Bridgeport – Page 96 – DoingItLocal

Bridgeport, CT – Today, Mayor Joe Ganim announced that he has started the process of reorganization of city government, starting with making several appointments to key positions. Among them are appointments in the Chief Administrative Office, which oversees all city departments and advises the Mayor with respect to the day-to-day operations of city government. Mayor Ganim also announced the appointment of a new Deputy Chief of Staff and Public Facilities Director, as well as appointed a permanent Director of the Office of Labor Relations. This is the first step in a greater effort to reorganize city government, fill vacant positions, and work with department heads to make city government more efficient and effective.

Chief Administrative Officer – Thomas Gaudett

Gaudett has served the City of Bridgeport for over 8 years in various capacities, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff. In that capacity, Gaudett was an advisor to the Mayor and coordinated between the Administration and City Council regarding the budget, contracts, ordinance amendments, and other matters before the Bridgeport City Council. Gaudett’s responsibilities also have included leading the City of Bridgeport’s American Rescue Plan efforts, as well as several initiatives to modernize city government. Gaudett graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a B.A. in Government, is currently pursuing a Juris Doctorate part-time at the Syracuse University School of Law, and is a lifelong Bridgeport resident.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer – Fred Gee

Gee is an 8 year veteran of the Ganim Administration, serving as the Director of the Small & Minority Business Enterprise Office. In that capacity, Gee worked on substantial amendments to the city’s Minority Business Enterprise ordinance and has engaged in several efforts to build capacity within small, minority and women-owned businesses in the City of Bridgeport. Under his leadership, the City has also begun the process of conducting a new disparity study of city procurement. Gee is currently serving in his first term as State Representative for the 126^th District.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer – David Reyes. Jr.

For the past year, Reyes has served in the Ganim Administration as the Director of Health Equity and Human Services. In that role, Reyes focused primarily on establishing policies and procedures for the city’s new Social Services unit within the Health Department. Prior to his service with the City of Bridgeport, Reyes served as the Director of the Office of Health Equity for the Connecticut Department of Public Health. He has also formerly served as Intergovernmental Affairs Manager for OPM and the Governor’s Office, as well as a Deputy Majority Leader on the New Haven Board of Alders. Reyes earned a graduate certificate in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University.

Deputy Chief of Staff – Constance Vickers

Vickers has served the City of Bridgeport for five years as the Director of Legislative Affairs. In this role, she crafted and executed the City’s annual legislative agenda in Hartford and represented the City on intergovernmental affairs with federal and state officials, other towns and cities, and non-profit and advocacy organizations around the state. Vickers has served on various boards on behalf of the City, most notably the CT Conference of Municipalities, and played a key role in Bridgeport’s launch of the American Rescue Plan. Vickers is a Bridgeport homeowner and a proud alumna of the University of Bridgeport.

Director of Public Facilities – Luis Burgos

Burgos is a 23+ year veteran of Bridgeport’s Department of Public Facilities, with humble beginnings in 2000 as a sanitation worker. Burgos rose through the ranks during his time with the City of Bridgeport, earning promotions to Sanitation Supervisor in 2016, and then to Manager of Roadway and Parks Services in late 2017. In this capacity, Burgos has managed and supervised a large number of full-time and seasonal city employees and was charged with overseeing the management and maintenance of Bridgeport’s many parks. Burgos holds a degree in Computer Science from Housatonic Community College.

Director of Labor Relations – Attorney Eroll Skyers

For the past year, Skyers has served the City of Bridgeport as the “Acting” Director of Labor Relations. While serving in that role, Skyers has negotiated several contracts with various city labor unions and has overseen the City’s compliance with federal and state employment laws. Prior to serving in Labor Relations, Skyers served as an Associate City Attorney for the Bridgeport City Attorney’s Office since 2008. Skyers came to the City from private practice as a Partner at Skyers, Skyers & Harrell, and previously Barrister Law Group. Skyers graduated from Washington & Lee University with a B.S. in Biology and earned his Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Vintage construction that leaves utility components exposed in hallways is a shared architectural challenge affecting daily routines for students in multiple schools. The reliance on aging steam boiler systems complicates temperature regulation, necessitating unconventional measures like winter window openings. Hall School’s infrastructure challenges offer insight into broader issues affecting the district. As discussions around improvements gain momentum, the focus remains on addressing these shared concerns to create secure and conducive learning environments for all schools. The call for action becomes a collective imperative, emphasizing the shared responsibility of the district in tackling infrastructure woes.