Bridgeport charter commission advances reorganization of draft charter, moves definitions to back, and narrows residency language

The Bridgeport Charter Commission met Aug. 11, 2025, and took several procedural and drafting decisions as it prepared a revised charter to return to the city council.

The commission called the meeting to order at 6:16 p.m. and reviewed council-proposed edits to the draft charter (exhibit one), including attorney edits and capitalization fixes. Commissioners agreed to invite council leadership and the mayor to the next meeting to discuss outstanding council recommendations.

On the preamble, commissioners accepted a short preamble and agreed to place it as a standalone page before Chapter 1 so the charter opens with a brief vision/mission statement rather than burying such language in Chapter 1. Commissioners emphasized the preamble should be concise and not conflate mission statements with operative law.

The commission voted to consolidate definitions into a single alphabetical chapter at the back of the charter (to be designated Chapter 24). That change will include the civil-service definitions so readers can find definitions in one place rather than scattered through individual chapters.

Commissioner Tom proposed replacing the broader term "officers" in the residency section with wording limited to elected officials and board and commission members. Tom presented a draft that would read in substance: "all elected officials and board and commission members appointed under the provisions of this charter ... shall be bonafide residents and registered voters of the city of Bridgeport." Commissioners accepted the revised wording in principle and asked Tom to circulate his exact language for incorporation.

On notice and publication language, commissioners discussed the charter clause that currently references publication in a newspaper and requested staff draft alternate language that preserves any publication obligations required by state statute while expressly allowing electronic posting (including the city website and social media) where statute permits. Commissioners agreed not to remove statutorily mandated newspaper publication until staff confirms whether particular notices remain subject to state-law publication requirements.

The commission also approved a new procedural requirement directing the city clerk to include, in the annual report and on the city website no later than Sept. 30 each year, a listing of board and commission terms that will expire at year-end to aid recruitment and timely appointments.

A council-proposed set of changes to the mayor-absence and temporary-disability section drew concern for being overly prescriptive; the commission voted to reject those specific council edits and to retain the commission’s prior wording on that section. Commissioners said they would continue to confer with the council on that chapter at the next meeting.

On vacancies, commissioners debated whether to require nomination/action within two months or three months for board and commission vacancies. After discussion of recruitment realities, they agreed staff should draft language that favors a three-month nomination window with a fallback to the council if the mayor fails to nominate within the allotted time.

Other items: commissioners agreed to add the Office of Municipal Ethics as a recipient of hearing transcripts, tabled a separate discussion on sheriffs’ bond verification pending clearer enforcement language, and scheduled a follow-up meeting with the mayor and council leadership.

Votes at a glance - Move preamble to its own page before Chapter 1 — approved (motion carried). - Consolidate definitions into Chapter 24 (alphabetical, include civil-service definitions) — approved (motion carried; staff to renumber). - Approve revised residency language limited to "all elected officials and board and commission members" in principle — approved; exact wording to be circulated by Commissioner Tom. - Add annual Sept. 30 clerk notification of expiring terms to be posted on the city website — approved. - Reject city-council proposed changes to mayor-absence wording — approved (motion carried). - Add Office of Municipal Ethics as a recipient of hearing transcripts — approved. - Table sheriff bond enforcement language and Section 8 for further drafting — approved.

What happens next Staff will draft clean redlines reflecting the commission’s decisions (including a consolidated definitions chapter and the proposed residency and vacancy language) and circulate final wording for review. The commission invited the mayor and council leadership to the next meeting to discuss remaining council changes before the commission finalizes its redline for transmittal to the council.