Month: December 2016

Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joe Ganim today is congratulating Bridgeport City Council member Jeanette Herron (D-133) and praising her recent selection to serve on the National League of Cities (NLC) Community and Economic Development Committee. Herron is the only person from Connecticut to serve on this crucial national committee that helps represent cities across the country, advocate for continued federal investments in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and brownfield remediation grants. These are crucial Congressional appropriations through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and other agencies that help municipalities – especially in the northeast – revitalize former industrial sites into housing, retail and other uses such as education and high tech manufacturing. Elsewhere in the country the NLC Community and Economic Development also advocates for clean water and water conservation to limit impacts of contamination and drought.

“Councilwoman Jeannette Herron is a very strong advocate for Bridgeport at the national level and it is quite an honor that she has been chosen to serve on this critical committee,” said Mayor Ganim. “Jeannette will speak strongly for Bridgeport on the community and economic development panel and help focus the work of our Congressional delegation to investing in the growing economic engine that is Bridgeport. We all recognize that investing in our urban centers contributes to increasing prosperity in an entire region. We are very proud that Jeanette is the only person from Connecticut on this committee and I look forward to working with her to bringing more essential federal investments to the Park City!”
Councilwoman Herron said, “Serving on the Community and Economic Development federal advocacy committee for the National League of Cities is great honor for me. In my public service career I have really tried to focus on brownfield remediation, and I previously served as co-chair of the CDBG committee for my city council district for the last decade. These federal dollars make a big difference in our community by creating real jobs and improving the quality of life in Bridgeport. We have many contaminated former industrial sites that are a potential gold mine of investment, and our goal is to turn as many of these properties around from blighted brownfields into prosperous and environmentally safe parcels of land for development. I will do everything I can to continue to make this a reality for Bridgeport.”

Herron’s appointment to the NLC Community and Economic Development federal advocacy committee lasts for one year, and will be complete in November 2017. Herron was one of several Bridgeport City Council members appointed to NLC committees although her appointment is new. Other members were reappointed to their respective committees. A complete listing of Bridgeport appointees to NLC committees is below.

“The Bridgeport City Council has long been actively involved in key committees of the National League of Cities (NLC), as a critical path toward staying abreast of key federal issues affecting Bridgeport and as well as leveraging federal funding to help pay for key Bridgeport initiatives and to help restrain property taxes on city residents and businesses,” said Ron Thomas, CCM Deputy Director. “And the extensive municipal experience of the Bridgeport councilmembers coming onto these NLC committees will also undoubtedly benefit city, the State and municipal leaders from across the country.”

 

#BRIDGEPORT, CT – Mayor Joe Ganim today joined community leaders from the East End of Bridgeport and several members of the city council to take the previously declared “War on Blight” to Stratford Avenue.  Together this morning, Mayor Ganim and community leaders started demolition of the  building that once housed the Petteway Market and adjacent  social club, plus apartments.  The building was severely damaged in a 2014 fire and was since condemned.  Demolition became the only option to move the lot forward for new development because the property owner carried no insurance on the building.   Mayor Ganim is stressing that the war on blight will continue to rumble through the East End – so far 23 blighted buildings have been identified for demolition so new vacant lots will be created to lead to much needed economic development projects and opportunities to improve the community.

 

“Our war on blight is making progress, one building at a time,” said Mayor Ganim.  “We will continue to be aggressive identifying what buildings can be saved and redeveloped, and what buildings are an eyesore and a health hazard and need to come down so we can transform the neighborhood.  My administration is committed to reviving the East End of Bridgeport and making this neighborhood the prosperous residential, commercial and cultural center it was historically.  This will improve the quality of life for all the neighbors living near this blighted lot.  Demolishing this building and others to come in the near future I hope sends a clear signal that we are serious of getting rid of blight in Bridgeport and clearing the way for new investment!”