the Board of Education attempting to redirect funding from the classroom to the city attorney's office. It was tabled, but like a bad penny, I feel it will come back again. Right now, Bridgeport public schools are in need of $40 million to prevent additional cuts to an educational system already decimated by decades of local underfunding. To attempt to balance the legal department's budget on the backs of children is unfair. Let us look at the exact language of our city charter. Under chapter 7, section 4, powers and duties of the office of city attorney, the office of the city attorney shall have charge of and manage all legal businesses of the city and shall serve as legal advisor and attorney to the mayor, the city council, and all boards, commissions, and departments, and agencies of the city. The law department is a municipal executive department funded through the city's general fund. Ask yourself a simple question. Does the police department, which generates millions in legal defense and settlements each year, each year receive a bill from the city attorney for legal services? No. Does public facilities pay out of its operating budget for daily advice? No. Does the mayor's office transfer funds back to the back to cover staff salaries? No. The answer across all these items is an absolute no. Every single department receives baseline legal representative funded entirely through city hall's general fund. Singling out the board of education to fund its own city attorney out of school funds isn't applying the charter, it's abusing it and violating it. Under the MBR requirement, municipalities are legally forbidden from reducing education funding. Pressuring the board to cover municipal legal overhead is an indirect clawback, a fiscal slight of hand designed to satisfy MBR requirements on paper, but stealing classroom dollars right back into city hall's general fund. Nowhere in the charter is billing children mentioned. It mandates that city attorney provides legal services, period. A case can't even be made that the city is obligated to pay for all of Bridgeport public schools' legal bills, even contracted services. I will be referring this issue to the board on Monday. >> [snorts] >> If the office of the city attorney needs additional staff to fill its statutory obligations under the charter, request an increase of budget appropriations through the mayor and city council like every other department. Every dollar taken from the school budget is a dollar stripped from special education classroom supplies, power professionals, and student support services. Keep your municipal overhead at City Hall where it belongs and protect our children. Thank you. >> Thank you, Joe. Faith Sweeney. >> Good evening. My name is Faith Sweeney, Huntington Turnpike 138 District. I want to begin by acknowledging that there are some school bus drivers who may not follow state or local parking laws. And those who commit violations should be held accountable. However, more importantly, we should not use the actions of some drivers to justify restrictions that affect every driver. So, I want to reiterate an important point about chapter six in our city charter. Section 6C refers to ordinances adopted under Section 6B, which concerns air pollution and fuel burning equipment, not where a diesel-powered school bus may park. The fact that a school bus uses diesel fuel does not turn a parking ordinance into an air pollution ordinance. In fact, Section 6A gives the City Council the authority to make, alter, and repeal ordinances that are consistent with the law. When a shortened version of proposal was requested and questions were raised about how much time drivers should be allowed to park before, between, and after routes, including while on standby, a fixed time window simply does not work because no two bus drivers necessarily have the same schedule. And different and drivers have different assignments and those change daily. The proposal ties parking flexibility to legitimate school transportation responsibilities rather than random clock hours. They are not asking for unrestricted parking or relief from safety laws. They are asking for reasonable enforceable flexibility that reflects how school bus transportation actually operates. Chapter 6 does not eliminate city council to consider a careful tail- carefully tailored parking provision. We are asking you as city council to exercise that responsibility. So, please. Thank you. >> Thank you. That concludes public speaking. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> If I could have the attention of the members of the city council as they make their way back to their proper places. Let's say good evening to each of you. To the public that's in attendance. And any public that may be watching on our broadcast. And um ask the council members to draw their attention to the printed agenda for the duly noticed Monday, November 2nd 2026 city council meeting. And um I'm going to ask if we have a difference anyone from the audience that would like to lead us. We start our meetings with a prayer. And we usually have the gracious councilwoman Reverend Lee lead us in a prayer, but that is not to the exclusion of anyone else who would like to take the opportunity to approach the microphone and lead us in a prayer in any appropriate form or denomination. Will you approaching? All right. With that, let's stand for a prayer. Bow our heads. Let's do the prayer first. Give me a second. be an honor to our city. >> Uh in your microphone Is it on? >> Check. Check. >> Check. >> Check. Here you go. Thank you. Father, in Jesus' name, we thank you. We give you glory for this body at this moment, Father, as we stand before you, oh God. We ask you to take charge of this chamber, oh God, that you give wisdom and understanding and bring in light, Father, into every action that's taken forth today, Father. We thank you for this great city. We thank you for those in leadership at this moment, Father. We thank you, oh God, for our president of the city council. We thank you for this body that stands behind me, oh God. Give us ears to listen, Father, and a heart to discern, oh God. Father, every work that's going to be done this evening, Father, is in Jesus' mighty name that we declare the victory and we declare wisdom and knowledge and understanding and that your banner, which is love over us, govern everything that is done this evening. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen and amen. >> Um did someone have a moment of silence? Janet, did you have a moment of silence? Oh, um uh Ernie, you want to You have the floor. >> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. I would ask us to take a moment of silence. Many of you have probably seen it on TV, but our Senator Murphy I understand had a stroke. So, we want to keep him in prayer um for for his health. >> Thank you. If there's any similar types of uh Councilwoman >> Yes, Mayor. Dolores Huerta um was a pioneer of American labor civil rights activist. She died last week at the age of 96. She was a Hispanic leader. A lot of our council knows who she was, have met her at this uh National League of Cities. So, I'd like to do a moment of silence and her phrase was cease cease cease a cuete. Is that said right? Thank you. >> Take a moment of silence. Thank you. And just for the record, that moment of silence was both in English and in Spanish. Anyone else? All right. Why don't we do a pledge? Councilman, you've always been gracious enough to lead us in the pledge. Madam Clerk, would you do the roll? It's It's about What do you think? I will. >> Ali Boy? Nicole Nelson? >> Present. >> Oleg Cruz? >> Here. >> Natasha Spell? Rolanda Smith? Akim Boy? >> Here. >> Janet Heron? >> Present. >> Loretta Duba? >> Here. >> Michelle Lyons? >> Present. >> Richard Ortiz? >> Here. >> Mary MacGrathly? >> Here. >> Alfredo Castillo? I jump, okay. >> [clears throat] >> Ida Niames? >> Present. >> Maria Valle? >> Present. >> Keila Medina? Javier Pereda? Eneida Martinez? Ernestine We have a quorum. >> a quorum. Thank you. If I can draw your attention to all pages 1, 2, and 3 of the council agenda, we can note that they are appropriately referenced as referrals. Sorry? Oh, the minutes, you're so right. I'm so sorry. Uh standing corrected and withdrawing my earlier statement. Please draw your attention to the first page of the agenda, which is noted minutes for approval. If you read below that, it says approval of City Council minutes of September 21st, 2026. Having that on the agenda, does someone like to move this matter? Is there a second? There's a motion and a second, Madam Clerk. Does anyone need to draw any attention to any item on the agenda before we vote? Councilwoman Maria Valle, I will hit your microphone uh if you would like to comment. >> Yes, I do. >> Please pull your microphone down so we can hear you. Thank you so much. >> Item 139-25. I move if Can I make a move? >> Yeah, what we're doing first though is with your with your um indulgence would be to just ask if there's anybody wants to say anything about the minutes before we vote on them, and then we'll go to the rest of the agenda. So, we have a motion and a second on the minutes, approval of the minutes. >> Okay. >> So, at this point, if you want to withdraw your recognition and we'll hold it until the next item comes up that you want to reference. >> Sure. >> All right, with no objection, then we're back on the minutes. Does anyone else want to be heard on the minutes before we vote? Looking and hearing none, all in favor indicate by saying aye. Any opposed, please give me an indication. If not, which I see none, the minutes are passed unanimously. Okay, I'm going to say this slow, and Councilwoman Valle, if you have a comment, I will accept it at this time. But otherwise, what I'm going to do is ask for a consolidated motion on all items or remaining items on page 1, 2, and 3, and that would be with the exclusion of the matter to be acted upon, if you follow me, that's on the bottom of page 3. And I will recognize Councilman Councilwoman Maria Valle if she would like to be heard prior to making consolidated motion. Councilwoman you have the floor. >> Again, I do item 39-25. I move to amend the referral of of that item from contracts to the economic development and environment committee. For the record, I received an email from sustainability manager who said he attached the wrong information and the city attorney's office mistakenly placed this item for referral to contract. So again, this item needs to be referred to economic development. >> Okay, if there's no objection then Okay, hold on. Is it Councilwoman is it to uh replace the the word contract committee or contract committee with the economic committee or to refer to both? >> No. >> Change it. Okay. So that's the let's just call it a a a an amendment to 139-25 referral. Let me get a second and see if someone will second. Second it. Okay. You want to be heard on this? Well, I'll actually do that even though it's a referral. It was seconded by Councilwoman Ginette Heron. What? Um somebody want to be heard on this? I'll hear and then we'll vote. I see microphones on in the following order. Council uh woman Perera, you have the floor and then we'll vote unless someone else wants to be heard. >> It is a contract, so I believe it's going to have to go to the joint committee of contracts and ECDNE. Cuz it is a contract, so I believe it's going to have to be a referral to a joint committee. Again >> Okay, what I'm going to do is this just so we understand how the process works. There's an a motion to amend which I've allowed for this item to change the word contract to economic development committee at the request of Councilwoman Rey-Vialet. It's been seconded. I'm going to allow what's called discussion or debate by members if they want to speak. Then we will vote on that amendment. If the council votes to to amend it, then it'll be amended. If the council doesn't vote to amend it, then it won't be amended. That's how the rules are work. Maria Councilwoman Vialet, because you're the mover with the permission of Councilman Newton who has his hand up, I'm going to recognize Councilwoman Rey-Vialet. Looks like she might want to clarify something. If there's no objection, Councilwoman, you have the floor. >> Thank you. This is what the email states. Good afternoon, Councilwoman Vialet and McBride. I hope whatever Um I and I well, my office has submitted an agenda item 139-25. Wallbox contract for consideration by the ECDNE committee regarding electric vehicle chargers. I didn't attach the proper cover letter. So the item was referred to contracts. And that is asking for this item to be referred to the ECDNE committee. Um and that it says this item is just focus on electric chargers with Wallbox. That's the company. So this is coming from Chadwick Schroeder who sent this email this afternoon asking for that correction. So it's not a contract. And evidently it did go to whatever office and he's asking for it to be switched over. >> Thank you, Councilwoman, for that clarification. Councilwoman Newton, do you still want to be heard? You have the floor and then unless someone else wants to be heard, we'll vote. Councilwoman Newton, you have the floor. >> the um >> [clears throat] >> the proposal. Now I'm going to say this. I'm not against going to their committee. But anything that deals and if a company comes in and asked us for a penny, that's a contract. It's a negotiation that we're working out with this company to come and do whatever it is that they want to do. So, we should send it to her committee and I understand why. But I do I'm not going to sit around here and have things that deal with contracts that we don't get a look at it to have some say so on it. Now, we haven't done that. I understand. I was the one a few years ago that said we should have a joint committee. Because it doesn't make sense to have two committees, goes to one, then has to go to another one. We can combine it, get the same result. But that that's not working. So, I'm in favor of letting it go to economic development. Anything that deals with our relationship with our city, they asked us for anything, has to go to contracts. >> Councilwoman, you okay if we vote on the amendment or do you want to be heard more? >> I just I just again, he Councilman states that he understands why. Well, I want him to tell me why he understands why it's being switched because as far as I know, I am going by the letter that was sent to me and to Reverend Lee. >> Yeah, I think you're okay unless someone else wants to be heard. Yeah, unless someone else wants to be heard, why don't we vote on the amendments? See how it goes. Is that all right? You want to be heard, too? Councilwoman. >> Uh that email was sent today explaining what was going on. So, if there's a contract afterward, then they can refer to contracts. I mean, let Economic Development get it. That's what Chad uh suggested. I was on the email. Well, let it go this way, and if we have to go to another step, we'll just do the other step. Mhm. Yep. Sorry. Sorry. >> All right. Listen, unless everybody wants to be heard, this is only referral. Mary Lee, do you want to be heard? I love to move the agenda, but you have a right to be heard. I'm going to allow you to be heard if you want to. >> To uh go to one and go to the other one, then why do we have two in the first place? You know me, I I don't know. I'm I'm uh I I I read what my partner read read it right there. And uh you know, if if it doesn't make sense, then you don't need contract and and uh Economic Development. That's my thought. >> Okay. All in favor indicate by saying I. Give me a show of hands if you could. All in favor indicate by saying I to amend it to uh go to Economic and Community Development. Give me a count of hands. I don't need to. If you give me your hands, I'll count. I think you're going to have a majority, but I'm not sure. Show me your hands. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. I'm going to declare that the amendment carries. Okay. So, now unless there's somebody really truly feels strongly about that, let's just say the amendment carries. It's only a referral. It sounds like even the even the even the the chairs of the committee understand they want to handle this in the due process, so I think we're okay. Now, So a consolidated motion if I hear one to refer all the items including the amended one to the appropriate committees. I heard a motion. Yes, I do. And I hear a second. All in favor indicate by saying I. Any opposed give me an indication that you want to be recognized as an opposition. Okay, everything's been referred now. That item's been referred as well as amended with all the comments that were made by the appropriate council members as part of the record. And we're going to go to the second item on the bottom of page three, which is 104-25, which is simply a motion a matter that came out of committee that is recommended for denial. And let me just be clear on how I would say this motion gets framed without getting into the substance of it. If it's a motion to approve, in other words, if you want to sustain the committee's report, which is to deny the item, it would be a motion to a approve the denial. Does someone want to make that motion? I'll I'll go one more time and then I will Does anybody want to make a motion to approve the denial? All right. Hearing none, there's one more item on the there's no action taken on that item. There is back to an addendum that's on the agenda. The addendum that's on the agenda is a actually on mine, it's on the front. And it is called if I can find mine, it is called resolution 141-25. And I'm got the indication Councilwoman that you would like to be heard on this, Councilwoman Martinez, and I will recognize you on a point of personal privilege at this time before we effectively get to that matter. Councilwoman, you have the floor. And then I know Council the movement wanted to be heard, but Council, with your permission, I know you're the movement, I'm going to allow point of personal privilege. Councilwoman Martinez, you have the floor. >> Thank you, Mayor. Mayor, on October 19, 2026, I violated my authority as an elected official under a point of personal privilege. My actions affected the right, safety, dignity, and comfort of my council colleagues. When our chair, our council president, called or or ruled out of order, I ignored her request and continued speaking. Due to my failure of following the chair, our council president's orders, I do apologize for my continued disruptive behavior on that date. Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you. Um It's your motion, uh councilwoman. >> table >> Second. >> Motion to table has been made and seconded on item 141-25. Unless there's uh some reason not to, I'm going to voice vote. All in favor indicate by saying I. I'm sorry, Michelle, do you Motion to table. Your abstention will be Absolutely. Uh I've uh she's abstaining, and uh I heard the other voice votes, and I think I'm putting it down as unanimous unless someone else has a different uh way they want to vote on the motion to table, please indicate now. All right. So, abstention Two abstentions from the 134th. Are you with me? All right. That concludes our our our agenda tonight. Is there a motion to adjourn? Is there a second? All in favor indicate by saying I. Thank you very much, members of the council. Vote tomorrow. Tomorrow's election day in Bridgeport in Connecticut. Please come out and vote. >> You abstained on the motion to table.