Bridgeport officials praise snow cleanup and outline school‑bus camera program

Mayor Heil opened the reports portion of the Jan. 27 meeting by thanking crossing guards and public works crews for extended snow‑removal efforts and announced mayoral office hours. He said schools will reopen the next day and urged drivers to watch for students.

Chief Beretta reviewed the borough’s sidewalk‑clearing rules and safety initiatives. He stated that under the borough ordinance, ‘‘If we have less than 10 inches you have 24 hours to clean the 24 inch swath on your sidewalks. If it's more than 12 inches, then you have 48 hours to clear these pathways.’’ He thanked residents who pitched in to help older neighbors during long snow‑clearing shifts.

The chief also announced a school‑bus safety program beginning Feb. 2 that will use cameras on buses with an automated review system. He said the program will have multiple review layers before referrals are sent for prosecution for drivers who pass stopped school buses; the contractor quoted a 95–98% rate of acceptance during program review. Chief Beretta framed the initiative as a straightforward public‑safety enforcement effort.

The chief additionally reported recent arrests in separate incidents and credited detectives for investigative work; one person (Arlene Cameron) was described as awaiting a preliminary hearing in Montgomery County Prison and another (Ashley Fisher) was arrested in connection with a theft. The transcript contains factual statements from the chief about those arrests; council did not take further votes on those matters during the meeting.