Chief Phil Hart is Honored at Bridgeport City Council Meeting; Council Votes to Move Forward with Two Pieces of Property
By Julie Perine on October 28, 2025
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At Monday evening’s Bridgeport City Council meeting, Council paid tribute to Bridgeport Fire Chief Phil Hart, who is retiring Oct. 31 after 36 years of service to the city. He was presented with an Employee Service Award signed by Mayor Robert Matheny and Interim City Manager Joe Shuttleworth.
Shuttleworth also presented Hart with a plaque featuring a fire hat which read: “Honoring 36 years of service by Chief Phil Hart. Thank you for your loyalty and dedication to serving the Bridgeport community. You will be missed. Congratulations on your retirement. From your family at the City of Bridgeport.”
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“Thirty-six years has been a good run,” Hart said. “I started in 1989 with just two on shift. I made the third guy and over the years we rode. I took over as fire chief in 2016 and sat down with the staff to put a plan together. I said if they worked on that plan, I’d run interference with the city to get what we needed to do it. Those guys hit the ground running, and they have not stopped. And they won’t stop under the new leadership.”
Hart pointed out that the Bridgeport Fire Department has achieved the rating of ISO1, the highest possible rating from the Insurance Services Office indicating exemplary fire protection. Bridgeport is one of only three departments in the state and only 504 in the nation. He also said the department currently consists of 30 staff members, including administration, and that 25 – and soon to be 27 – staff members are certified as paramedics.
“With that number, ratio per capita, we will have the highest number of paramedics per resident in the state,” he said.
Hart sang the praises of his department, thanked city department heads, Council, and his family for support through the years and said he really isn’t retiring – just will now be working for his family. See a portion of that speech below.
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During the business portion of the meeting, Council voted to move forward with the sale of two pieces of property.
Bridgeport Office Information Director Andrea Kerr.brief Council on the two separate pieces of property.
Located at 426 Water Street, the first parcel was donated to the City in May of 2024. Demolition of the home on the property – as well as the former Kelley Appliance building at the corner of Virginia and Main – cost the city about $10,000. The property is zoned as R-1 – residential single family and would need to be raised about eight feet to rise above the flood line.
Acting City Manager Joe Shuttleworth said at one time, the city considered using the property for a park or green space but decided that it is not feasible due to its proximity to other properties/homes. Council voted to proceed with public auction of the property and take the proper steps to instruct city attorneys to prepare an ordinance which will need to be ready at two consecutive Council meetings./10-27-25%20council%202.jpg)
The second parcel is on Route 50 West, the former Townhouse East Motel. That property – more than 2.5 acres - was purchased by the city in 2019. With purchase price and asbestos abatement cost, the city has $1.1 million in the property. That property was formerly considered for the construction of a new police department, but that never came to fruition. It was the consensus of Council that it is hoped the property will be attractive to a prospective business. Members voted to take the proper steps to move forward with the sale of the property, steps deemed necessary by the city attorneys.
The Antero Foundation presented a check for $15,000 to be used toward the purchase of The BearCat, an armored rescue vehicle. The city’s obligation for that purchase is $200,000 which will be matched by grants.
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Council also voted to hold the November City Council meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, the November Strategic Planning Meeting at 6 p.m. Wed., Nov. 12, the December City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 and the Strategic Planning Meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15.
Shuttleworth reported that new lights for the Deegan Lake tennis courts have been delivered and will be installed in the next couple of weeks and that over 60 pounds of controlled substances were collected at Saturday’s National Drug Take-Back event and will be destroyed by the DEA, and that a candidate for city engineer will be interviewed this week.
He also addressed concerns about the demotion of the Center Street bridge and the confusion of availability of the city parking lot.
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“We have ordered signs that will be placed at the bottom and top of Center Street, reminding patrons that the municipal parking lot behind Winnie’s and Marquette Insurance will be open and that they can still access it,” Shuttleworth said.
The meeting concluded with members of Council expressing well wishes and appreciation to Chief Hart, who will be honored with a reception at 1 p.m. today at Bridgeport Fire Department.
