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Charter Revision Commission chair urges Bridgeport voters to approve updated charter; resident alleges filing irregularities
Summary
Faith Sweeney, chair of the Charter Revision Commission, described a modernized draft charter and urged civic engagement; several residents supported placing the measure on the November ballot while one public commenter alleged the commission and clerk missed filing requirements and said many chapters were changed at the last minute.
Faith Sweeney, chair of the Charter Revision Commission, asked Bridgeport residents to back a proposed update to the city charter that she said modernizes, clarifies and strengthens how the city governs itself.
"This document serves as the foundation for how Bridgeport governs itself," Sweeney said during the public comment period, thanking commissioners and city staff for what she called a collaborative effort to "modernize, clarify, and strengthen this charter so it reflects the needs of today." She said the process was intended to increase accountability and inspire more residents to participate in civic life.
Multiple residents voiced support for making the revision a ballot question. A speaker introduced by the moderator as Mr. Lee urged council members to vote that night to place the charter before voters in November and encouraged residents in each district to back the changes.
Not all speakers supported the timing or the process. Maria Pereira, who said she has 14 years of public service, called the commission's schedule "outrageous" and alleged violations of the council's filing rules. Pereira said the final report was not filed with the city clerk by the 4:30 p.m. Wednesday deadline, that it was instead emailed and mailed at about 8:37 p.m., and that copies were only placed on desks at about 4:52 p.m. the following day. "This is outrageous," Pereira said, adding that she believed 21 chapters had been changed and that the report therefore would require a two-thirds vote because it had not been filed as required.
The claims about filing and the last-minute changes were raised publicly during the meeting; the transcript contains no recorded response from the city clerk or other staff disputing or confirming those assertions.
The public comment portion of the meeting closed shortly after those remarks. The transcript does not record any formal council vote on placing the charter on the ballot during the session covered by this record.
