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Simmons resigns from Bridgeport City Council

bridgeportct.gov

East End Bridgeport City Council Member Wanda Simmons announced her resignation earlier this month. With almost a year in office, she was unable to make several council events due to health issues.

According to a minutes document from a meeting on September 6, Simmons announced she would be resigning from the council effective immediately. Mayor Joe Ganim thanked Simmons for her service, but no explanation for the resignation was given.

Simmons was elected to represent the East End district in November 2021 and has since served on the council for 11 months. She was focused on investing in public schools, improving economic development and restoring local landmarks, including the Pleasure Beach Bridge.

While campaigning, Simmons was critical of the COVID-19 vaccine, and shortly after her city council primary election, she was hospitalized for several days with COVID-19. “Do not allow my bout with COVID-19 scare you into getting vaccinated!” Simmons posted on Facebook, which has since been deleted. “Stop allowing people (to) push their agenda onto you.”

Several other health issues also caused her to miss many council meetings, according to the city council roll call. Simmons wrote a letter to City Clerk Lydia Martinez and Council President Aidee Nieves that she made her decision to leave after “careful thought and consideration.”

Simmons could not be reached for comment.

According to Bridgeport’s registrar's office, a special election to replace her seat on the council may occur sometime within the next year since she was only a member for less than a year.

If she had stayed for another month, Democrats would have been able to select her replacement to finish her two-year term.

Eric Warner is a news fellow at WSHU.