Owners committee debates proposed municipal ethics office, staffing and disclosure rules

Bridgeport’s owners committee continued work on proposed charter revisions Wednesday night, focusing on an ethics commission and a proposed Office of Municipal Ethics that would require certain filings, set staffing and outline enforcement thresholds.

The committee voted to exhibit the draft charter text (identified on the record as O07/2025) after a motion was made and seconded; the motion passed by a voice vote and individual roll-call tallies were not recorded. The meeting’s chair opened the session and members agreed to resume where they left off at the prior Saturday workshop.

Discussion centered on three linked questions: which duties should be placed in the charter rather than in an ordinance; who must file financial-disclosure statements; and what vote threshold the ethics commission should use to find a violation. A committee member urged caution about embedding operational detail in the charter, arguing that "the more you put in the charter, the more you're restricting your ability ... to have a living, breathing ordinance."

Several members said the proposed filing language was too broad. One committee member questioned a requirement that people "seeking business" with the city must file disclosures, saying, "I think it's way too broad and it's gonna have a chilling effect on people seeking to do business." That member recommended limiting mandatory filings to those who actually do business or have authority to award contracts, and leaving specifics to ordinance so the city can adjust the scope later.

Members also pressed staff on evidence and recordkeeping for disciplinary hearings. Noting that the municipality typically does not produce verbatim transcripts for executive-session hearings, one committee member said, "But the problem is we don't provide transcripts. Our minutes are not great, and we don't provide transcripts or word for word," and asked how an absent commissioner could certify they had read or heard testimony. Staff replied the record may be a recording rather than a verbatim transcript and said they would "make a note to check on that."

A separate, persistent concern involved the voting threshold for finding an ethics violation. Under the draft, a finding could be made by a majority of members voting — which critics said could permit a two-to-three vote to determine guilt when the ordinance currently requires four affirmative votes. One committee member warned that lowering the threshold could allow small quorums to stigmatize individuals and asked that the commission consider retaining a higher threshold; another suggested mirroring the current ordinance language that requires four affirmative votes.

Members debated staffing language that would mandate a funded ethics director and professional staff. Some argued the charter should require and fund the position to ensure continuity, while others said staffing levels and classification are better handled by ordinance so the city can adjust as budgets and needs change. A member proposed starting with a manager-level position that could be upgraded later rather than embedding a large staffing mandate in the charter.

Procedurally, the committee noted time constraints — the library where they met closes at 8 p.m. — and set a target to be ready to vote on the revisions by Aug. 4. Staff members were asked to clarify language about effective dates and to send proposed edits in writing to the city attorney's office so the attorney can review legal effects before the next meeting.

The committee’s debate did not result in final charter text on the major subjects discussed; instead, members agreed to tighten definitions (who counts as a designated employee), check statutory retention requirements for disclosure records, confirm whether executive-session hearings are transcribed or recorded, and reconcile vote-threshold language with the existing ordinance. The committee adjourned after scheduling follow-up work and additional written submissions for legal review.