Bridgeport Residents
Dear?Editor:
This past Sunday there was a letter to the editor from our mayor that contained many inaccuracies.
I will begin by agreeing with him, by saying that we need a council to take action. Sir, we already have that council. What this village needs is a mayor that will execute policies and ordinances that this council ratifies, and a mayor who is willing to work with all of council and not just two of its members. Over the past four years you have failed miserably to do this.
I also agree with you about the necessity to repair the several slips in our village. But once again these need to be done correctly, legally and ethically. The Ohio Ethics Commission, that you are quick to reference, has already stated that your most recent proposal (pay your operator, fuel, and “two good laborers that you pick”) is in violation with the Ethics laws. You have also stated that you cannot provide a cost estimate for these jobs. Other companies can and have provided estimates for some of these jobs and similar jobs, why can’t you? This council simply will not vote to give you a blank check, to do as you will, and so forth.
To correct another inaccuracy of your letter, this council did not vote this year, to not allow $16,000 of road repairs. Check the official record you will see that immediately after the Hall Street project was authorized LAST YEAR, and it was known that council wanted to use the permissive tax fund to pay for this project, you immediately began to spend thousands of dollars on Hall street and other streets, filled out the application for the permissive tax monies, and thought council would “just go along” as your previously mentioned “good council people” would do over the years gone by. This was also an attempt to thwart the Hall Street project, because once again you did not get your way.
This council only voted not to authorize these monies to come from the permissive tax fund, they had to come out of our local funds. As a public official, I do mind criticism, because we cannot always please everyone. But sir, yours is not honest criticism. Your criticism is based on the fact that this council does not just roll over and play dead, and allow you to do as you please. If you consider being held accountable and being forced to do your job correctly, legally and ethically as “council fighting with the mayor”, then so be it.
I too, am sickened by the appearance of this village, and it has not gotten any better over the past 17 years. This problem lies at your feet. Council does not have the day to day control over enforcing ordinances, policies and the direction of our employees (who are excellent people and perform great work). You do sir, some of these problems you stated, could easily be handled with the ordinances and policies already in place, try executing and enforcing them.
If the day to day operations in this village shall change, then you will see improvement. I sir, take great offence to you blaming me and my fellow council members for issues that are out of our hands, after we adjourn a meeting, having made decisions, setting policies and passing legislation. You are part of the executive branch in this village, try executing your job.
Sincerely,
Marvin Husarik
Councilman
Village of Bridgeport
Bridgeport Residents
Dear Editor
I was elected the mayor of Bridgeport back in November 1998 to serve all the people of our village.
Over the years we have done a lot of good things in our community. We have had multiple good council members, employees and volunteers helping our town. Yes, at times there were differences of opinion, but we were always able to do good things. Together we have learned from the mistakes we have made.
I believe in using resources we have to better our village and its people. As a local businessman, I have been able to provide my services free of charge for our town. I have also been able to make many great connections over the years with our local office holders and many local contractors and area businesses.
Working with the Ohio Ethics Commission since 2004 has enabled me to do the services for the village. I carefully have followed their criteria and their rules which I always have in my files.
We are now faced with several slips in the village and once again I have offered my services to help with these as I know what has to be done. We have three slips on Kirkwood Heights Road, one on Jacquette Street, one on Old Cadiz Road and one on Oak Street. Once again, this has to go to council and they are the ones that need to take immediate action in order for anything to be done on them.
For citizens who are uninformed, I do not get a vote when issues and problems are brought before council. I am asking you, as residents of the village, to elect a council that will take action now. As a whole we need to work together on all of the problems facing Bridgeport and come up with the best possible solutions for our community.
I have also been told that I favor Kirkwood Heights Road more than other streets in town but simply is not true. We have over 130 families up there and that road is their main thoroughfare to go to and from their homes. The slips up there are really bad and school will be starting soon and the school buses will also be using that road.
I am also upset at the way our whole town looks as I drive through it as there are still a lot of dilapidated properties like the one at the end of Stop 10 Bridge, which I am more than willing to tear it down and clear the property as it has been a village eyesore for quite a long time.
Also in the 600 block of Howard Street there is a property owned by a local business which also needs torn down. A permit was issued for demolition way back in September of 2012, but nothing has been done since. This property is now filled with rodents, snakes, other animals and the smell is horrendous. I certainly would not want to live near that property. We need our council and its committees to take forceful action on properties such as these. Earlier this year, I asked our council to give me and the street department $16,000 to repair about 14 small streets in the village. Once again, I was turned down by this council.
As of today, after reviewing all of the problems that we are faced with here in our village, I have decided to run again for your mayor. It has been said that only 25 precent of our registered voters turned out last year to vote. If you want your voice heard then you need to cast your ballot. We need all of our residents to have a clear voice so please remember this when you go to the polls in November. Please cast your ballot for a council who will take their job seriously for all of the people of our village.
The council that we have now, except for two of them, have been very hard to work with. They need to remember that they are in office for the good people of Bridgeport not to fight with the mayor when he has done nothing wrong and is willing to work night and day for all of the people of Bridgeport. I am not afraid of this council and I have always believed in the good people of our town. I am still a strong and proud resident of this town and I will do whatever it takes for all of you no matter what challenges I face.
John J. Callarik
Bridgeport