Council Looks to Give Final Green Light to Emergency Services Fee on Those Lodging within City Limits
By Jeff Toquinto on March 07, 2025
The final leg of an ordinance to create an emergency services fee for those staying in Bridgeport’s hotels and motels will be in front of Bridgeport City Council on Monday.
Council’s regular meeting at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex begins at 7 p.m. Prior to that, there will be a work session at 5:30 p.m. The work session, said Mayor Andy Lang, will likely be in executive session to discuss advance construction planning.
Nearly two months ago, on Jan. 13, the ordinance was first introduced to members of Bridgeport City Council. The initial fee proposed, at $6 /Council%203-10-25%20Prev_%20Ford.jpg)
per room per night at the city’s lodging facilities, will go directly toward emergency services in the city.
per room per night at the city’s lodging facilities, will go directly toward emergency services in the city.
However, there have been modifications since first introduced in January. First, the effective date of the ordinance is now set for July 1 of this year.
The second change involved the fee. As amended, the fee will now be $3 from July 1, 2025, to June 30 of 2026. At that time, it will go to $4.50 until June 30 of 2027. Then, from July 1 of 2027 to June 30 of 2028, the fee would go to the originally suggested total of $6.
City Manager Patrick Ford said all $3 the first year will go to the fire department. In year two, $3 would go to the fire department and $1.50 to the police department. In the third year, Ford said $3 of the fee would go to fire and $3 would go to police.
No one from the hotel industry has spoken in favor of the proposal. Several individuals, mainly with ties to emergency response, have spoken in favor of the fee.
There is no public hearing involved with this ordinance. However, individuals do have the right to speak on the matter during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Council will be asked to act o a six-figure contract that will upgrade one of the city’s most recognizable sites. Up for vote is approval of a contract with City Construction Company of Clarksburg to replace the doors and windows of the Benedum Civic Center for $116,395./Council%202-10-25%20Side%20Shuttleworth%20Compton.jpg)
Included in the proposal is a 10 percent contingency fee of $11,639.50 for a total cost of $128,034.50.
Included in the proposal is a 10 percent contingency fee of $11,639.50 for a total cost of $128,034.50.
Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth said he believed many of the windows involved are original to the building. Dozens will be replaced, along with the doors.
A pair of items involving the Bridgeport Police Department will ask Council to allow Lang to enter into agreement with the Division of Justice and Community Service to administer a pair of grants. One grant, for $60,000, will be utilized by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, while the other, for $25,000, will be used for the Prevention Resource Officer (PRO) positions.
Both are JAG (Justice Assistant Grants) grants. Click HERE to read more about them.
Sam Spatafore’s reappointment to the Bridgeport Zoning Appeals Board will be considered. If approved, Spatafore’s new three-year term will run from Feb. 1, 2025, to Jan. 31, 2028.
Council will be asked to consider preliminary approval on an alley abandonment request by Beverly and Brandon Shaw. The address is 208 Williams Avenue.
The invocation at the meeting will be given by Bridgeport Fire Department Lieutenant Jacob Thompson.
The meeting will include reports from Lang and Ford. There will also be a public forum near the start of the meeting for anyone wishing to address the city’s governing body.
Editor's Note: Top photo is of City Manager Patrick Ford, while bottom image is of Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth. Both images are from the February 10 Council meeting.
