At 7:30 p.m. tonight, Westport’s new Select Board will be sworn in.
A couple of hours before, and from 2 floors above the Town Hall auditorium, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker offered these final thoughts:
As many of you know, the guiding principle of my administration has been to ensure that Westport is the best place to live, work, play, and learn in the region—a community where everyone is welcome and truly feels that they belong. That vision was our North Star, shaping every decision and serving as the measure of our accomplishments. I could not be prouder of all that we achieved together.
Over the past 4 years, we made remarkable progress on the 5 priorities I outlined when Andrea Moore and I took office—along with so many other important initiatives. As a community, we stood by one another in times of sorrow and celebrated together in moments of joy. We engaged in causes that make both our town and our world a better place, and we spoke up, respectfully challenging each other whenever we saw opportunities for growth.
Andrea and I made history as Westport’s first all-female 1st and 2nd selectwomen team—and, together with Candice Savin, as the first all-female Board of Selectwomen. We led with compassion, integrity, professionalism, and heart. And today, I am proud to share that Westport is in the strongest financial position in its history and our future is very bright.
Westport’s selectwomen (from left: Jen Tooker, Candice Savin and Andrea Moore) volunteered each year at Experience Camps’ Day of Champions. (Photo/Dan Woog)
I also want to recognize our incredibly talented and dedicated town employees — my leadership team, and all my colleagues in Town Hall — without whom none of this would have been possible. Working alongside you each day has been an absolute privilege, and a lot of fun!
My deepest thanks as well to our exceptional Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services Departments, whose commitment keeps our community safe. I have told you many times that you are truly the best of the best, and we are so fortunate that you have chosen to build your careers here in Westport.
To our residents, business owners, teachers, school administrators, and nonprofit leaders: thank you. Westport is better today because of all of you. You are what makes Westport so special.
This role has always been as much about listening as it is about leading, and because you all took the time to share your thoughts and challenges, I was able to make decisions that truly reflected the needs of our community. Some of our best ideas came directly from you — StartUp Westport is a shining example — and I hope you continue sharing your vision and creativity with Westport’s new administration.
Serving as your 1st selectwoman has been the greatest honor of my professional life. I am excited for my next chapter, and I am deeply proud to continue to call Westport my home. Together, we will ensure that Westport remains the best place to live, work, play, and learn in the region. It will continue to be a community where everyone is welcome and truly feels they belong.
Thank you, Westport!
Jen Tooker
That was a very nice professionally written comment by Jen Tooker and I wish her well. I’m not too sure this statement is accurate though, “ Westport is in the strongest financial position in its history”
“I’m not too sure this statement is accurate though,” wrote Jack Backiel. Here is a bit more accuracy: Jen Tooker wanted to pave over Jessup Green for parking and eliminate the “green” for asphalt parking. She said she didn’t know what was affordable and who could afford the apartments with regard to the new 830-G project at Canal and 33. And, more astonishingly, she told me after her state of the town exposition: “I don’t know and I don’t care.” As if there could be more, she claimed not to have received correspondence about the clear cutting of the trees behind Walgreens at the Sherwood Island connector—and then the direct communications to her and the town were revealed by the state to her and the town. With this astonishing track record she was delighted to announce that she would run the state as governor.
Have always been confounded by the fact that she worked with Jim Marpe for eight years in Town Hall; yet nothing positive ‘wore off’ on her. Jim was the consumate prof/managerial role model. What a disappointment for Westport, she managed to become.
Arrivederci
“When you’re about to be run out of town,
get out in front and make it look like a parade.”
Professor Harold Hill: The Music Man
How can we miss you if you don’t go away?
Always boggling to me that residents take the time to write such insulting commentary when they themselves likely do nothing within the town’s political structure to make improvements themselves. Always easy casting stones from the couch!
Mark, even if your comment is cause for thought, it is still astonishing that not one comment so far, encompass a sorrowful or fond farewell; and that, too, is cause for thought.
Just a question:
Do they accept go-go boots at the Museum of History and Culture? (Westport, not Weston)
“These boots are made for walkin’
and that’s just what they’ll do.”
Nancy Sinatra
Thank you Jen and Andrea!
Well said Mark! Thank you Jen and Andrea for an amazing run, Yes, Westport is in a great place financially.
Now it comes down to how the capital projects are strategically planned, financed, and executed.
The King Crusade accomplished what it set of to do, put fear in local elections of the Trump Syndrome.
Guess What? How about the Democratic Progressive Far Left of Hartford sneaking in another poor housing bill giving the Far Left Democrats control of OUR local zoning laws?
With same fever ya’ll ran to the bridge to protest King T, can you please bring it to your Hartford Dems on this crazy housing bill that WILL transform our town beyond recognition in the coming years?
Very sad our local Democratic Majority in our community speak up very little about their friends in Hartford trying to stick it to Westport.
Ceci Mahar, Dominique Johnson, and Jonathan Steinberg all voted for the new bill, which still jeopardizes all our 8-30g points – and will have more unattainable demands on our town.
Again, thank you Jen and Andrea for always putting the best interests of Westport first, and giving 100% to making Westport a better place over the past 4 years.
Jimmy may have missed the fact that seemingly every meaningful race from coast to coast showed people staying away from the GOP in droves. It’s easy to understand. If, as a candidate, you embrace the party of Trump it does say something about your character. There is backlash. That wasn’t about people on the Bridge.
(Jimmy – did you laugh when Republican POTUS directly addressed a reporter as “little piggie?” Does that represent the kind of dignity of office that you admire?)
BUT, after the four dismal years of the Tooker administration, voters who focused on local issues were not going to vote for a fourth consecutive GOP FS. Take national issues completely out of the picture and a promised four more years of Tooker/O’Day/Moore did not resonate with voters in the slightest. It was a promise of four more years of inept leadership and failures to listen to the taxpayers. Few wanted that.
Chris, in no way am I knocking Kevin or Amy- they won an election. It is no longer about Jen or Andrea. That ship has sailed.
If you want to continue to bash them, Don O’Day and whoever you have the right…but they are no longer their for the bashing.
As a Democrat will you be stepping up on this wacky housing bill jammed down our towns and municipalities by the Far Left Progressives of Hartford?
Will you call out Jonathan Steinberg, Ceci Mahar, and Dominique Johnson for putting the interests of their Hartford Party leadership ahead of Westport?
Andrea and Jen didn’t leave Westport with the Hamlet, Hiawatha, Post Road East, and 7 or 8 more 8-30g’s in pipeline that WILL COME BEFORE P and Z….Hartford Democrats did….those democrats include our representatives.
Hopefully, you and other democrats will step up and hold your own accountable….can you? Will you?
Have a great Thanksgiving.
He won’t, they don’t, you know the story.
Democrats have controlled the CT Senate since 1997 (28 years) the CT House since at least 1992 (33 years) (my data only goes back so far), and the Governor’s office since 2011 (14 years).
Looking forward to all the changes in 2026 and beyond.