Gee, what City Council members could be in this crowd Friday night? Photo by Morgan Kaolian
Are you enjoying Gathering of the Vibes? The annual hippie fest is a cool event along the Seaside Park shores. Most members of the entire Democratic Bridgeport City Council are really enjoying the Vibes, courtesy of free VIP packages worth $420 each for the entire weekend. Oh yes, each council member can also bring a companion. East, drink, be merry. City Republicans say the VIP packages are much too hip hip hooray. News release below:
BRIDGEPORT REPUBLICAN PARTY CALLS ON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO NOT ACCEPT VIP PACKAGES TO GATHERING OF THE VIBES OR PAY IN FULL
The Bridgeport Republican Party calls on the members of the Bridgeport City Council to not accept the two free VIP packages for each council member to the Gathering of the Vibes Festival by the operators of the festival. If they have already used it, the council members should then pay it in full.
“City Council members should not be abusing their elected position to try and get perks for their job. Given this city’s history with corruption and the embarrassment it brought, you would think these elected officials would be a little more sensitive about things exactly like this – accepting “gifts” from entities that are in a contract with the city. It’s a violation of the City Charter. While the city is laying people off, these council members are taking $850 illegal gifts,” said Marc Delmonico, Chairman of the Bridgeport RTC.
Delmonico pointed to an e-mail from City Council President Tom McCarthy and released by fellow Councilman Bob Walsh as evidence of the true nature of the VIP packages. In the e-mail, McCarthy tells his fellow council members they have a free VIP package for the Gathering of the Vibes festival for both themselves AND a companion. At the very end, McCarthy reminds them that this is supposed to be for the purpose of determining whether or not to keep the festival in Bridgeport for future years.
“This e-mail reads like a mischievous kid knowing he’s getting away with something. Council President McCarthy let’s the other members know they have this freebie and then makes sure to remind them what the cover is should anyone ask. First, why is a VIP package for an entire weekend necessary to make an assessment of the festival? How about a walkthrough with the operators while the festival is going on? Any notion that this is for “business” purposes gets completely thrown out the window when you see that they get to bring a companion. How is bringing along one of their buddies helping in their assessment? To put it simply, this is corruption,” said Delmonico.
(To read much more about this issue check out my daily webzine www.onlyinbridgeport.com)
What a bunch of crap this is….they get FREE V.I.P. for what? it cant be for the great job they do in service to OUR city…..I tell ya what people it is not just this,but look around you..these elected FREE-LOADERS gotta go……startin with my FRIEND an yours BILL the grinch FINCH……….THATS a good name for this bunch down there on LYIN TERRACE…err lyon terrace…..Gathering of the lies!!!
Last time I checked, the beaches were still open to residents. Just not the park area.
“…How about a walkthrough with the operators while the festival is going on? Any notion that this is for “business” purposes gets completely thrown out the window when you see that they get to bring a companion…”
It is clear that the cover used by the Council is total bullshit. From the start, the Bridgeport Police were not permitted to patrol inside the fence. There can’t be any better assessment than one done by the Police. The notion that this is for an “assessment” purpose has been out the window for years now. Last year, Council members attended the event and it seems that they never heard of the dead man found on the ground, the complaints from the public, and media reports.
McCarthy and the entire City Council should be stiped of there tie dye tee’s. Tar and Feathered and road out of town on a rail.
Is so sad to see my favorite park taken away for activities like “Gathering of the vibes”.I learned about the vibes last year and I couldn’t believe that a mayor would take or close a whole park for more than a week to have a private activity like this.No other group or culture closes down our parks except for the vibes.I respect democracy and freedom of speech ,but the vibes need to go to an area where they don’t affect the community’s daily life.As I wrote to the mayor twice (not that I expect an answer from him),this park is used by the families of Bridgeport for picnics ,swimming ,daily walks and so much more.For the mayor to have signed a contract with these kind of people for 5 years ,I find it a disrecpect to the residents of Bridgeport !,yes ,to the tax payers like me that are not allow in my park now because we have a bunch of hippies from out of state getting high and doing who knows what.After reading your article today ,I realized that this is in the benefit of the city council members that like the mayor ,don’t give a …. for Bridgeport.