Bridgeport Fire Chief Phil Hart provided a department report during Monday’s City Council meeting and stated there has been a seven percent increase in calls for service.

 

The data used compared the number of calls from 2018 to 2019. Last year, there were 2,568 calls. He said that 4.5 percent of the increase were EMS calls, while the remaining 2.5 were fire and rescue calls.

 

“We average around seven calls a day,” Hart said.

 

The chief added that increased traffic flow on I-79 and the medical calls with the doctor’s facilities and everything that’s around the hospital were contributing factors to the increase.

 

Hart also spent a good portion of his report talking about COVID-19 and how his department has dealt with the pandemic. Stay tuned to Connect-Bridgeport in the upcoming days for a separate story on COVID-19 response by the Fire Department.

 

The report also touched on items such as specialty services and training.

 

“I don’t know if the citizens of Bridgeport realize what they have in your fire department,” Council member Hank Murray said. “You guys do one heck of a job 365 days a year and we want to thank you guys for that.”

 

Prior to the start of his report, Hart asked for a moment of silence in honor of former Bridgeport Fire Department Captain and Salem Fire Chief Rick Todd, who passed away last week from COVID-19.

 

As far as new items of business on the Council’s agenda, two issues related to The Bridge were approved, while a decision on one other was postponed.

 

The August payment to the Albert M. Higley Company out of Cleveland for ongoing construction work at The Bridge in the amount of $2,656,433.93 was approved.

 

Mayor Andy Lang said the project is now 66 percent complete.

 

“When we get to 100 percent that is the building, the furniture, the fixtures, the parking lot, the bushes in the lawn,” Lang said.

 

Council also approved a contract with Summit Lockers in the amount of $75,432 plus a 10 percent contingency of $7,542.20 for a total of $82,975.20.

 

“These are the lockers not only for the fitness area but also the locker rooms around the pool and everything else,” Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth said. “Summit Lockers is one of the industry’s leaders."

 

The decision on a potential contract with Webster Fitness for equipment costing $405,846 was postponed until a Council meeting at a later date. Council did however go into executive session later on Monday to discuss the matter further.

 

Also on Monday, Council reappointed Shawn Morgan to the Bridgeport Police Civil Service Commission for a term of four years.

 

Dates for annual strategic planning sessions as presented by City Manager Randy Wetmore were also approved.

 

Wetmore also made Council aware of an issue that will need to be addressed soon in regard to the phone system at the Bridge, which will be powered by the City’s system and whether it would be more cost-efficient to upgrade the City’s system first. The City's current system was installed in 2009 and is considered outdated.

 

Before the start of Monday’s meeting, Pastor Mike Hopkins of Simpson Creek Baptist Church gave the invocation.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Fire Chief Phil Hart giving his department report, bottom two photos are of Mayor Andy Lang and City Manager Randy Wetmore, respectively.