Bridgeport council approves routine items including hire of part‑time officer, festival contract and IRS audit closeout

The Bridgeport Borough Council on Aug. 19 approved several routine motions, including hiring a part‑time police officer, authorizing use of borough property for community events and closing out an IRS audit that required a payment of about $18,400.

Councilors voted without extended debate to approve the July 15, 2025 meeting minutes. The council then authorized hiring Aidan (Aidan/Aiden appears as both spellings in the record) Santos as a part‑time patrol officer; Santos was sworn in at the meeting. The council approved a request from the Upper Marion Boat Club to use Rotundo Park for its annual regatta on Sunday, Sept. 28, and voted to provide a municipal letter of support for a nearby Gulf Road connector trail project being considered for William Penn Foundation grant funding. The council also approved a request from the festival committee to use borough property for the 2025 Boo Port festival; one councilor recused from that vote.

On event logistics and funding, the council authorized a municipal contract with Morello Amusements for $2,350 to provide attractions at the Boo Port celebration and noted that fundraising for Boo Port is managed through a segregated borough bank account; the manager explained the contract is a municipal contract paid from borough funds that have been partially raised through the event's fundraising. The council also authorized the purchase of a police vehicle from Patriot Chevrolet for $18,885.

The finance item with the most fiscal detail was the council's acceptance of IRS audit findings and closeout. According to the presentation during the meeting, the IRS audit — begun in February 2023 — identified a nominal $6,000 deficiency related to vendor withholding taxes; with penalties and interest the borough paid about $18,400 to settle the matter. Council voted to accept the findings and close the audit.

Councilors also voted to authorize payment of bills and salaries for August 2025. Most motions passed by voice vote with standard “aye” responses recorded on the transcript; no roll‑call tallies with named votes were provided in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in meeting): - Approve minutes (July 15, 2025): motion moved by Kyle Shank; second by Laura Houck; motion carried. - Hire and swear in part‑time patrol officer Aidan Santos: motion carried (mover/second recorded in meeting). - Approve Upper Marion Boat Club use of Rotundo Park for Sept. 28 regatta: motion carried. - Support letter for Gulf Road connector (William Penn Foundation grant application): motion carried. - Approve festival committee use of borough property for 2025 Boo Port (one recusal noted): motion carried. - Contract with Morello Amusements for Boo Port — $2,350: motion carried; contract executed as municipal contract paid from borough funds raised for the event. - Purchase police vehicle from Patriot Chevrolet — $18,885: motion carried. - Accept IRS audit findings and close out with payment (penalty/interest ~$18,400): motion carried. - Authorize payment of August 2025 bills and salaries: motion carried.

The meeting proceeded through these items with limited deliberation; where councilors asked clarifying questions (for example about the source of funds for the Boo Port contract and whether the event contractor carried insurance) staff provided answers in the meeting record. No ordinance readings or multi‑meeting legislative items were debated or postponed during the session. The meeting ended at about 8:37 p.m.