Gordon Joseloff First Selectman

(The following is the text as prepared for delivery of First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff’s 2010-11 budget message delivered tonight to the Westport Board of Finance.)

Members of the Board of Finance, members of the Representative Town Meeting, and members of the Board of Education, fellow Westporters, it is my pleasure and privilege to present to you the Town of Westport budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010.

This is budget No. 5 for me as first selectman and perhaps the toughest one yet. Last year, I called the budget then a “gloomy one.” This year I’ll characterize the budget as an austere one and at the same time, an historic one.

It’s historic because as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, Westporters are being called on to make some very difficult choices, choices that could well decide how Westport will fare not this year but for many years down the road.

Our real time view of what is happening in Westport tells us there’s no question that the economic pain continues. But while there are many out of work and we are all doing with less, we are at last beginning to see signs of stabilization. Indeed, we are even seeing some faint signs of recovery.

We feared that people could not and would not pay their property taxes. That has not happened. We feared that foreclosures would soar. There has been an increase in foreclosures but not as many as might have been expected.

So the basic question comes down to whether the economic pain is so great that we need to sacrifice those very things that make Westport such an attractive place to live, those very things that keep up our property values even in these difficult times.

Do we sacrifice those things that have made Westport so special, a place where people still come because of our top-rated schools, a place where people come for top recreation facilities, a place where people do all they can to remain in their retirement years. That is the dilemma we all face and must answer together.

Let me take a moment to praise Superintendent Elliott Landon, the Board of Education, our principals and our teachers for the work they have done in continuing to provide excellent schools for our children in these difficult times. A day does not go by that we are not reminded about how well our schools have prepared our students to be top achievers in our country. We must do all we can to maintain that excellence.

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman a couple of weeks ago had a great column which he called “The Fat Lady Has Sung.” It began by citing a news item in Tracy, Calif., reporting that residents there will have to pay every time they call 911 for a medical emergency. They can sign up for a $48 voluntary fee for a year, which allows unlimited 911 calls. Or they can not sign up for the annual fee and pay $300 if they make a call for help.

Subsequently, Tracy city officials clarified that what Friedman wrote was not exactly the case. They said the $300 is only charged if a firefighter or other first responder provides medical aid on a call.

In any case, Friedman went on to quote one policy expert as saying it feels as if we are now entering a new era “where the task of government and of leadership is going to be about taking things away from people.” Added Friedman: “Indeed, to lead now is to trim, to fire or to downsize services, programs or personnel.”

I quoted these words to the Westport Rotary Club last week. I said then and I say now, Shelly Kassen and I did not run for office in 2005 and again in 2009 to take things away from people. But the reality is that we are undergoing some much needed belt tightening and that will impact services.

This budget obviously reflects my priorities for the Town of Westport. At the top of the list is keeping our town safe. We have worked hard to improve our public safety departments and in bad times, that is more important than ever. We are also prioritizing efforts to protect our environment.

Our town and Board of Education employees are the greatest—many of them are here tonight--and I take this opportunity to salute them. Day in and day out they seek to achieve those efficiencies that enable us to deliver quality services that Westporters have come to expect at reduced cost.

We’ve made great strides introducing technology to deliver those improved services. You’ve heard me talk of the digital telephone system that is now paying off for both the town and the Board of Education. But that’s just one of many examples of introducing technology to make us more efficient.

We’ve finally got our Parks and Recreation Department online system up and running. Many of you received an e-mail this morning outlining the new online procedures. But this comes at a cost of devoting a full-time employee to overseeing it. We hope to make reductions in other areas to balance out this staffing requirement.

In our Police Department, in addition to maintaining our manpower at the authorized level after last year’s retirements, we’ve introduced the CodeRed emergency telephone notification system. It’s a modest expense but makes our town safer.

We’re introducing a program that will enable citizens to file their own police reports on minor matters—loss of a cell phone, a dented fender or door in a parking lot. We’ve made it easier for citizens to track crimes in their neighborhoods through crimereports.com.

Our Fire Department continues to be one of the finest in the nation despite severe budget constraints. We’ve improved our town fire insurance rating that hopefully will result in a slowing of insurance policy premiums for our residents. We have two of our four engine companies operating with three men instead of two, improving efficiencies and the chances of saving a life in case of a fire in your home. Our response times to emergencies continue to improve, vitally important in saving lives and property.

Our EMS staffers and volunteers are responding to more calls with improved efficiencies following some changes implemented after a months-long study—thanks to Board of Finance member Ken Wirfel who headed that task force.

Across the board in all departments we have made sacrifices and are doing more with less. Our Public Works Department, which took the biggest hit in this current year, is in for a large increase in the 2010-11 budget. But it’s not as large as it should be, or was even a week ago.

If we don’t maintain our roads on a regular schedule, the economic bump in the road will be literally something every Westporter will experience every day. We must resume funding our capital and nonrecurring fund so we can make the long range investments in fire trucks, public works vehicles, drainage improvements, maintenance of our buildings, and infrastructure needs that cannot be neglected.

I don’t have to remind you that this board a year ago decided that there would not be a tax increase despite continuing increasing costs. This year, as much as we would like to repeat that, a zero percent tax increase is not possible without further drastic reductions across the board that I believe are simply not practicable.

As 80 percent of our budget is personnel, the major cost increases are personnel related. These include contractual salary increases, and contractual health and pension costs. On health costs we are facing a more than 23 percent increase in the medical insurance line.

We are currently negotiating three labor contracts and without divulging any details, we have made very clear to the unions that today’s economic realities simply do not allow us to continue to offer the kind of salary increases and benefits we once did.

We have four pension plans and only one is up for negotiation this year—public works. As you know, we have long offered excellent pension plans for our employees, but obviously today’s economic times require major changes as we move to defined contribution plans.

While we seek changes to one pension plan this year, we’ll have to wait until 2014 and 2016 to effect changes in the three other plans.

In the current year, we are contributing about $4 million to our pensions. As you know, based on June 2009 calculations, our actuaries have recommended we essentially double that contribution to $8 million in the 2010-11 budget. To do so at that level, together with increased medical costs, would result in a double digit municipal budget increase. Clearly that is not something we can afford at the moment.

So I am recommending that we fund next year’s pension contribution at about the $5.24 million level. That’s almost a 26 percent increase over the current year. This will keep our pension funding level at among the highest of our neighboring municipalities, much better than the State of Connecticut, and allow us to maintain reserves at a prudent level.

This recommended figure is about $1 million more than we discussed in our budget workshop last week. We have chipped away at the municipal budget to find another $1 million in savings. I pushed back on department heads and came up with additional cuts. It was not easy.

As I mentioned earlier, I further cut back on the road paving budget of Public Works. I reduced our contribution slightly to the capital and nonrecurring fund. We eliminated a planner position in Parks and Rec. We eliminated two vehicle purchases for the Fire and Building Departments. We further reduced police overtime, and took some money out of the capital budget for Information Technology. But there was pain in doing all this.

Talking numbers, I am requesting an overall town and education budget of $174.8 million, a 3.88 percent increase over the current year. That’s a combination of an education budget requested increase of 2.09 percent, or $111.1 million, and a municipal increase of 7.6 percent, or $63.7 million.

In these difficult economic times, I think these numbers are realistic. They maintain our services and they go a long way to funding our obligations. To those who insist on a zero increase, I welcome your recommendations which services you want us to reduce. And make no mistake—there will be a reduction in services. If this board makes cuts that I believe are unacceptable, I will not hesitate to seek restoration from you and possibly the RTM.

To those Westporters who want to maintain Westport as we know it today and as we want it to be tomorrow, I urge you to familiarize yourself with what’s at stake here and make your views known to me, the Board of Finance and the RTM in the days ahead. We have our work cut out for us.

Thank you very much.

he Westport Planning and Zoning Commission decision Thursday night to commence legal action against the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) is deeply regrettable.

Not only is it embarrassing to have one elected body seeking to sue another, it reduces confidence in our overall government process. That is not good.

As a 14-year member of the RTM and having served 10 years as its moderator, I am a strong supporter of that body and its hard working members. In its 60-year history, the RTM has demonstrated repeatedly that it is indeed the conscience of our community.

But that is not to say that all is perfect in how it goes about its work. That’s why the RTM has a Rules Committee and the ability to modify its procedures to meet changing needs.

Clarification of how the RTM exercises its right to review P&Z actions granted by our town charter needs to be decided here, by the representatives of Westporters, and not by some court elsewhere.

That is why I have called a meeting of the relevant parties to begin the process of clarifying how the RTM should carry out its responsibilities. Given good will on both sides, I am confident it will lead to resolution of this issue without need to resort to the courts or anyone else.

Members of the P&Z are duly elected representatives and have broad experience in handling land use issues. It is important to note that they do not dispute the RTM’s right to review some of their decisions.

They may not like it, but that is not what they are disputing. They want to have the RTM review to be carried out much like their own review of land use decisions. This is an understandable request and will likely require modification of RTM rules for these occasions.

It also may require more and lengthier RTM meetings when such reviews are carried out. If that improves the process, it should not be a problem.

So I call on both the RTM and P&Z to come together to work out procedures acceptable to both bodies. With good will on both sides, this can be done in an accelerated manner with the clear winner Westport and its residents.

(Remarks of First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff as prepared for delivery at the Westport Town Hall oath of office ceremony on Nov. 16, 2009)

Good evening. I send you greetings from Shelly Kassen who is out of the country but wishes you all the best and the best for Westport.

Congratulations to those sworn in tonight as well as to those who ran for election and lost. The vibrancy and enduring nature of our democracy depends on citizen involvement. That is true in Westport and around our great country.

As I noted in my remarks to the Veterans Day ceremony in this auditorium, Westport’s 41 percent voter turnout in this election was disappointing. But hardly surprising. We can and must do better in our municipal elections.

As a journalist for many years overseas, I watched many people put their lives on the line in an effort to try to live in the kind of democracy we take for granted.

In Moscow under the ever watchful eyes and ears of the KGB, I chronicled the struggles of Solzhenitsyn, Sakaharov, Sharansky and many others seeking freedoms.

In Seoul, South Korea, I choked on tear gas in the streets as students sought to oust their corrupt leaders. In Manila, I marched with hundreds of thousands in the streets as Filipinos sought to overthrow Ferdinand Marcos.

In Bangkok, I was in the streets there as the Thai people sought to oust their military rulers. Numerous times. And in Delhi, I was in the streets in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the challenges it posed to democracy in India.

Now you know why the occasional heated Westport town meetings don’t really bother me. If Westporters take to the streets, however, my concern level will go up a notch.

So it pains me to see people here not vote. I’d like to think that most people in Westport eligible to vote did not turn out because they were generally satisfied with the way things are. True or not--those of us sworn in tonight have a tough road ahead of us.

Westport is no different than our state or our nation in facing tough times. Actually, we probably are a lot better off than most. But as much as some Westporters would like to think of us as an isolated island, we are not.

The economic tsunami that struck Wall Street and many of our major financial institutions has had repercussions on Westport. Almost 20 percent of our residents in one way or another are involved in the finance, banking, real estate, and brokerage industries.

And when Westport sneezes—let’s hope it’s not H1N1 connected—the State of Connecticut catches cold. Westport and its well to do Fairfield County neighbors are the economic engine of Connecticut. We provide almost half the tax revenue Hartford collects.

So maintaining a rich and vibrant Westport is not only in our best interests but the interests of all the citizens of Connecticut. It is my job and yours to do the best we can in this regard. And we must do it in a bipartisan manner. We are one town.

Despite tough economic times, Westport will not and cannot stand still, however. At the beginning of the 21st century, we must meet the challenges of keeping our schools No. 1. We must meet the challenges of protecting our environment. And we must meet the challenges of providing a safe community that embraces newcomers as well as our senior citizens.

Thank you Connecticut magazine for rating us No. 1 in the state in our population category and for rating Staples High School No. 1 in the state.

Our taxes are relatively modest compared to other places in Connecticut and in the region. But, that’s little solace to those struggling to make ends meet. We must keep them in mind as we maintain the quality services Westporters have come to expect.

We will continue to meet our obligations to our employees—and they are the greatest--as far as pensions and other benefits are concerned. At the same time, we will seek to negotiate labor contracts and benefits that are fair but also reflect the economic reality of our times.

We will seek out innovative ways to achieve efficiencies in delivering services. We will do that in Westport across town and school lines. And we will do that with our neighboring communities in concerted regional efforts that will benefit all our citizens.

Finally, we will continue to rely on the creativity and resourcefulness of Westporters in bettering our lives and those of our fellow Americans. We are especially grateful for those seeking to improve our environment…and for the efforts of our Green Task Force and private groups such as Green Village Initiative.

So I am excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead. I see what we are doing as setting the table--as they say in baseball--for those who will follow us in the 21st century.

We will do so while remembering the efforts of Westporters such as Ed See and Leo Nevas who helped shape Westport in the 20th century and who helped us achieve what we have today. We continue to mourn their passing. We must keep up their good work.

Among the many duties, I have as first selectman, the one that I especially relish is the opportunity to meet our young people. I try to inspire them to do their best. And I even urge them to take up the challenges of public service.

I’ll leave you tonight with the words of a letter I received last week from Isabelle Katz, a Long Lots second grader who recently came to visit me with her class. And I noted to my visitors that this was the very building where I attended second grade when it was Bedford Elementary School.

Here’s what Isabelle wrote, amid hearts and peace signs: “Dear Mayor Gordon. I am so so happy you oune. Wos it wirth it? Write back to tell me if it wos.”

Well, Isabelle, it certainly was. It was because I and all of us taking the oath of office tonight will do our best to make it worth it. We’ll do our best for you and all future Westporters. We have no higher priority. We have no greater challenge.  Thank you very much.

o most Americans, he was the most trusted man in America. To me, Walter Cronkite was a good friend, a prized mentor, and a man to whom I owe much of my professional broadcast journalism career.

Our connection was we both worked in Moscow for the United Press International (UPI) news agency. It was called United Press when Walter worked there in the late 1940s. It was UPI when I followed in his footsteps three decades later.

There was no doubt that the Moscow wire service connection solidified my journalistic credentials in Walter’s mind--something that became evident after CBS hired me in 1975 while in Moscow for UPI.

At CBS News, I began on the radio side, initially writing newscasts and occasional commentaries for Walter, as well as Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, Ed Bradley, Roger Mudd, Charles Osgood, Douglas Edwards, and others.

More "Remembering My Friend Walter Cronkite"

(The following are remarks as prepared for delivery at the 2009 Memorial Day parade.)

Good morning everyone and welcome to the 2009 Westport Memorial Day observance.

Thank you once again to parade organizer Bill Vornkahl. If I am not mistaken, this is Bill’s 39th Memorial Day parade he has organized. What a tremendous record.  Let’s give Bill a warm round of applause.

And a special tribute to our grand marshal, Ed See. Ed is a World War II veteran, serving in the counterintelligence corps in the Pacific, including assignment to General Douglas McArthur’s headquarters in Manila.

For more than 60 years, Ed has been a valuable member of the Westport community, serving as a founding partner in the firm of Wake, See, Dimes & Bryniczka, and in many capacities of town service. Thank you, Ed, for all you have done for Westport and the nation.

In this age of the Internet, FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter and other means of modern communication, a small town Memorial Day parade may seem quaint and out of place to some.

More "Memorial Day 2009: Westporters We Have Lost"

Following is the text of First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff’s 2009-10 budget address tonight to the Board of Finance.

Members of the Board of Finance, members of the Representative Town Meeting, fellow Westporters, it is my pleasure and privilege to present to you the Town of Westport budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009.

This is my fourth budget message to you as first selectman, and I’m going to be frank up front, unfortunately it’s a gloomy one. Our town--like our residents, like our fellow citizens across the country--is feeling the economic pain.

It is not something we can wish away. It is not something we can pretend will soon get better. And it isn’t a surprise. In my budget message a year ago, I noted that our town and nation were going through tough economic times.

Four months ago in this auditorium, on Nov. 5, I told this board the economy was worsening and that “Westport was not immune.” The clouds have only darkened since then. What may be a surprise is the depth of the decline and the rapidity with which the economy has worsened. 

More "First Selectman's 2009-10 Budget Address"

(Remarks prepared for delivery before the Westport Board of Finance, Nov. 5, 2008)

I welcome the opportunity to bring you up to date on how Westport is faring in these tough economic times.

We’ve known for some time that the economy has been worsening and that Westport was not immune. The New York Times Sunday story was only belated confirmation to the world what we have long known.

With an estimated 20 percent of our residents involved in finance, Wall Street, real estate and related industries, the Times story was old news. I like to think by making us the poster child if you will of bad times in good places, that this—much like the bear appearing on magazine covers in years past—marks the start of a turnaround.

But that’s not something we can count on. We have been poring over the numbers and the changing statistics daily. The good news is that we appear, so far, to have been hit less than other communities.

The other good news is that we have showed a surplus in our just completed 2007-08 tax year. Finance Director John Kondub will go over the details with you. The bad news is that we are planning for things to get worse.

More " "We Are Planning for Things to Get Worse""

xcerpts from First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff’s remarks prepared for delivery before the Westport Rotary Club, Bertucci’s Restaurant, Westport, on Oct. 7, 2008:

While Paul Newman won worldwide fame, he truly was “Westport’s Own.” We shared with the world admiration of his acting exploits and his charitable efforts, especially his Hole in the World Gang Camps.

But it was here in his hometown, our hometown, that he also made a difference. He and his family were strong supporters and active participants in so many activities-the Westport Public Library, the Historical Society, and, of course, the Westport Country Playhouse. And there were many causes that they contributed to and helped that we’ll never know about.

As Westporters, we were so proud to have him as one of us. I’d like to have a penny for every time every Westporter for so many years has said, “I’m from Westport, Conn., the home of Paul Newman.”

Already I’ve had numerous unsolicited suggestions on how Westport should honor him. They range from naming a street, school, or park after him to implementing his long-time desire to add a small Go Kart race course for youngsters, perhaps as a Hole in the Wall gang fundraiser on annual basis behind the Playhouse.

More "About Paul Newman, Town Finances, and Liquor Permits"

n his new book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House,” former White House press secretary Scott McClellan refers to what he calls “the Washington game.”

“Washington has become the home of the permanent campaign, a game of endless politicking based on the manipulation of shades of truth, partial truths, twisting of the truth, and spin,” he writes.

Unfortunately, we are now seeing the Washington game making an appearance in Westport. The issue is supposed poor fiscal oversight on my part involving the town’s obligations under new accounting rules for municipal employee post retirement benefits.

As much as critics would like to spin this into something more than it is, here’s the explanation of what happened, and why I--like everyone else--was surprised by the last-minute magnitude of our projected obligations.

The town’s obligation to adhere to the new accounting standards is not a new issue. It’s something we have been working on for several years, led by our late long-time finance director Don Miklus, the highly respected “dean” of municipal finance officers in the state.

It was Don’s belief that Westport would be able to fund at least its initial obligations under the new accounting standards by taking excess funds from our pension plans. By doing this, the impact on taxpayers would be reduced.

As he discussed this with me and others over the months, he assured us repeatedly that he had the issue under control. At no time did he ever suggest the magnitude of the liabilities the town faced. In fact, the actuaries confirmed at the June 16 Board of Finance meeting that they only brought their final report to us in mid-May.

Don’s unfortunate sudden death on Feb. 26 left us scrambling to put together the details of what he had planned. In mid-May our actuaries were able to pin down specifics of our projected obligations.

Along with my department heads, I had worked tirelessly to keep our municipal budget to a 3.9 percent increase. But I knew that to delay making any increased contribution toward retirement benefits until next year would only cost taxpayers more down the road.

Thus the Board of Finance decision to fully fund the retiree health benefits and the May 21 vote to approve a 7 percent tax increase. To say that I was disappointed with this increase would be a massive understatement.

To the Board of Finance members’ credit, they realized the importance of funding these accounts and protecting our triple-A bond rating. One only has to recall the well known private employers and some municipalities that found themselves unable to meet their pension obligations.

Not satisfied, however, with the sudden and unanticipated tax increase, I took the unprecedented step of putting the printing of tax bills on hold. I checked with the state to see if we had time to reconsider the tax rate. Word came back that we could. I then asked the chairman of the Board of Finance to call another special meeting on June 16 to reconsider the rate.

At the special June 16 meeting, I outlined some belt-tightening measures I am imposing, including postponing some capital projects. 

I told the board that these measures, along with anticipated but reduced revenues from the newly extended conveyance tax (home sales are down) and taking more funds from our ample reserves, would not only fully meet our initial retirement obligations but keep the increase to about 5 percent.

Republicans, however, wanted to make a reduced contribution to the retirement account and take less out of our reserves.

While other communities have opted for a phased-in funding method--and I had initially proposed doing the same thing--I came around to agreeing with Democratic members. They had argued that it is less desirable in protecting our coveted credit rating and would result in higher expenditures in the future. By fully funding now, we put the town on the road to saving taxpayers an estimated $30 million in future years.

The difference at the June 16 meeting was by then I had time to find ways to fully fund the obligations without raising taxes so dramatically. By taking the alternate partial funding approach, we would have merely deferred to next year additional “catch-up” increases.

In the end, I suggested a compromise 4.98 tax increase, mid-way between the 4.72 percent Republicans wanted and the 5.25 percent that I had brought forth in my revised proposal. The difference is a mere $27 for the average Westport homeowner-at the expense of higher costs later on.

Contrary to some claims in the press, this process showed how government can successfully manage to meet our long-term liabilities and simultaneously keep taxes under control.

Let’s hope the “permanent campaign” Scott McClellan experienced in Washington does not become the norm for Westport in coming months. What Westport really needs is less political gamesmanship and more serious scrutiny of how we spend taxpayer dollars. Then we all might be able to continue to afford to live in the town we all love. 

(The following appears in the Westport News March 5, 2008)

Westport last week not only hit another low in incivility in a public meeting, but it left many who witnessed the incident visibly frightened and shaken.

Those of us who have been involved in town government over the years have seen many passionate and often raucous debates. That’s part of the give and take of our democracy.

In the early 1980s, a woman even hit Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Jo Fuchs with a tomato at a meeting. But in recent years, elected volunteers have generally not feared for their safety in doing the town’s business. Not anymore.

With a shooting at a public meeting in Missouri still fresh in our minds, the Feb. 26 incident at a ZBA session leaves no doubt that Westport is not immune from such possible dangers.

I outlined what happened and my response in a memo to department heads and chairs of all boards and commissions. It said:

“On Tuesday night at a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, a member of the public became unruly, yelling obscenities at board members and acting in a threatening manner that resulted in police having to be called.

“The incident is deeply regrettable and only underscores that Westport is not immune from frightening and potentially violent outbursts at public meetings and in public places.

“I have conferred with the Westport Police Department and we will be reviewing security measures for Town Hall and for Town Hall meetings.

“I have already informed the ZBA and P&Z chairs that I and our police officials will be meeting with them and those commissioners who so desire to further discuss these measures. I will be happy to schedule similar meetings with others.

“In the meantime, I want you and all Westporters to know that from now on, we have zero tolerance for any threatening behavior in Town Hall or at public meetings.

“Clearly we will not attempt to infringe on anyone’s right to make their views known at public meetings. But it must be done in a non-threatening manner. Those who engage in such behavior will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Even before the ZBA meeting, I was asked by a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for increased security during its forthcoming meetings on the controversial Family Y application to move to Mahackeno.

I responded that I had already requested such security and, in view of the latest incident at Town Hall, I am conferring with the Westport Police Department on additional security measures.

Controversy and Westport have long been synonymous. But clearly passions have become more pronounced recently.

Maybe it’s a combination of current economic troubles, a loosening or even breakdown of civility in many aspects of our daily lives, or simple frustration with the often slow and sometimes perceived unfairness of our bureaucracy.

Whatever the reasons, they are no excuse for the kind of behavior and resulting fear that occurred last week at Town Hall. Unfortunately, the incident has left all Westporters its victims. 

had a dinner conservation the other night at a charity benefit that I think is worth sharing.

The man, whom I shall not identify other than Mr. X, told me he was a longtime Westport resident, a Staples grad, had known my father 50 years ago, and volunteered that he was a “conservative.”

After some small talk, he wanted to known why I was proposing that the Baron’s South property, which he described as a “pristine parcel in the center of Westport,” be used to house seniors, young people, and members of our municipal workforce, and others working here.

It should be used to build the Y, he said, adding: “Why should the town help those who otherwise can’t make it (financially) be able to live in Westport, Connecticut?”

I explained to him that Westport has always had a diverse population and benefited from it. I said unless we took steps to help out, the town would be made up of predominately millionaire hedge fund managers and well heeled financial types.

He said that he was a hedge fund manager and made clear he had no problem with that demographic makeup.

I added that because of the hilly terrain, the difficulty of getting traffic in and out of Baron’s South and the fact that the Senior Center was already there, it was better suited to housing than any other municipal use (a fact confirmed by a recent study).

I said housing units scattered over the site would not sacrifice the trees and scenic terrain and would not be as disruptive as constructing a massive Y with the required parking for its thousands of members.

I said housing also would have a better chance of passing muster with the zoning board.

A fellow diner on the other side of men chimed in that he had a 27-year-old daughter who could not afford to return to Westport and things were not much better financially for a 94-year-old relative still living here.

That didn’t seem to sway Mr. X.

Then I pointed out that Westport ought to be affordable in some manner for those who teach in our schools as well as some of our police officers, firefighters, and other municipal employees.

I said that in times of emergency, Westport would be in peril if we had to depend (as we do now) on most of our first responders trying to get here from places an hour or more away.

Mr. X paused, perhaps envisioning his expensive waterfront home going up in flames for lack of adequate personnel.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” he said.

The conversation then drifted on to other topics.

he text of my remarks at today’s 2007 Memorial Day parade:

Honored Guests.

Thank you to all those who participated in today’s wonderful parade and a special thank you once again to Bill Vornkahl, known as “Mr. Parade” in Westport. Bill has been doing this now for close to four decades and we are eternally grateful.

I was particularly impressed with the Y’s Men’s float designed by Leonard Everett Fisher who was among those who planned the U.S. invasion of Iwo Jima. And I thought it very fitting that it included a tribute to the late Clark Ford, a longtime resident who oversaw the float’s prize-winning design for the last five years.

I had a chance to visit Iwo Jima on a training exercise with the Marines while based in Japan for CBS News a couple of decades ago, and it was a very haunting experience.

This is my second Memorial Day address as your first selectman but, as I noted last year, I first marched in a Westport Memorial Day parade in the early 1950s. Yes, I’ve missed a few here and there over the years, but the nostalgia remains for the small town that Westport once was. A Westport where everyone practically knew everyone else. It was a quieter, gentler time. It was a Westport where the controversy of the day was the army’s plans to build a Nike missile site where Bedford Middle School is now located.

You old-timers will remember of course that this was the subject of Westporter Max Shulman’s hilarious novel, “Rally Round the Flag , Boys,” later made into a movie of the same name starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward—a movie that brought them to Westport. And they’ve been here ever since, thank goodness.

But you know, in Westport, and many other places across our great nation, it seems we don’t rally round the flag very much anymore. Maybe you saw the story in yesterday’s newspaper about the city manager in Long Beach, Long Island. He sent a memo around last week which addressed the war in Iraq, the American flag, Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole Smith and Brittany Spears in three very short paragraphs.

Edwin L. Eaton was one small voice trying to remind the nation what matters and what doesn’t. He wrote, “While our society and media outlets appear to be consumed by the activities of the ‘glitterati,’ we tend to forget that each day Americans are anonymously dying in Iraq.”

He went on: “I think only fair that they be remembered and honored” and then he ordered all American flags in Long Beach flown at half-staff—indefinitely.”

Westport has had its own way of reminding ourselves that young Americans…and those not so young…have been dying in Iraq. Every Saturday morning rain or shine a group of Westporters has stood on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge reminding all who pass by that Americans are dying in Iraq.

Our grand marshal, Ted Diamond, and his wife, Carol, can usually be found among those on the bridge. No one would dare question the patriotism of Ted Diamond…or Larry Aasen…or other of any of our other war veterans on the bridge. And no one would accuse any of them of not rallying around the flag.

But we all could do more to rally around the flag and recall the sacrifices of those who have served and who continue to serve. Sometimes you don’t realize how many Westporters have served their nation in extraordinary ways.

The late Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Halbertstam, who was honored posthumously yesterday at the Westport Public Library’s Booked for the Evening fund-raiser, found one such Westporter.

His name was Gene J. Takahashi. A month before Halberstam’s untimely death in a California car crash, Halberstam wrote about Gene Takahashi in a Forbes magazine column.

“Some two years ago I went out to Westport, Conn., to interview Gene Takahashi for a book I was writing about the Korean War,” Halbertstam wrote.

“There were, it soon struck me, two Gene Takahashis, the first the former IBM executive, quiet and exceptionally modest, the model citizen of a prosperous Connecticut suburb; and then another Gene Takahashi, someone whom almost none of his neighbors knew anything about.”

Halberstam went on to detail Takahashi’s difficult life, including the time he and his family spent in World War II internment camps, the indignities he endured in the U.S. Army as an American of Japanese descent, and his Korean War battlefield exploits that won him a purple heart and a bronze star for valor and which, Halberstam said, made Gene Takahashi “a genuine war hero.”

“I had been intrigued by Takahashi’s story because it is so American,” Halberstam wrote, “at once good American and bad American.”

A few days before his death, Halberstam was called by a reporter for Inklings, the Staples High School newspaper. Aaron Kiersh, the Inklings reporter, asked Halberstam about Westporter Gene Takahashi.

“I’m doing this in honor of Gene,” Halberstam said, referring to the book on the Korean War.

“He’s just an uncommon man. He’s very graceful, a modest man. He had a platoon, oddly enough, an all-black platoon. He’s a wonderful man who should be celebrated.”

Ironically, the same day that Halberstam was killed, the Inklings reporter spoke to Gene Takahashi about Halberstam. Neither knew at the time Halberstam was dead. Takahashi said he was looking forward to Halberstam returning to Westport for yesterday’s event.

“My experiences caught Halberstam’s attention,” Takahashi told Inlings. “He came to Westport and we spent the day together talking about my experiences.
He’s a meticulous writer, very unique.”

The Inklings reporter noted that Gene Takahashi was battling lung cancer. Well, 13 days ago, Gene Takahashi died. A memorial service was held this weekend…Memorial Day weekend….at the Saugatuck Congregational Church…a day before he and Halberstam were to be reunited at the Westport Library.

Now both are gone…but you can be sure, not forgotten, not by this generation or by the many who will follow.

The same Inklings issue that carried the Halberstam interview also had a story about a soldier many Staples students would have a lot easier time identifying with—Staples assistant principal Rich Franzis.

It was announced last January that the 51-year-old Franzis, a lieutenant colonel in the army reserve and father of three, will be on active duty for 18 months. Franzis, adviser to the sophomore class, told Inklings that he visited Iraq in April for two weeks to meet with the counterpart he will be replacing this summer.

He mentioned that the turret gunner in his Humvee is the mother of a 3-year-old who volunteered to go back to Iraq for a second time. Franazis closed his e-mail to Inklings this way:

“I’d like to wish the class of 2007 my very best wishes for a successful future. Hopefully I’ll be back to see my class, the class of 2009 graduate. Best regards and thanks for thinking of me. – Rich Franzis.”

Well, Rich Franzis, we are thinking of you today, of you and your fellow soldiers now serving our country. We’re thinking of Gene Takahashi. We’re thinking of Ted Diamond and the millions of others who have served so valiantly.

And yes, Westport can still rally round the flag for all those to whom we are so grateful for our freedom and for making our country still the greatest nation in the world.

Thank you very much.

ere are some excerpts from my prepared remarks before today’s Westport Rotary Club.

I deviated from the text and did not say things exactly this way or in this order. But I stand by the remarks as outlined here.

I’ll also be delivering a similar talk to the Democratic Town Committee on Monday, Feb. 12 at 8 pm. at Town Hall.

We’re in great shape in Westport and we’re getting better all the time. In fact, our problem, if you can call it that, is that Westport continues to be one of the most desirable places to live in the United States.

It’s a problem because with a finite stock of real estate, people continue to bid up the price to settle here. And that makes it difficult for seniors on fixed incomes to remain…difficult for young people who grew up here to return….and difficult for our teachers, police officers, firefighters, and others who work here to live in Westport.

That’s why I am a strong proponent of affordable housing, workforce housing, and senior housing--but done on our terms and in areas acceptable to townspeople.

Yes we’ve been impacted by the recent housing slowdown, but certainly not as much as some places.

Not only do we have some of the best and most scenic recreation facilities…but we have an involved, caring community. The monies raised by the people in this room, and by hundreds of our neighbors, and donated to those in need set us apart from many communities. 

More "State of the Town"

ext of my remarks at today’s Veterans Day ceremony in the Town Hall Auditorium:

In yesterday’s New York Times, there was a story from Zagrit, Iraq, by C. J. Chivers.

It recounted how a group of marines got the news about the resignation on Wednesday of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

An Iraqi watching television who was an involuntary host to a platoon of marines looking for insurgents passed on the news in broken English to the platoon’s sergeant.

“Rumsfeld is gone,” he told the sergeant.

“Rumsfeld is gone?” the sergeant said. “Really?”

The Iraqi nodded. The sergeant went upstairs, the Times correspondent wrote, and he said to five marines sprawled with rifles on the cold floor, “Rumsfeld’s out.”

The Times report went on: Lance Cpl. James L. Davis Jr. looked up from his cigarette. “Who’s Rumsfeld?” he asked.

Politics and politicians are not of great interest to many of our young men and women serving in the military. They have but one mission—to serve their country.

And to stay alive.

Later in the story, the correspondent told of meeting Lance Cpl. Patrick S. Macguire. His grandfather fought at Iwo Jima.. His father was a marine in Vietnam. This was his second tour in Iraq.

“Here’s the deal,” he said. “Someone points a finger at you, and you go.”

And so it has been for decades for those in our military.  Someone points a finger at you and you go.

They have gone from Westport in wars back to the Civil War. And they have gone most recently to Afghanistan and to Iraq.

Westport has been fortunate in that our town has not suffered any recent direct war casualties.

But back in 2003, Connecticut’s first casualty in the Iraq War was the son-in-law of Westporter Jay Paretzky, who at the time was president of our volunteer ambulance service.

Master Staff Sgt. Phillip Jordan, 42, and eight other marines were killed in an ambush.

Jordan and his wife Amanda had visited Westport regularly with their then 6-year-old son Tyler.

Others from Westport have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fortunately, they returned home safely.

But many who served in other wars did not. Some of their colleagues are with us today in this auditorium.

“Someone points a finger at you and you go,” said the marine in Iraq.

We are grateful for those who have gone without question when asked…from Westport and from all across America.

Today it is our honor to honor them, express our gratitude, and, as a community, once again to say “thank you.”

es, I know, Gordon’s Journal has been AWOL for a while.  Busy days and long hours. But here’s a little catch-up.

This week a group of fifth graders from the Westport schools came in to talk about community issues, everything from big houses, obesity in young people, emergency preparedness, taxation, traffic, sidewalks, biking on town streets, whether I would run again and of course, the Y at Mahackeno.

They listened politely and intently. Clearly they had done their homework and truly were interested in the issues and my answers. The Westport Minuteman had a good story about it in this week’s issue.

Last week, there was a letter in the Westport News suggesting I had been silent on the Y issue. I guess the letter writer was not paying attention to last fall’s debates where it was a main issue in the selectman’s race and to my comments reported in the press since then.

As I told the youngsters this week, in the best of all worlds the Y would be centrally located. I have had numerous conversations with Y leaders in which I offered to work with them to find an alternate location downtown. But the answer has been the same—they are focused on moving to land they already own at Mahackeno.

The Y, like any land owner in Westport, has the right to apply to use their property as they see fit. If their efforts are unsuccessful, I stand ready to work with them on finding someplace else.

I don’t recall discussing affordable housing with the fifth graders. But it certainly is something on the front burner for all Westporters—Gorham Avenue, Saugatuck, you name it. 

I sat through much of the P&Z meeting this week along with many other Westporters listening intently to the presentations. I had hoped for an opportunity to speak along with my fellow Westporters. Maybe next time.

What I’ll say is what many others have said – the proposed development on Gorham Avenue and Main Street is too intense for the neighborhood. There is no question Westport needs more affordable housing, senior housing, workforce housing, etc. But not at the cost of destroying neighborhoods, especially one so historic as the Gorham area.

We as a community must find places where we can erect this kind of housing. Baron’s South certainly is one place and we are actively pursuing plans to do so. There are plans that have been on the drawing boards for some time to expand such housing in the Hales Court area. We hope to move ahead on these as well.

The six units approved for West End Avenue for the Interfaith Housing Association will help out. So will some units in a proposed development by the Gault family in Saugatuck.

But any plans for creating this kind of housing in Westport must be done in a measured way and must have support of the community. Next month—date to be decided—I hope to have a “Citizens Summit on Affordable Housing” where we as a community can begin earnest discussions on the issue.

I look forward to seeing many of you there.