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“I’m disgusted,” said one city resident.

“They made up their minds way before this,” said another.

“They should be ashamed of themselves,” commented yet another angry resident.

After sitting through the commission’s nearly four-hour meeting, more than 30 city residents – many North Enders and members of the Ungag the People Committee – stormed out of City Hall after the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to accept a resolution that confirmed the validity of their March 2008 approval of the Master Plan of Conservation and Development.

Although presented with two other resolutions by City Attorney Mark Anastasi and Associate City Attorney Greg Conte that accepted amendments to the document proposed by the City Council and Mayor Bill Finch, the commission decided the master plan was perfect “as is.”

Only Commissioner Barbara Freddino voted for any amendments to the document. Four of the eight commissioners present at the meeting even refused to discuss any possible amendments, while their four fellow commissioners debated for several minutes whether the master plan and zoning regulations had to be identical or “just” consistent.

Who knew there was THAT big of a difference between the two words? Anybody have a dictionary?

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About 30 city residents holding up signs asking for changes to the master plan are sitting in the Council Chambers in Bpt.’s City Hall waiting for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s regular meeting to end. They’ve been sitting here for 3 hours awaiting the possibility that the PZC will vote on the master plan tonight. Since City Planner Mike Nidoh and OPED director Don Eversley are here I’m guessing a vote will happen soon. Stay tuned!

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There’s hardly a political pre-Labor Day lull in Trumbull, where Republican candidate Tim Herbst seems determined to operate on all cylinders even before the traditional holiday starting gun.

His campaign on Monday announced the formation of Democrats for Herbst. It will be chaired by Charles Pitcher, who was defeated for reelection as a District 7 Town Council member two years ago only to last year declare and drop a petition candidacy for state representative and later announce but drop plans to challenge incumbent Democratic First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin Jr. in this year’s race.

At least five other Democrats have signed on to the committee, including Leslie Roggen, a neighbor of the Westfield Trumbull mall who said Herbst helped get management there to listen to her concerns about issues like sign size and lighting before the new Target moved in, and Amy Dezenzo, a retired teacher who said that her taxes “have gone out of sight.”

And Pitcher said 25 others have agreed to support Herbst as well. 

Meanwhile, political junkies don’t have to keep their sights confined to this year in this pre-holiday week. GOP Senate hopeful Rob Simmons (one of several seeking to take the seat away from Chris Dodd) visits the town Thursday when the Republicans open their local headquarters at 6295 Main Street. That takes place at 6:30 p.m., and one doesn’t even have to belong to a party to be welcome.

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Rep. Jim Himes isn’t the only one holding health care reform forums this week. AARP Connecticut is hosting what it bills as a “community conversation” on health care reform on Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the North Branch Library, 3455 Madison Ave., Bridgeport.

AARP officials will present their priorities for reform and lead a discussion on the impact of various plans circulating in Congress. A free lunch will be served at noon. You have to register beforehand, which you can do  at 1-877-926-8300 or ctaarp@aarp.org.

Speaking of Himes, his Bridgeport health care forum is set for Thursday, Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m. in Bridgeport City Hall Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace.

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Joanne Rohrig, the minority leader of the Milford school board, has confirmed that she is dropping her re-election bid.
“I made this decision more than a month ago,” said Rohrig, a Republican. “I feel I need time to focus on my family.”

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Back in early June, officials of Greater Bridgeport Transit, the agency that runs the region’s public bus service, announced that 40 of its buses would be getting new engines, financed by a $2.8 million federal stimulus grant.

“This grant will be used to replace engines and engine components on two-thirds of our bus fleet,” Ron Kilcoyne, the GBT’s CEO, said at the time. “The project will result in cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. It will reduce operating costs for years to come and result in a more reliable service for our riders.”

All well and good.

Well, apparently not so good in the estimation of two people whose names were not part of the original announcement of the stimulus allocation.

So, today U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and Mayor Bill Finch aim to address that, er, oversight. At a hastily called press conference they will announce — rather, re-announce — the very same allocation for the GBT fleet that was announced — but not by them — nearly three months ago.

So in case you’re wondering what’s going on at the GBT bus depot in downtown Bridgeport at 1:30 p.m. today, it will be Mr. Himes and Mr. Finch vying for some face time — and taking credit where it may, or may not, be due.