Bridgeport council discusses summer event schedule

BRIDGEPORT – Bridgeport Daze, the city’s annual summer parade and celebration was among the main discussion topics at the regular monthly meeting of the city council on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
With new council members Mike Bjornstad, Position 2, and Esiquio “Zeke” Martinez, Position 4, in place as of January, Mayor Janet Conklin opened the discussion as to whether the city would be having the Bridgeport Daze event this year. Conklin said she was under the assumption that the Chamber was no longer meeting since Martinez, its most recent president is now serving on the council.
Owing to some event conflicts coming up this summer, Conklin tentatively set Saturday, June 6, for the Hooked on Kids Fishing Derby since that weekend coincides with this year’s free fishing weekend through the Washington Department of Fish and Game. The first weekend of June also includes Bridgeport High School graduation on Friday, June 5, and is normally Bridgeport Daze weekend as well, but since nobody has approached the mayor about this year’s Daze she said she must proceed with those events she is informed about. Conklin added that food vendors plan their schedules a year in advance, so they need to know event dates earlier rather than later in order to include them in their itineraries.
Conklin said she does not want the fishing derby and Bridgeport Daze to occur on the same weekend to avoid one event pulling participation away from the other. Mansfield Playdays always falls on the second Saturday of June so that would create another draw away from the derby. With available dates filling up, Conklin said she must establish a cut-off date to accommodate city events.
Council member Bjornstad urged the city to hold Bridgeport Daze since he considers it the premier city event of the year. Bjornstad said that before he relocated to Bridgeport, he used to drive from Bellingham to attend the annual Bridgeport Daze celebration.
Bjornstad urged Martinez to call the Chamber members together and come up with a date as soon as possible. Conklin said she will make her final decisions by the end of February.
In other business the city has made progress in working out its newly revised pit bull ordinance.
“We've been working really hard with the Wenatchee Kennel Club and we have finally come to an agreement,” Conklin said.
Initially the required canine test was established for year-old dogs, said Conklin. Upon further investigation the test was changed to an Urban Canine Test, a single test that can be administered to any aged dog with retesting after two years. Currently the fee is $35, and testing is only available in Wenatchee.
The city also passed a resolution revising the Bridgeport Municipal Code’s Title 4 Environmental Regulations, Division 4.10 Critical Area Regulations to bring the BMC into compliance with the newly amend state RCW.
Bridgeport public pool manager Jackie Hentges said she will be speaking with Bridgeport High School students in the next couple of weeks to gauge any interest in training as pool lifeguards this summer.