At tonight’s Bridgeport City Council meeting, Mario Blount resigned as mayor of Bridgeport.

 

Blount was arrested June 3 on federal drug charges and is scheduled for a plea hearing Friday before U.S. District Court Judge Irene Keeley. Blount, who was elected mayor in July of 2013, filed personal bankruptcy Sept. 5.

 

The three felonies with which Blount was charged in early-June were conspiracy to possess and distribute schedule II controlled substances, distribution of oxycodone and failure to report the filing of a prescription as required under federal law. The arrest followed an October 2013 raid of Best Care Pharmacy stores, including the Bridgeport location, where Blount had worked as pharmacist and was part owner. During an arraignment which took place immediately after Blount’s June 3 arrest, he pled not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. A trial date had been set for Aug. 4 for Blount and co-defendants Angela and April Davis, but that trial date was postponed and had been rescheduled for December.

 

For the past few months, some citizens – under the organization of Steve McElroy - have called for Blount’s resignation. He has repeatedly provided the same answer to that request – that he would take such a decision very seriously and with the same magnitude as he did the decision to enter the mayor’s race.

 

During tonight's designated time for mayor's report, Blount took the podium and said that time had come. 

 

For the remainder of the meeting, Recorder Bob Greer conducted business as acting mayor. Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the vacancy of mayor and how to fill that seat. 

 

Here's a follow-up story released later Monday evening: Blount's Words of Resignation; Comments from Council