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The state Bonding Commission has approved $60.5 million to purchase 25 more cars for Metro-North Railroad.

The total number of new cars will be 405 by 2014. There are currently 26 new cars in service.

The M-8 cars are being produced at a rate of 10 per month in Nebraska by Kawasaki. They will replace the aging M-4 and M-6 rail cars.

Metro-North has been under fire from commuters, politicians and emergency responders of late after heat-related issues caused major delays, stalled trains on tracks with steamed riders inside and cut off air-conditioning.

Officials from the railroad plan to meet with Westport officials Friday to discuss mismanagement after a train was stuck between the Westport and Greens Farms stations for more than two hours.

Passengers had to call for emergency help themselves as they began to suffer from heat fatigue.

It took extra time for emergency responders to reach the stalled train because Metro-North could not provide an exact location. No one was hospitalized, but hundreds were given water and treated by paramedics.

U.S. Congressmen Jim Himes (D-4) and Rosa DeLauro (D-3) have called for an investigation into how the railroad handles emergency communications.

The summer issues come after a winter of discontent for commuters who had to deal with delays, busing and canceled trains as the railroad’s 40-year-old cars broke down frequently.

Westport State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, a Democrat who sits on the state’s Transportation Committee, praised the funding in a news release.

“For far too long Metro North riders have been forced to deal with overcrowding, delays and breakdowns,” Steinberg said in a statement. “These new cars will go a long way towards making sure Fairfield County commuters are able to get to work comfortably and on time,” said Steinberg. “I want to thank Governor Malloy for his strong commitment to improving our commuter rail system.”

“More drivers will consider taking Metro North as more new trains are added, and that means less gridlock on I-95 and the Merritt,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg said he will also be fighting against any state funding that will be taken away from transportation projects as the governor’s office tries to close the state’s budget gap.

“Taking money away from transportation projects is bad for commuters and it’s bad for taxpayers,” said Steinberg. “We must address Fairfield County’s deteriorating infrastructure. And the longer we wait the more it will cost us.”

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The Ansonia Republican Town Committee has decided not to run a candidate for mayor.
Instead, they are focusing the Board of Aldermen candidates.
Incumbent Mayor Jim DellaVolpe, a Democrat, was endorsed for a seventh term earlier this month.

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Here is Mayor Bill Finch’s speech after getting the Democratic Town Committee endorsement for mayor – from former mayor John Fabrizi no less! -last night. In his 8-minute speech the mayor makes a host of promises, including a start to the Steelpointe project and the reopening of Pleasure Beach.

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Bernard “Bob” Joy Jr., who was nominated by acclamation by Milford Republicans as their mayoral candidate Tuesday night, acknowledged that he has missed several meetings during his term on the Board of Aldermen, but pledged to be a full-time candidate and if elected a full-time, fully engaged mayor.

Joy said that he and his sister Mary cared for their mother as the older woman was dying of cancer. “At times the obligation to my mother and to my family after her death took me away from my business responsibilities and my responsibilities to the city,” the candidate said during his City Hall acceptance speech.

“Looking back on it today I can say emphatically that I would not have done anything differently,” Joy said.

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TRUMBULL – (press release) District 2 Town Council Representative Robert J. Pescatore, Jr., issued the following statement Tuesday evening after the Trumbull Republican Convention:

“I was expecting not to receive the Trumbull Republican Town Committee endorsement for Town Council and have been preparing for this eventuality for months. The power brokers of the TRTC have acted predictably once again. Their action is clearly in retribution for my efforts in working in a bi-partisan fashion to best represent the residents of District 2. Putting people before party and exercising independent judgment are qualities that are not valued by the TRTC. However, I do value those qualities and do my best every day to listen to my constituents and help them in any way that I can. I am proud to represent the residents of District 2 and of the entire town, and thankfully in our democracy, the voters make the final decision of who can run for office, not the TRTC insiders.”

Update: I corresponded with Rob by text to find out what his future plans are (run as an indepedent, primary, etc.) He said, “at this point, I am gathering information and weighing the options. I will issue another statement when I determine the best course of action.”

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BRIDGEPORT — On Monday, Democrat Mary-Jane Foster announced her education platform, including a plan to pursue the creation of a local school board consisting of five appointed and four elected individuals.
On Tuesday, the Democratic Town Committee endorsed Mayor Bill Finch for another four-year term.
And, Democratic candidate for mayor John Gomes is taking issue with both announcements.

Here are excerpts from the two press releases Gomes has issued on the topics:

On Foster’s announcement: “I have four daughters in Bridgeport’s public school system and I can tell you that this plan misses the boat,” Gomes said in a release. “More layers of bureaucracy are the last thing we need. We need a complete and thorough financial audit and performance review. We need to get back to the basics of educating our children and put the money directly into the classrooms. She wants to take the control from the parents and give it to the politicians, and that is wrong.”

On the DTC’s endorsement:

“I’m certainly not surprised that the machine has endorsed Bill Finch,” Gomes said, again in a release. “After all, I’m the only candidate who has promised to break the suffocating hold the machine has on this city and to reign in real reform and progress. We’ll never lower taxes, fix our schools, or create jobs with the status quo. The machine IS the status quo and Bill Finch is their candidate for good reason. He’s does exactly what they tell him to do and Bridgeport continues to suffer. My campaign represents something completely different. I’ll clean house and return the power to the people. Tomorrow the petition drive to get on the Democratic ballot begins. Bill Finch is the candidate of the machine and of the powerful. I’m the candidate of the people.”

For more on Gomes and his candidacy visit www.johnmgomes.com.