Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} Over 100 Bridgeport Citizens crammed into the City Council chambers Tuesday demanding explanations and even an apology from Mayor Bill Finch after his handling of the Blizzard of 2013. Some are even calling for his resignation.
Finch called the special meeting to hear the community’s complaints and suggestions but many still did not get a chance to be heard, despite the extra hour of time added to the meeting.
The large majority of the people in attendance spoke out about what they regarded as a slow and painful process of removing snow from Bridgeport streets.
Some residents became tired of waiting and took to the streets themselves, shovels in hand.
Bridgeport property appraiser, Maria Pires asked, “Do we get a refund on our taxes because we had to go out there and clean our own snow?”
Although many who spoke were angry and disappointed with the Mayors response, some residents were more understanding.
“It's nature,” Joseph Sabo stated. “You have to deal with it and overall the mayor did a good job.”
Connecticut’s second largest city was hit with some of the largest recorded snow fall during the blizzard.
"You're my boss,” said Finch. “I listen to you and I will listen as long as you're polite and when you're not polite I won't listen anymore. This was the largest snowfall ever recorded since 1888 and it overwhelmed our mechanical and human systems.”
Finch plans to take all of the feedback, both positive and negative, to help review the City’s snow removal process to see where improvements can be made.
But for residents like Clyde Nicholson, who lost business because of the botched snow removal process, apologies just won’t cut it.
"If he had the nerve to do this to us, he should have the ability to say I quit. I cannot do this job.”
